21st January – Hydrate

Human beings are 80% water. Water is essential to all the structures that make up the body, and the processes that make the body work to function healthily.

🚰Many people don’t drink quite enough. Usually it’s not enough to cause sudden or serious problems, but being slightly dehydrated can lead to:
🤕headaches
💩Constipation
🤭Bad breath
😞Dry, dull skin
🥱Fatigue
📈Weight gain – because often thirst is mistaken for hunger, so people eat more thinking that they feel hungry, but actually they are thirsty.

How do you know if you are drinking enough? Look at your wee! 🚽Urine should be a pale, straw colour, and there should be plenty of it. If your urine is darker yellow or even darker like an amber/orange colour and you are only passing small amounts, this is a sign of dehydration and you need more water.

Tips to achieve adequate hydration:
💧Make water a part of your routine – have a large glass of water by your bed and drink it first thing in the morning after getting up.
💧Always have a water bottle with you throughout the day
💧Tap water too boring? Try having a variety of drinks – tap water, sparkingling water, calorie-free flavoured water, herbal tea
💧Avoid or reduce caffeine which has a diuretic effect (makes you lose water!)
💧Avoid or reduce alcohol (also has a diuretic effect!)
💧Lots of foods are high in water content – especially juicy fruits and vegetables, include these in your whole food diet.
💧Learn to listen to your body – true for many many different things as well!