October brings us crisp air, colorful leaves and a chance to enjoy our changing seasons. Take a walk or drive, or visit a farmers market and explore new recipes. You may want to try your hand at preserving foods.

This month, our program assistants did a deep dive into exploring physical activity recommendations: Do we really need 10,000 steps per day? Another program assistant explored our ongoing need for adequate hydration regardless of the season. If you are looking for a fun recipe to feature at fall gatherings that features in-season produce, check out the recipe for spring rolls on a stick. It will be featured in an upcoming handout about “healthy foods on a stick.”


• Want to explore food preservation? See our free online course, Food Preservation 101, which is offered a few times a year and takes place in the convenience of your home – or on your phone anywhere! People from all over the U.S. and other countries have participated in this self-paced class.
  
• Are you new to food preservation? Explore our food preservation materials about canning, drying, pickling and fermenting. Make some canned salsa with our guide.
  
• Check out our newest recipes this fall at NDSU Extension. We have several brand new international recipes (Bean Thread Noodle Stir Fry, Tapioca Coconut Dessert, Grated Carrot-Onion Salad, and Spicy Potato Stir Fry and Rasam) thanks to our colleagues with international backgrounds. See the recipes, food preparation and preparation topics. The recipes must meet guidelines to be featured on our recipe website. 
  
• Check out the Growing Together: More Than a Cookbook for recipes and tips shared by gardeners in the Fargo–Moorhead area. You may discover a new favorite recipe.
  
• As many people are busy with Fall activities, check out the time-saving ideas in the “Food Preparation” section of our website (www.ag.ndsu.edu.edu/food)
  
• Mark your calendars for Wednesdays in February, March and April at 2 p.m. CT. We are making plans for our Field to Fork webinar series. 

Until next time, 


Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., Food and Nutrition Specialist, NDSU Extension



Please contact me at julie.garden-robinson@ndsu.edu or 701-231-7187 for more information about any of these programs.

How many steps do you really need each day?

By Abel Brewster, NDSU Extension program assistant

Reviewed by Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist

When it comes to maximizing health benefits, many still believe that 10,000 steps a day is the golden rule. The truth is that this benchmark was not entirely based on research and was originally a marketing campaign launched by a Japanese company in the 1960s to sell more of its pedometers and promote physical activity. While 10,000 steps can be a great target for some individuals, this metric is unnecessarily high for others.

If many don’t need 10,000 steps to maintain a healthy lifestyle, then how many do we really need each day? For adults aged 60 and older, the risk of dying from all causes decreases up until around 6,000 to 8,000 steps. This means that getting any more than 8,000 steps would have diminishing returns in regard to reducing health risks. For adults under 60, benefits level off between 8,000 and 10,000 steps. 

Why do we need steps?

You don’t necessarily need steps; it’s the movement that you need. Steps are just a tool for measuring physical activity. Why do we need physical activity? People with higher daily step counts have been linked to lower risk for high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), major depressive disorder and sleep apnea. 

Time is another tool for measuring physical activity. Physical activity guidelines can be just as effective a way to measure and reduce risks of cardiovascular disease and death. The current physical activity guidelines recommend getting 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous exercise each week.

Reaching our step goals

To track your steps, check if your smartphone has a built-in step counter; if not, you may need to download an app. For others, buying a fitness watch or a smart watch with a step tracker may be an even more accurate way to count steps.

For some, thousands of steps each day may seem astronomically high. How could reaching our step goals look like? In a 30-minute walk at the moderate pace of 100 steps per minute, you’d walk about 3,000 steps.

If going for a walk is not something you enjoy, try getting steps in another way. Finding physical activities you enjoy can be the perfect alternative to “getting your steps in” without labeling it as a walk. Try pickleball, tennis, running or even just walking a dog. Step goals shouldn’t feel hard to reach; instead, they should be intertwined within your daily routine.

Consider making small, intentional lifestyle changes that build extra movement into your regular routine. The classic example of this is parking your car farther from the door to get some added steps in. Try taking stairs instead of elevators, walking during lunch breaks or walking around while talking on the phone or brushing your teeth. If you live close enough, try biking or walking to work. These habits add up in small ways that can make a meaningful impact on your health without a lot of extra work.

If these numbers still feel daunting, remember that getting in any movement is better than nothing at all. A meta-analysis combining findings from 17 studies found that for every 500 additional steps per day, the risk of cardiovascular disease decreased by 15%. Additionally, the analysis found that walking at least 3,900 steps per day lowered the risk of dying from any cause.

