Hydration Elevation
August 5, 2024
Do you find your fluid intake reduces in the cooler months? Although it is unlikely reducing fluid intake will cause any serious effects when it is cold. Keeping up those good habits throughout the year will serve you well when you need it most in the warmer months and when you are older.
Did you know that if you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated? Dehydration is more of a health risk for the young and older people where it can cause problems like:
- heat injury like heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heatstroke which is more likely to occur when exercising or perspiring heavily such as in warmer weather.
- urinary tract infections, kidney stones and even kidney failure.
- Seizures and loss of consciousness
- Low blood volume shock which causes a drop in blood pressure and a drop in the amount of oxygen in your body.
The good news is that all types of fluids count when we are talking about staying hydrated including tea, coffee, fruit juice, cordial, soft drinks, milky drinks, and soups.
- Ways to keep hydrated over the day
- At each meal and snack serve everyone with a large cup of water.
- Drink water from a large cup or glass. For adults, a cup that holds at least 250ml is ideal. The bigger the better!
- Own 2-3 drink bottles so there is always one available at home, work, school and in the exercise bag. Somem drink bottles are even label with time to help you drink a certain amount by each time of the day.
- Keep your water within eyesight.
- Use an alarm to remind you to stop for a drink.
- On cold days add a touch of hot water from the kettle to take the chill off tap water
- Make 2 hot cuppas at a time.
- Make a big batch of soup and eat it as an afternoon tea.
- Make your water more interesting
- Add some zest with citrus fruits like lemon, lime, or oranges
- Try other fruits like berries, kiwi, pineapple, apple, or pear
- Add herbs like mint, basil, or thyme.
- Crunch on ice cubes
- Mix up you hot cuppas
- Enjoy a hot cup of tea or coffee at each meal and between meals. Coffee is still a hydrating drink and up to 3-4 coffees a day is not considered detrimental to health.
- Try some different herbal teas, with so many different brands out these days you are sure to find a favourite or two!
- Teas you could make from your own garden include mint tea, rosemary tea or lemon verbena- Simply add freshly boiled water over the freshly picked leaves into your mug.
- Other hot drinks include Caro or Nature’s friend which is a chicory and barley blend, bonox- a savoury drink, or perhaps carob, hot chocolate or hot malted milk.
Trouble Shooting The Other End
- If you are increasing your fluid intake, do it slowly over the day, weeks, and months to allow your body to get used to retaining the extra fluids to avoid lots of toilet trips.
- If you have difficulty with leaking, seeing a Physiotherapist for pelvic floor exercises is recommended. This is something all childbearing mother’s and people with weak pelvic floor muscles must do daily for the rest of their life.
Nothing beats the relaxing warming from a freshly made hot cuppa so why not make a point of it.Find a cosy quiet spot to sit, ponder your day and savour the full sensations of your desired hot beverage and have some me time.