Do you drink enough?

By Debbie Wyer on 06 August 2021

Do you drink enough? And no I don’t mean gin!

Your body, brain, skin and fascia all need water to function well. Did you know, water affects every organ and cell within our bodies.

Here are a few facts that you might not know and that might help encourage you to drink or eat more water.

Yes, you can actually eat your way to increasing your daily fluid intake by consuming your 5 or more a-day!

Fruit and vegetables are a great source of water. Cucumbers are made up of whopping 96% water, tomatoes 95% and spinach 93%. I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

1. Water helps lubricate and provides cushioning for your joints and spine
2. Dehydration can tighten and inflame your fascia, causing fatigue or headaches
3. Not getting enough water can affect how you feel / your mood and lead to fatigue and anxiety
4. Water aids digestion. Drinking water before, during and after a meal will help your body break down what you have eaten more easily
5. Many people with urinary incontinence avoid drinking fluids, as they feel it causes more problems. However, limiting your fluid intake can actually make things worse, because it reduces your bladder’s capacity
6. Water helps your skin stay hydrated
7. Drinking plenty of water while exercising is essential and being fully hydrated can affect your performance, strength and power for the better

Those of you who know me well, know that I LOVE my coffee despite it being a diuretic. To balance out the dehydration caused by coffee I like to make sure I have a glass or two of water before any coffee intake and keep my number of cups to 2 a day.

Do you feel you drink enough water? If not, your challenge is to eat or drink more water. The recommended guidance from the NHS is 6-8 glasses of fluid a day. Don’t forget fizzy drinks, tea, coffee, hot chocolate all contain caffeine so these won’t count!