Health

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sedentary lifestyle. People are often sitting while engaged in an activity like working, reading, socializing, watching television or using computer for much of the day. This lifestyle tends to make people ignore their daily water intake because their activity does not make a sense of thirst. Funny how we consume more water during the summer, without a second thought and yet many find it so difficult to drink it in winter when we need it just as much. It’s been said a million times before. Water is uber important. It keeps us alive and yet we don’t drink nearly enough of it! Even when people tell us how wonderful it is for us and explain all the benefits. You see, our bodies are 60% water by weight, and proper hydration is absolutely essential for our overall health. After all, the water we consume optimises blood pressure, regulates body temperature, lubricates joints, moves waste out of the body, and aids in digestion. And with increased summer temperatures and outdoor activities comes increased water loss - through sweating and evaporation - as your body works to stay cool. One way you can tell if you are hydrated enough is the colour of your urine. This is a fantastic gauge to see if you have drunk enough fluids throughout the day. The darker your urine the more dehydrated you are, the paler almost clear urine means you are hydrated (see chart!). If you eat a varied diet you will be consuming up to a litre of water from your foods about 20-30%. 70-80% will be from water alone. All whole fruits and vegetables contain some amount of water, but for maximum benefit the list of foods below contain a minimum of 90% water: Cucumbers, Celery, Tomatoes, Radishes, Red, Yellow, Green bell peppers, Cauliflower, Watermelon, Spinach, Strawberries, Broccoli, Grapefruit Coconut water is another great hydrating drink. Mineral-rich liquid from the inside of young, green coconuts is packed with potassium, magnesium, sodium, and calcium, coconut water can replenish lost fluids and electrolytes from exercise and hot summer temperatures. Try adding it to your smoothies or your oats for an added boost! Stick with H2O. Yes, juices, milk, and herbal teas can all help hydrate your body—even caffeinated drinks (in moderation) can provide you with muchneeded water. However, water is what your body is really craving, so you might as well go straight to the source. Sticking

Saski owns and runs Limelight Fitness and is a personal trainer and sports massage practitioner By Saski Ford

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Stay Hydrated

BEING WELL-HYDRATED IS NOT ONLY ESSENTIAL FOR OUR BODIES, IT ALSO IMPROVES SLEEP QUALITY, COGNITION, AND MOOD

Nowadays, many people live a rather email: saskiford@yahoo.com with H2O will help you skip the unnecessary sugars, additives, and caffeine found in other drinks. Infuse your water with flavour. Whether you prefer limes, lemons, oranges, berries, or cucumbers, infusing your water with fresh fruit can make for a refreshing and spa-like beverage, without any added artificial sweeteners or preservatives. Make a date with water, book it into your day. If it feels impossible to drink 2 litres in a single day, you may want to come up with a hydrating schedule. As soon as you wake up, make it a point to drink a glass or two of water—after a night of fasting, your body will appreciate a morning quencher, and add some lemon for a deep morning cleanser. Drinking a predetermined number of millilitres throughout the day can also keep you on track.

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Life Is What You Make It

IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO BE HAPPY ALL OF THE TIME, LIFE CHUCKS EVENTS AT ALL OF US FOR THE WHOLE OF OUR LIFETIMES - IT’S HOW WE DEAL WITH THEM THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE

In November 2017 I was told that I had a genetically disposed to be fearful and 40% chance of survival after one and a anxious. This was great for prehistoric half years. These have been some of the woman and man, not so helpful in our hardest years of my life. Painful, present circumstances. exhausting treatments all failing me until eventually in November 2019 I was told to When I spoke to my professor about the go away, as there was no treatment disappearance of all signs of the illness, I available. When you’ve received news like decided to ask his opinion. ‘Do you think this, it feels like a very dark time - it’s not that my positive approach has helped an experience I would wish on anyone. me?’, he agreed. He said that they are In January of this year, I became a research subject. Deemed as no longer aware of the importance of mental attitude in successful health outcomes. It treatable, I have been on a research trial will not stop/cure illness, but, as with for the last six months, and all signs of the exercise and nutrition, it contributes to a illness have disappeared. Of course that positive outcome. When you think about does not mean I am no longer ill, we don’t it, it makes sense. No one really know, but I chose to see it as good news. understands how or why a positive You might be thinking, good attitude helps for you Cathie, but how is people recover this relevant? This was great for prehistoric faster from Those of you who read my articles regularly will know that I am a psychologist who studies people who are woman and man, not so helpful in our present circumstances surgery or cope better with serious diseases, but mounting flourishing mentally, this evidence school of thought is called positive suggests that these effects may have psychology and involves research into something to do with the mind’s power people who lead mentally healthy lives. over the immune system My focus is on helping people who do not mentally flourish to build practices into Please do not imagine that I have been their lives that will help them become consistently happy and optimistic, I happier and more optimistic. This is haven’t, but I did keep engaging with my needed because the prehistoric optimists exercises. If you are suffering from a life got eaten or didn’t prepare for the many threatening illness, you have all of my problems facing them. So we are sympathy, it can feel quite terrifying.

By Dr Cathie Woodward

Dr Cathie Woodward is trained as a coach and runs a coaching practice with clients both in the UK and France. You are welcome to phone Cathie for a free consultation, in total confidence.

Here are some of the things that you could be doing, regularly, to improve your mental health, thereby contributing to your physical health −

Feel gratitude; write down five things that you appreciate about your life every day

Do something freely compassionate for someone

Find, and engage, in activities where you are in flow, i.e. you are so engaged you think about nothing else

Be present and focussed when you are with your loved ones, human and animal

Worry about things and change them, don’t worry about things that you can’t change Make them into part of your daily routine and feel the difference!