Nutrition

Nicole Wilson, Registered nutritionist www.nutritionkitchen.co.nz

Staying hydrated

Since it is summer, I thought that talking about hydration was a good article to start the year. I mean, usually, it’s hotter, drier weather. Even though we have been getting what seems like more rain than sunshine this summer, the weather is still warm, which means you will still be sweating, so need to stay hydrated.

Why is staying hydrated so important?

The human body is about 50-80% water. Water not only fills the spaces within and between all our cells, it also plays a vital role in many bodily functions, such as:

• the digestion, absorption and transportation of nutrients

• removing waste products through urination, perspiration and bowel movements

• temperature regulation

• joint lubrication and tissue cushioning. Maintaining water balance is essential for survival. You can go without for food for about a month, but without water you’ll only last a few days. For this reason, your body has a fancy mechanism for regulating when and how much you need to drink –thirst. When your total water content gets below a certain level, your thirst kicks in and, for most people, it is very reliable. However, in older age your thirst signal decreases and some medications may affect thirst, so you need to use other tools to check if you are drinking enough.

A couple of simple ways to check that you are adequately hydrated is noting whether you are going to the toilet regularly and when you do go, what colour your urine is.

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