Feeling bloated, sluggish or moody? You could be dehydrated. Dietitian Melissa Meier decants some cool hydration tricks.
Let’s face it, drinking enough water can be a challenge — but as the temperature outdoors starts to soar, it becomes even more important. HFG dietitian, Melissa Meier, highlights some of the best ways you can up your H2O intake. Every drop of water counts. Your body is made up of almost 80 per cent water — but here’s the catch. It can’t store water for later use, so you need to constantly replenish it. That’s why water is described as an essential nutrient. Our bodies need water for multiple functions. It gives structure to cells, assists digestion and helps remove waste. It also plays a role in helping ensure our bloodstream stays fluid, as well as keeping our joints healthy. Plus, water is key for regulating our body temperature. Despite the very important role of water, the average person’s intake is just over 1 litre per day, which means many of us are falling well short of the recommended 2 litres for females, and 2.6 litres for males. During the warmer months, our water requirements are even greater. Spot the signs of dehydration Sweating, urinating and even breathing all cause significant water loss, which is why it’s so important to replace water each day, or you’ll become dehydrated. In the long term, chronic dehydration can increase your risk of constipation, kidney stones and urinary tract infections. By the time you starting to feel thirsty, you’re probably already dehydrated. But there are plenty of other telltale signs that indicate dehydration — so keep an eye out for the following:
Dehydration risk factors Your risk of dehydration increases during the summertime because: You sweat more. When it’s hot and humid, your body sweats more as a way to cool you down. That means you need more water, even if your level of physical activity remains unchanged. You move more. Warm weather draws us outdoors, which means we’re often moving more. That could include planned exercise, or simply more leisurely activities like a game of backyard cricket and dips in the pool or ocean. You may drink more alcohol. With a summer calendar packed full of festivities, it’s easy to drink more than you usually would. Alcohol leads to frequent urination, which accelerates dehydration. You tend to eat salty foodsChips, cheese and savoury crackers are common party fare. These foods are high in sodium, which causes water retention. You have a change of routine. As you relax over summer, it’s common to fall into a less structured routine and miss your usual opportunities for drinking water.On holidays, you might be less likely to drink water because you’re not sitting at your desk with a glass of water next to you. You can read full article.
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