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...water, of course! Water...!
Water plays a hugely important role in our body. Every minute, thousands of chemical reactions happen in our body, and water helps these run as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
Being well hydrated:
· Keeps our body temperature stable
· Improves brain function and memory
· Helps stabilise our mood and tiredness levels
· Helps the body break down food, boosts metabolism and supports our digestive system
· Contributes to a healthy nervous system
Dehydration and exercise
Losing as little as 2 to 3% of our body’s water content can cause problems. When we exercise, particularly in the heat, we may lose water via our sweat and rapid breathing. Since the body is now operating sub-optimally, exercise will feel much more difficult, both physically and mentally, so it is even more important that we drink plenty of water. The general guide is to drink an extra litre of water per hour of intense exercise.
Water and weight loss
If weight loss is your goal, drinking more water is a good idea. It can help you feel fuller, so if you are craving something to eat, try drinking a glass of water first, then waiting half an hour before you eat. Even if you are still feeling hungry, research has shown you are likely to eat fewer calories if you have had plenty of water.
Water also helps your body’s metabolism work more efficiently, helping you to burn more calories over the course of a day.
Going to extremes
Extremes are rarely a good thing. Drinking too much water can cause problems by diluting electrolytes such as sodium in our body too much, causing brain damage and death. In the general population, over-hydration is fairly rare, but it is becoming more common for endurance events to include warnings about consuming too much water during or after a race.
Dehydration is more common and can lead to severe problems. A drop of just 10% of water content in our bodies can cause hallucinations, organ failure and even death. The human body can usually survive for about a month without food, but without enough fluid, it can only survive 3 to 4 days, a week at most.
So, how much is enough?
The amount of liquid we should be drinking depends on the environment/temperature, our state of health, how much activity we are doing, what we eat (some foods contain plenty of water) and body size. As a general rule of thumb, the NHS advises drinking 1.2 to 1.5 litres of water a day, which is roughly 6-8 glasses. Drink more if you exercise or if it is a hot day.
If you are not used to drinking as much water as you should, get in the habit of carrying a reusable water bottle around with you. Plan to drink a glass of water before a meal and then one in between mealtimes as well. Use an app to track how much you are drinking.
A good way of monitoring your body’s hydration levels is looking at the colour of your urine – clear or pale yellow shows a good level of hydration, whilst the more yellow it is, the more dehydrated you are. The reason our urine gets more yellow when we are dehydrated is that the kidneys, which filter waste from the body, send out signals to retain water, so our urine then becomes more concentrated.
What about drinking other liquids?
I get asked this a lot. Water is best as it is the purest liquid, calorie- and sugar-free. Caffeine found in coffee, tea and chocolate is both a stimulant and a diuretic, so will dehydrate you further. However, the amount of water in a weak cup of coffee or tea usually counterbalances the diuretic effect.
Watch out for drinks marketed as sports drinks as they often contain huge amounts of sugar, caffeine, artificial sweeteners and colourings. They are not great for weight loss, and are really only of some benefit to replace electrolytes lost through intense exercise.
Alcohol, of course, is a poison, and whilst it can be okay in moderation, in terms of dehydration, it is a diuretic, so consider the one-to-one rule: drink a glass of water in between each alcoholic drink. You might also thank yourself for it the next day!
If you do not like the taste of water, consider adding a slice of lemon, or a small dash of no-added-sugar fruit squash to the glass. Consider sparkling water. Try herbal teas, either hot or chilled.
Did you know that the average adult human body is composed of 50 to 65% water? At birth, we are around 78% water, but that quickly drops, and by adulthood men’s bodies are 60% water whilst women’s are 50%.
Why the difference between men and women? The difference is due to muscle holding more water than fat, and women generally having more body fat than men.
If you want to help your body function as efficiently as possible, reduce feelings of fatigue, improve your concentration, support your body during exercise, help your digestive system, boost your metabolism and stabilise your moods, drinking plenty of water each day is a great place to start.
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