Healthy Tip of the Month

Check back here monthly for tips to help with your general health and wellbeing.

Did you know that a reasonably inactive adult loses approximately 2 litres of water a day through breath, sweat and urine?

All drinks, apart from alcohol count toward making up this amount including tea and coffee – and more than a third of our water comes from our food. You may require more fluid if you are physically active or during periods of hot weather.

Dehydration occurs when there is a 1% or greater reduction in body weight due to fluid loss (severe hydration is 5% or more).

Hydration even affects your voice – The effort required to speak can increase by 23% as a result of whole-body dehydration. When you are dehydrated, your attention and concentration can decrease by 13% and short term memory by 7%.

Consuming lots of fresh fruits and vegetables will satisfy some of your body’s fluid requirement. Gaining water from each fruit high in water content is a great way to boost water consumption without drinking it directly. Fruit will also help fill up the stomach with low calories and gain tons of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to increase vitality.

Fruit and Vegetables Water Content Table

TIP: On feeling hungry drink some water 15 minutes before eating! Thirst and hunger sensations are triggered together and if there is a slight dehydration the thirst mechanism may be mistaken for hunger and you may eat when the body is actually craving fluid.