Drink Water.
Getting enough water every day is important for your health. Even ‘mild’ dehydration (a loss of water corresponding to 1-2% of body weight) can lead to significant impairments in cognitive function, concentration, alertness, memory, physical performance and physical endurance. Water has no calories, so it can also help with managing body weight and reducing appetite as the body often confuses hunger with thirst.
Drinking water does more than just quench your thirst. It's essential to keeping your body functioning properly and feeling healthy. Water makes up about 60% of your body weight, nearly all of your body's major systems depend on water to function and survive.
Here are just a few examples of the ways water works in your body:
Regulates body temperature
Moistens tissues in the eyes, nose and mouth
Protects body organs and tissues
Carries nutrients and oxygen to cells
Lubricates joints
Detoxes the kidneys and liver by flushing out waste products
Dissolves minerals and nutrients to make them accessible to your body
Skin needs moisture to stay flexible. Even mild dehydration may leave your skin looking dry, tired and slightly grey
Your body needs more water when you are:
In hot climates.
More physically active.
Running a fever.
Having diarrhoea or vomiting.
Knowing how to stay hydrated with water is super important. Why? Well, largely because the human body is about 60% water and because we are continuously losing water through urine, sweat and even just breathing, we need to ensure we’re replacing that fluid so that our cells, tissues and organs can all function optimally.
How much water do you need?
In the UK, the NHS Eatwell Guide suggests you should aim for six to eight glasses of water and other liquids each day to replace normal water loss – around 1.2-1.5 litres. Water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks including tea and coffee all count.
Adequate hydration varies from person to person. A practical way to monitor hydration is by observing the colour of your urine throughout the day, probably best to ignore your first of the day.
While you should meet most of your fluid needs by drinking water, beverages such as soups, milk, 100% fruit juice and decaffeinated teas are an option. Fruits and vegetables also contain a fair amount of water. Since it's hard to track the amount of water you get from food, it's best to try for drinking at least one litre daily.
Ways to stay hydrated
Start the morning off by drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up, even before coffee.
Carry a water bottle with you and refill it throughout the day.
Freeze some freezer safe water bottles. Take one with you for ice-cold water all day long.
Choose water over sugary drinks.
Opt for water when eating out. You’ll save money and reduce calories.
Serve water during meals.
Add a wedge of lime or lemon to your water or try one of these recipes, This can help improve the taste.
By consuming the minimum recommendation of water, you're helping your body function better and improving your overall health.
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Debs @ bournetraining.co.uk