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Edit How can you tell if you are drinking enough water?
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How can you tell if you are drinking enough water?
Don’t rely on feeling thirsty – although this can be a strong reminder to drink, if you are thirsty, this means your body is already feeling dehydrated.
The easiest way is to keep an eye on the colour of your urine – if it is very pale yellow, in fact even colourless then you are probably drinking enough - but if it is dark with a strong smell then this is a good indication that you need to drink more.
Do other drinks count towards the recommended water intake?
Although tea and coffee, along with soft drinks can contribute to your fluid requirements, drinking water itself is definitely the best option – caffeine (which is in tea, coffee and many soft drinks) and alcohol all have a diuretic effect which means they actually cause us to pass more urine and so promote dehydration.
The other consideration about soft drinks is the sugar/ artificial sweeteners that these contain. These can have other effects on your body which may affect your health and well-being.
What are the benefits of drinking more water?
Apart from the essential health benefits of providing a medium for carrying vital substances and nutrients around the body in the blood stream, essential water also helps to lubricate and protect the tissues.
Water support oral health by increasing saliva production. This not only supports digestion but also helps to keep the gums and teeth clean and healthy.
Water plays an important role in flushing out waste – the kidneys work better if they are well hydrated and this can help prevent urine infections
you can easily become constipated if you are dehydrated so drink plenty of water to make it easier to move your bowels
Water itself contains minerals that are required by your body
Water helps to lubricate joints and ligaments and provides an essential shock absorbent function to prevent injury and pain.
Water is essential for brain health – even without the thumping headache that accompanies severe dehydration, water is also required to help us to think clearly.
Drinking more water can help with weight management – the brain cannot tell the difference between being hungry and thirsty, so why not have a drink of water to take the edge of your appetite?
Water plays an important role in exercise performance. Muscles do not work as well when we are dehydrated
When skin is dehydrated, it not only looks dull but is more vulnerable to skin disorders such as
acne
and eczema – and dehydrated skin also looks prematurely wrinkly
Water plays an essential role in temperature regulation – when the body gets too hot then as extra sweat evaporates it can effectively cool down
Top tips for drinking more water
Carry a reusable water bottle (500ml) and deliberately aim to drink a full bottle in the morning and afternoon
Have a large glass of water before every meal
Flavour your water by drinking fruit / herbal teas or even steeping fruit teabags in cold water
Add cucumber or mint or fresh fruit to your water
Eat more fruit and vegetables that contain high amounts of water (cucumber, melon, strawberries and grapes are great sources of water)
Set yourself a goal and then use reminders or an app throughout the day
So, it will no doubt be clear by now that water is actually the most important nutrient in our body and with a little bit of planning and attention to making sure we drink more, we can make a significant impact on every aspect of our health and well-being.
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