How To Stay Hydrated
We know it’s important to stay hydrated. Unfortunately there’s a lot of conflicting information out there and we’re bombarded with it each and every day. Drink water, don’t drink too much water, drink coffee, don’t drink coffee, exercise 30 minutes a day, exercise 7 minutes a day and so on, and so on… It’s enough to send us mad!
So what do you actually need to know?
Let’s start with what happens if you haven’t been drinking enough water. In this case, these symptoms may sounds familiar to you – fatigue, headache, poor concentration (dehydrated brain), strong, dark yellow pee, and dry skin – no youthful, energy abundant glow there! We’re made up of around 60-70% water, so if you aren’t keeping yourself topped up, you’re not going to feel too flash.
So to make it simple, you need to drink at the very least a litre of water a day- ideally 2 litres, and yes, tea does count towards this (phew!).
As well as tea, any water dense foods, such as watermelon, cucumber, broccoli (yep- 89% water- who knew?), and salads all help keep the fluid levels up.
If you have not been great on drinking water, just increase your consumption slowly. Add one more glass each day, so your body adapts a bit better and you don’t spend quite so much time on the loo.
To help you drink all the water you need each day, you can also add a splash of lemon juice into your glass, pop a piece of cucumber in your water bottle for taste, or (of course) pour a sachet of Green Tea in 3 into your water bottle, after all, that’s what we’re here for!
It’s also important to keep well protected from the sun, as well as be mindful of the effects of air-conditioning in offices, and pressurised cabins when you’re flying. Make sure you order your wine with a glass of water water too, as alcohol can be very dehydrating so it’s best to balance that out as you go.
Overall the key is to be consistent, add some inspiration to your water when needed, and you’ll notice the benefits to your health, concentration and energy.