Build habits you can sustain instead of fixating on an arbitrary fitness goal, because 10,000 steps is too many for some. In a study of older women, getting 4,400 steps a day showed a 41% lower death rate compared with women only taking 2,700 steps, according to a four-year study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine.

Melody Ding, a professor of public health at the University of Sydney, found that people taking 7,000 steps a day were at a 50% lower risk of death than those taking 2,000 steps a day.

In North Dakota, summers and falls are the easiest times to be physically active. If you work from home or spend most of the day sitting, going for walks may be crucial to reaching your daily step goals. Take advantage of the weather and spend time outside being active this summer.

Bottom line: Steps and movement are tremendously important for reducing many health risks, including reducing risk for obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. About 8,000 to 10,000 steps are recommended daily for adults under 60, and 6,000 to 8,000 daily steps are recommended for adults aged 60 and older. Getting in steps doesn’t have to feel like a chore. By making small habit changes, these goals can be more easily reached.

Sources:

Bowman, A. (2024, August 22). Is 10,000 steps a day good and does it make a difference? Retrieved June 1, 2026, from mayoclinic.org: https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/nutrition-fitness/does-hitting-10000-steps-a-day-really-make-a-difference/

How many steps do you need a day to see health benefits. (2025, February 25). Retrieved June 2, 2026, from uclahealth.org: https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/how-many-steps-do-you-need-day-see-health-benefits

Stone, W. (2025, August 14). Counting steps for health? Here's how many you really need. Retrieved June 1, 2026, from npr.org: https://www.npr.org/2025/08/14/nx-s1-5501610/counting-steps-health-fitness-tracker

Tresca, A. J. (2026, May 12). The Number of Steps per Day to Target for Your Age and Sex. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from verywellhealth.com: https://www.verywellhealth.com/average-steps-per-day-8671820

By Mackenzie Parker, Program Assistant - NDSU Extension

Reviewed by Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist

A one-size-fits-all guideline for how much water people should drink does not exist. This is because there are vast differences among individuals that determine the amount of fluid they need. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) provides recommendations for people to follow in order to achieve their fluid needs:


           Men: 15.5 cups each day.

           Women: 11.5 cups each day.

Children: Needs vary depending on age ranging from 4 cups for younger children to 8 cups for adolescents.

Note that these recommendations are for total fluid needs, meaning fluid consumed from both drinking and eating AND estimates that approximately 20% of a person’s fluid needs are met through the consumption of water-containing foods such as fruits and vegetables. 

What factors influence the amount of fluid a person needs?

Lifestyle and genetics both play key roles in determining specific fluid needs for each person. Uncontrollable factors such as age, sex and stature all impact the amount of water someone needs. For example, older adults tend to need less water than younger adults, and shorter people do not need as much water as those who are taller and have broader builds.

Controllable factors such as lifestyle habits also play an important role in how much fluid a person needs each day. For example, people who are more active need more water due to the excess loss of fluid from sweating. 

How do the weather and seasons impact hydration?

In addition to lifestyle and genetics, the weather can also have a significant influence on the amount of fluid a person needs. Climates that cause people to sweat more, such as hot and humid environments, are a major cause of increased fluid needs.

Fluid needs also vary depending on the season. For instance, people often require more fluids during the summer months because of the heat and increased physical activity that comes along with it. You might “work up a sweat” doing fall clean-up. Fluid needs may also increase during the winter. The lack of moisture in the air causes the body to lose water faster, so stay hydrated during the colder months as well.

How to tell if you are well hydrated: 


Making sure to maintain hydration is important, especially on hot days. There are a few simple, quick ways to determine whether your body is well hydrated. A good way to tell if you are becoming dehydrated is by the color and frequency of urination.

Urine should be pale yellow; darker urine is a good indicator of dehydration. Additionally, if the frequency of urination lessens, that typically means the body is lacking fluid. Use these signs to enjoy the warm weather the right way by staying hydrated and paying close attention to your body for any signs of dehydration.

Sources

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics fluid recommendations for adults: https://www.eatright.org/health/essential-nutrients/water/how-much-water-do-you-need

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics fluid recommendations for children: https://www.eatright.org/health/essential-nutrients/water/water-how-much-do-kids-need

Signs of dehydration from Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/symptoms-causes/syc-20354086