Hydration Elevation
September 28, 2020
As the winter days take hold one thing I hear a lot from patients is that they don’t drink as much water in the cooler months.
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.
Did you know that if you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated so having a good habit of drinking fluids over the day is the best way to avoid dehydration and associated risks.
All types of fluids count when we are talking about staying hydrated: tea and coffee, fruit juice, cordial, soft drinks, milky drinks and soups.
Here are some strategies to keep hydrated over the day:
- At each meal and snack serve everyone with a large cup of water.. For adults have a cup that holds at least 250ml. Kids 200ml.
- Own 2-3 drink bottles so there is always one available at home, work, school and in the exercise bag.
- 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
Sometimes it can be difficult to get your kids to drink enough
- A fun way is to drink with them, clink cups and say ‘Cheers!’
- Encourage small sips over the day which can also help the body absorb it better and get use to a larger volume slowly rather than passing straight through.
Make water more interesting
- Add some zest with citrus fruits like lemon, lime or oranges
- Try other fruits like berries, kiwi, pineapple, apple or pear
- Maybe herbs like mint, basil or thyme.
Enjoy a hot cup of tea or coffee at each meal and between meals.
- Try some different herbal teas, with so many different brands out these days you are sure to find a favourite or two!
- You can make so many teas from the garden. Each season you can keep adding different flavours making an Everchanging Garden tea. Garden ingredients you can use include:
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Leaves such as lemon balm, spearmint or catmint, rosemary, nettle, dandelion, lemon verbena, bee balm, lemon myrtle, rose geranium, lemongrass, thyme and even coriander
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Flowers that you can dry and use includ elderflowers, lavender, jasmine, chamomile and the beautiful rosehips.
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Roots include tumeric or ginger
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Dried lemoon, lime, mandarine peels or zest
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- Fresh leaf teas you could make from your own garden include spearmint tea, rosemary tea and lemon verberna or lemmongrass - Simply add freshly boiled water over the freshly picked leaves in your mug.
- Other hot drinks for variety include Caro/Ecco/Nature’s friend which is a chickory and barley, bonox- a savoury drink, or perhaps carob, hot chocolate or hot malted milk.
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.