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The Importance of Hydration
Water plays a vital role in many bodily functions
Author: Ciara Nolan (RNutr)
Ciara is our in-house nutritionist at FITT Meals & has a MSc Human Nutrition.
Ensuring you are hydrated is essential for good health, but living in a hot climate like The UAE can make this a difficult task (think summer heat!)
Dehydration is when we do not have enough fluid in our body. This can happen when we do not drink enough fluid or lose more fluid than we consume.
Dehydration can be very dangerous. Losing just a small amount of your body fluid can cause headaches, irritability, fatigue and cramps. It can also reduce your sports performance by 25% – so hydration is very important for athletes and people who play sports. Extreme dehydration can even lead to death.
How Much Water Do You Need?
The general advice is to aim for 35 ml per kg of body weight. For example, if you weigh 60kg you should aim to drink 2.1 Liters per day.
60 x 35 = 2,100 mls = 2.1L
However, if we sweat more we may need to increase this amount. The easiest way to check your hydration status is by checking the color of your pee.
You should aim for a pale straw yellow color. Yellow or dark brown urine is an indicator of dehydration. This is a sign that you need to drink more water.
What Are The Benefits Of Drinking water?
Water plays a vital role in many bodily functions. It helps in regulating the body’s temperature, ensures your joints are well-lubricated, aids in digestion and transportation of nutrients, prevents kidney stones, and facilitates the detoxification of waste from our bodies. Additionally, staying properly hydrated can enhance memory, boost cognitive function, and elevate one’s overall mood.
Where Can You Get Fluid?
The best way to hydrate is simply by drinking plain water. Water in teas and coffees also counts. Additionally, do not forget that food contains water too. For example, foods such as watermelon and cucumber have a high water content making them a flavourful way to increase your fluid intake.
