ADE WILLIAMS - APRIL v2.qxp_Layout 7 23/03/2022 14:04 Page 1
HEALTH & WELLBEING
Drink to your health Ade Williams MBE, lead pharmacist at Bedminster Pharmacy and brilliant Bristol ambassador explains the importance of drinking water...
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ater. In recent years, with increased awareness of the environmental impact of disposable plastics – sales of reusable water bottles have soared. It has become known as The Blue Planet effect. Sadly, though, we are still not drinking enough fluids, with evidence showing this to be the case across all age groups. Water helps our body eliminate waste products, regulate body temperature, lubricate joints, and other cellular and organ processes. Drinking plenty of fluids can also help lower the risk of developing chronic kidney disease. Lack of water leads to dehydration, which is when the body loses more fluids than it takes carrying out its normal functions. Water makes up about 50% to 70% of our body weight. Yet, the functionality of our body, cognitive ability, and mood are hindered to an alarming degree if our body's total water content drops by as little as 1%. Even mild dehydration drains our energy and makes us tired. Evidence also shows that dehydration affects childrens' learning and development due to its negative impact on concentration and behaviour. Symptoms related to dehydration are broad and can vary significantly based on your age. Some to look out for include bad breath, bad skin, dizziness or lightheadedness, dry mouth, lips and eyes, passing low volume urine, dark yellow, and strong-smelling urine. Understanding why we do not drink enough continues to be a topic of much discussion. Let's explore it together. We are all supposed to drink eight glasses of water a day, right? The NHS recommends that adults drink six to eight cups of fluid a day. Water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count. To stay well hydrated, children ages 1-3 years need approximately 4 cups per day, including water or milk. This increases to around 5 cups for 4-8-year-olds and 7-8 cups for older children. Determining the right level of individual fluid intake depends on various individual factors. These will include the amount and type of exercise you do, weather conditions and health considerations such as being pregnant or breastfeeding or taking regular medicines. Please discuss your situation with a health care professional, including at your local pharmacy, to get the best advice tailored for you. Water tablets or diuretics are sometimes prescribed to help treat heart conditions, including high blood pressure. Look out for symptoms of dehydration and maintain a regular fluid intake, especially during hot weather. Likewise, it is essential that if you suffer from continence issues, you do not simply cut down your fluid intake to manage this, as you may harm your kidneys. The older our bodies get, the less efficient they are at preserving water by reabsorbing it into the kidneys. So, even as physical activity levels wane, the levels of fluid consumption must be maintained. Talking of exercise, it's essential to drink water during a workout – take a water bottle with you on a run. Drinking little and often will give you the best results. Being dehydrated can also affect your energy levels – you won't be able to work out as hard if you haven't drunk enough. Remember this golden exercise rule: the sooner you start to replace the fluid, the sooner you will recover. Once all the hard work is over, restore your fluid levels and help your muscles. Dehydration increases your risk of developing injuries. When it comes to choosing the best way to make up your fluid intake, water always comes top. Calorie, alcohol and caffeine-free drinks not only improve skin health but are proven to help lose weight. Water is healthy, containing no sugars that can damage teeth. 62 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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APRIL 2022
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No 209
Ade Williams’ portrait as taken by acclaimed photographer Rankin
If you do not like the taste of plain water, try sparkling water, add a slice of lemon or some no-added-sugar squash for flavour. Plain tea, fruit tea and coffee (without added sugar) can also be healthy. What are the best ways to drink more water, you ask? Start and end your day with a glass or two of water. Set a timer/use an app to track how many glasses you have drunk and create a routine. Drink a full glass of water with every meal or snack. If you’re wondering how to get your kids to drink more water, pour a glass for them and you and enjoy it together. Get them a cool reusable bottle too. Water, though, must never become something we ever take for granted. It is likely to be at the fore as we look to mitigate the effects of irreparable climate and environmental damage. Failed crops, lack of accessible drinking water – global water security in our interconnected world is now a shared risk that results in conflicts and financial market upheaval alongside existential human suffering. If you are one of the reported 20% who no longer use their reusable water bottle, have lost it and not bothered to replace it, the planet and your kidneys need you to arrest this. ■ • Follow Ade on Twitter: @adewilliamsnhs; and keep up to date with Bedminster Pharmacy: @bedminsterpharm
