By now most of us know that staying hydrated is not only hugely beneficial to our health but is vital to it, yet too many of us still do not drink sufficient water on a regular basis and walk around at least partially dehydrated most of the time.
It is not only important to drink water when exercising, when outside in the sun, or during the summer, but every single day no matter the weather or where you are. Obviously if you are living in a hot climate or are physically working or exercising you should drink more water to avoid dehydration.
Hydration Dos and Do Nots
Although the body needs liquids regularly to be fully hydrated, not all liquids are the same, and drinking some could actually do the opposite of hydrating you.
While drinking plain water is the best method of keeping yourself hydrated, we know that not everyone likes drinking water and let’s face it, drinking only water is really boring, so here are a few important dos and don’ts:
Don’t Drink Too Many Caffeine Drinks: Caffeine is a diuretic, which means that it makes you urinate more often; it can also have a laxative effect. While so-called “energy-drinks†may give you a caffeine-high for a few minutes, this will soon fade and leave you dehydrated.
Don’t Drink Too Many Carbonated Drinks: Carbonated drinks are popular because they taste good, but if you stop to take a moment to wonder why they taste so good you will realise that it is mainly due to the high fructose corn syrup content, which creates a sugar-high and has been associated with increased risk of metabolic syndrome, which leads to diabetes and heart disease.
Don’t Drink Too Many Fruit Juices: The best juices taste great, offer some nutrients and are good for you, like a low-sodium vegetable juice which can provide fibre, less sugar and other benefits. The worst are the so-called “fruit cocktails†that usually have only small amounts of real juice but are rich in sugar and calories.
Do Eat Water-Rich Fruit and Vegetables: Eating fruit and veggies that have a high water contest such as celery, watermelon, berries, cucumber, spinach and oranges will help maintain the water levels in your body and provide you with minerals and nutrients at the same time.
DO Drink Water: Drink as much water as possible during the day as water must make up around 80% of your daily fluid intake. If you don’t like the taste of tap water, invest in a water cooler for refreshing, chilled water – far healthier for you and the planet and far cheaper than bottled water.
Living-Water sells bottled water coolers and mains fed water coolers in London.
