Wise up with Water  Do you ever make the easy mistake of waiting until you’re thirsty until you drink a glass of water? I guess the answer would be yes ‘cos most of us do pretty much all the time. However, thirst isn’t an early signal of water needs; it’s a major warning sign that your body is dehydrated and you need to drink up fast!
Why do we need to drink up? Our bodies are made up of nearly two-thirds water and this is an essential nutrient that is involved in every function of the body. It transports other nutrients and waste products in and out of cells and helps maintain our proper body temperature. So basically water is extremely important to our body and without it our bodies would be unable to function and we would die!  We lose around about 6 pints of water a day (1 Pint perspiring, 2 pints breathing out and 3 pints in urine). If we don’t replace the same amount of water our bodies can become dehydrated. By the time we feel thirsty our bodies would have already lost over 1 percent of our total body water. That is why it is important to drink regularly through the day and not just when we feel thirsty.
Some subtle signs of dehydration are: Headaches Tiredness Crankiness Dry Lips Dark urine – if you drink the correct amount of water, urine should be almost colourless In hot and humid weather or when exercising, our bodies need far more water than usual. This is because we will sweat more than usual. You need to replace 150% of the amount of water lost to keep hydrated. The message is quite simple: Drink Plenty Of Water Every Day!  In addition to water, milk, juice and soup count towards your daily fluid intake because of their high water content. But don’t include coffee, tea, soft drinks or alcohol as they contain caffeine. Caffeine has a mild dehydrating effect; it can hold back water from the tissues that need it, making your body become dehydrated.
Drinking water is one of the easiest ways to stay healthy. Keep yourself hydrated and you’ll soon notice the difference by having clearer skin, higher levels of concentration and all round well being. Nutrition Actions To Increase Water Intake: - Choose water instead of soft drinks
- Always choose water over coffee or tea
- Drink water before meals and snacks
- Drink water before, during and after any physical activity
- Keep a bottle of water on you at all times so you can keep have a quick sip throughout the day
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- Vick
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