If it's mid-morning and you feel tired and 'head-achy' for no particular reason (I mean you haven't been up half the night with a sick toddler or folding laundry into the small hours) it is quite a possibility that you are suffering from a mild dehydration.
Mild dehydration can cause thirst, headache, irritability, weakness, dizziness and fatigue and can generally make people feel tired and lethargic.
When I was small I was discouraged to drink at mealtimes and often didn't remember in between, either, and I'm afraid that, even though now I live in a hotter, drier climate, I find it very difficult to get to the bottom of a glass of water.
Water is essential for your body to function properly. Your brain is 90% water and your body is 70% water, the majority of your blood and every cell in your body is composed of water.
Here are some good reasons why we should be drinking 6 - 8 glasses of water a day:
# Increases energy and relieves fatigue
# Promotes weight loss
# Flushes out toxins
# Eases digestive problems
# Improves skin complexion
# It is a natural cure for headaches
# Eases joint and back pains, prevents cramps and sprains
# Lowers the risk of colon cancer, bladder cancer and breast cancer
# Puts you in a good mood because your body is working well
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| A winter 'loikatea' by the fire |
Of course, this is even more serious a problem if you are pregnant or nursing, taking certain medications, doing strenuous outdoor work or inside in offices or shops with air conditioning or simply living through the summer months with high temperatures.
It is very important to keep drinking water based liquids. The experts recommend at least 2 litres daily. Gulp. (Pardon the pun). Also, I read recently that coffee and real tea don't count because their caffeine content counter reacts, as a diuretic. This, however, is still being investigated.
Here is a recipe for a drink I used to prepare when my family was younger:
Just mix and keep refrigerated:
1/3 water
1/3 fruit juice (nicest with apple, orange, peach or pineapple)
1/3 7UP (or similar, like Sprite. The British call it lemonade! I always used a very economical store brand which was even cheaper than bottled water.)
6 comments:
Holi Ma,
I have no problem keeping my husband and myself hydrated, because every time I get myself a cuppa I ask him if he wants one, too.
As to the children, they routinely drink at least five glasses of liquid a day, if not more, during mealtimes and in-between. I do this by filling everyone's glasses at the beginning of the meal, even if they say they're not thirsty.
Tea is a good hydrating drink, it contains flavanoids and antioxidants! A good way to ensure you drink enough is to have a bottle of water in a convenient place and have a mouthful each time you pass it :)
Another thing I've sometimes done when I've been sick and needed a lot of liquid is to place a bottle of water by the kettle (I rarely like water on its own myself) and resolve it had to be empty by the end of the day, no matter how I drank it!
Ma is not really English, it's just her passport... She doesn't like real tea. :D
What a lot of hard work you have been up to! But the fun is in the eating!
One day after having read this post, coming from work, Daniel said, "I drank more than four litres of water today!" and we both exclaimed of how Mama would be so proud of him. :P
Dear A.J.
Tell your dear husband that he doesn't necessarily have to drink four litres of water for me to be proud of him :)
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