Staying hydrated – are you drinking enough?

With the recent warm weather, our expert dietetic team have put together a post all about staying hydrated.

Did you know that our bodies contain between 50-65% water? Every cell in our body needs water for it to function properly.

Water is the best drink to have but other drinks such as tea, coffee, squash, juices and milk still provide us with water.

We lose water when we have a wee, through sweat and when we breathe. We can lose water faster when we are really hot, being very physically active, have a fever, sickness or diarrhoea.

The following are signs that we may be dehydrated:

• Little or no wee that is dark in colour
• Headache
• Dry mouth
• Irritability
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Not able to concentrate

As a general rule, we should drink 6 – 8 glasses (1600-2000ml) of fluid each day. If you have plenty of wee that is light in colour it is a sign that you are well hydrated – aim for this each day!

The Treloar’s Dietetic Team

For more information, please go to https://www.bda.uk.com/uploads/assets/337cfde9-13c5-4685-a484a38fbc3e187b/Fluidfood-fact-sheet.pdf