Keep hydrated this summer

Did you know that everyday all of us lose around 2.5 litres of water and it is vitally important for our overall health to replenish this in our bodies every single day? This is why hydration is so important, particularly now that we are in the summer months when we use even more water to maintain our health.

Did you know that 60 per cent of a human body is made up of water? Don’t believe me? Well, we can drive down even deeper, your lungs are 83 per cent water, your liver is 71 per cent, your kidney’s are slightly more at 79 per cent, your skin is 64 per cent, your heart comprises of 73 per cent and to keep your brain sharp and agile the body uses water as a conduit for electrical impulses and maintains its level of moisture at around 73 per cent. Even your bones, which most people think of as just a solid substance, have a moisture level of around 31 per cent.

So, clearly, water in your bodies is vitally important, but how much to drink to avoid dehydration and what not to drink are important questions. Essentially, the usual advice is to drink between six to eight glasses of fluid a day or around 2000ml for men and 1600ml for women aged 14 and over. Remember that much of the food you drink also contains water, in fact, around 20-30 per cent.