HYDRATE

Hydration is crucial for maintaining your overall health and well-being

WHY SHOULD WE HYDRATE

Staying adequately hydrated is important for all of the following reasons:

It helps digest food and absorb nutrients.

It aids in waste removal.

It regulates body temperature.

It keeps joints lubricated.

It prevents infections.

It delivers nutrients to cells.

It helps organs function properly.

It improves sleep quality, cognition, and mood.

It helps maximise physical performance.

It significantly affects energy levels & brain function.

It can be an aid to weight loss (by increasing satiety & boosting our metabolic rate).

CAFFEINE

Caffeine is a stimulant that works by blocking the receptors in the brain that regulate our sleep patterns.

Caffeine also increases our heart rate, increases blood pressure and other parts of our bodies internal systems involved with increasing arousal, enabling us to remain physically and mentally alert.

Caffeine can also cause secretion of dopamine to make us feel good, increase cognitive performance and enhance our mood.

Caffeine has a 1.5 to 9.5 hour life, meaning that it can affect our bodies internal systems for that up to 9.5 hours after consumption.

The recommendation in order for caffeine not to cause us sleep disturbance is to not drink it after 12 pm (mid-day).

The maximum recommended does of caffeine per day for an adult is 400mg (4 cups of black coffee or 6 espresso shots).

WATER

Drinking water is the simplest, cheapest and one of the healthiest ways to stay hydrated.

Popular myth says that we need to drink 2 litres of water per day, but there is no evidence in science for this.

The key is to drink water when you feel thirsty. Our bodies are brilliantly adapted to give us these signals, we just need to heed them when they arrive!

A great Indicator of hydration is our urine If our urine is clear or pale yellow then we are adequately hydrated, if it is darker in colour then we are not and should takes steps to re-hydrate asap.

Drinking isn't the only way to take water onboard. We can also get water from a lot of fruit and vegetables, such as strawberries, watermelon, tomatoes, lettuce, asparagus, celery etc.

ALCOHOL

Alcohol is a poison.

It is also 7kcal per gram so 1 pint of beer, cider or lager is circa 200 calories (as is 250ml of wine).

If you want to drink alcohol, moderate consumption is recommended. This means14 units per week in total and no more than 2-3 units per day for women or 3-4 units per day for men.

Alcohol dampens your ability to make good food choices and impacts your energy levels and food choices the day after consumption.

Any alcohol use is associated with an increase in seven types of cancers (mouth, pharynx, larynx, colorectal, oesophageal cancers, liver, and breast).

The ACS website says, “Alcohol use is one of the most important preventable risk factors for cancer, along with tobacco use and excess body weight.”

Alcohol is also a disinfectant, which means it can negatively impact the microbiome or health of your gut.

Tips for Staying Hydrated

Drink a pint of water first things when you wake up to rehydrate yourself and kickstart you metabolism.
During the day, listen to your body and drink when you feel thirsty (2 litres or 8 glasses is a myth).
If your body isn't telling you your urine will - if it is 'mid' yellow or darker then you are dehydrated and need to drink.
In the main, drink water and water based products such as coffee and tea to stay hydrated.
Eating water based fruits and vegetables can also support your hydration.
Avoid fruit juices as they have a huge sugar content and the juicing removes all the fibre and most of the 'goodness'.
Smoothies are much better than juices, but can still be quite calorific, so be sure to check what is in them before you consume.
Caffeine is a stimulant and so can improve your performance, but also affect you sleep. To avoid sleep disruption don't drink caffeine after mid-day.
Avoid or severely limit consumption of sodas and diet sodas, they are not healthy hydration options.
Avoid or severely limit consumption of high sugar and high caffeine energy drinks.
Avoid or severely limit consumption of alcohol. It is a poison and has no proven health benefits.
Finally avoid liquid consumption in the last hour before bed to support an uninterrupted nights sleep.

SODA & DIET SODA

Drinking 'regular' soda's on a frequent basis is associated with many health risks, from weight gain, to fat accumulation around the belly and internal organs, to type II diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, tooth decay, cavities and gout.

''Regular' coca cola has around 10.6 grams of sugar per 100ml, that equates to 35 grams of sugar (around 135 calories) in one small 330ml can (39 grams & 150 calories in a 12oz USA equivalent).

Regular drinkers of 'diet' soda don't fare much better. Disruption of gut health, erosion of tooth enamel, increased sugar cravings & even weight gain have all been linked to drinking diet sodas.

At a more basic level, other than on the soda adverts have you ever seen a healthy person consume a lot of this stuff, regular or diet? - No nor have we, so the recommendation here is to drink them infrequently or not at all.

SMOOTHIES & JUICES

Smoothies can have some great health benefits, including richness of nutrients, being high in fibre, supporting fruit and vegetable intake, providing hydration, supporting digestive health, reducing hunger, supporting, weight loss, muscle recovery and providing energy boosts.

The impact of Smoothies on our health depends very much on their Ingredients and the portion size.

Consume too much and they can be highly calorific and very high in sugar, leading to sugar spikes and potential weight gain. They can also cause digestive issues.

The recommendation is to have no more than 16oz (450g) per serving, balance your ingredients (healthy proteins, fats and fibre + a liquid base) & minimise / avoid added sugars.

Fruit Juices can be rich in vitamins and minerals, are good for hydration and are easily digestible, however they have a very high concentration of sugar and are lacking in fibre, so are very easy to overconsume.

The recommendation for fruit juices is to consume them irregularly and in small doses to avoid sugar spikes and potential weight gain.

ENERGY DRINKS

A single can of Monster Energy drink has 160mg of caffeine, 54 grams of sugar, 370mg of sodium and is 230 calories per serving. Red bulls much smaller cans have 80mg of caffeine, 38 grams of sugar, 140mg of sodium and contain 160 calories per serving.

As with Soda drinks it is the sheer volume of added sugar that makes these drinks potentially bad for you if consumed in volume. One Monster Energy drink also contains nearly as much caffeine as 3 espresso shots!

As with Sodas the recommendation is to drink these types of energy drinks irregularly if at all.

This is not to say all energy drinks are bad for you, in fact the electrolytes in energy drinks can help you to replace lost fluids effectively, but rather than go for a high sugar, high caffeine drink try reaching for a low or no sugar alternative or making your own (there are loads of good healthy options on line).

TEAS

Teas are associated with many health benefits.

Nearly all types of tea are associated with Improved cholesterol levels and reduced risk of heart disease.

Green tea and Matcha (powdered green tea) can help to reduce inflammation in the body, act as an antioxidant and promote weight loss by boosting your metabolism and accelerating fat burning.

Black tea (i.e. English breakfast tea) and matcha have a high caffeine content, which provide a moderate energy boost. Matcha also has L-Theanine which gives the caffeine boost without any associated jittery feelings.

Green Tea also has L-Theanine which helps us to stay calm and focused.

Some herbal teas have their own health properties - i.e. Hibiscus for lowering blood pressure, Chamomile for relaxation and aiding sleep and Peppermint for digestion and bloating.

There can be some downsides to teas. Over consumption of caffeinated types can cause jitters and sleep disruption. Green tea & matcha can cause stomach irritation. Some herbal teas can cause allergic reactions & some can cause interaction or interference with medicines or drugs. (So please check with your Doctor if you are unsure.)