How much water should we be drinking and does wine count?

How much water should we be drinking and does wine count?

The truth is, it's not a simple answer but here are my thoughts...

In a perfect world, the food we eat would keep us hydrated as we would naturally consume water-rich vegetables and fruits as part of our diet in line with the changing seasons. However, processed food and living with central heating and air handling leave us sometimes gasping for a drink. When you start to consider if you are properly hydrated, check in with yourself throughout the day. Do your lips get dry or do you get a 3pm dip in energy and concentration or do you have trouble sleeping? Don’t freak out, but I am going to ask you to check the colour of your pee. It should be pale yellow not dark yellowy brown and not too light either.

There is a trend now for huge 3-litre water bottles and I say live and let live, if it works for you then go for it! But if the thought of downing 3 litres of water fills you with dread, read on…

Eat Your Water

No one describes it better than one of the leading skin specialists, DR Howard Murad: eat your water. (He wrote an amazing book years ago called Eat Your Water.) When the water you consume is in the form of water-rich fresh fruits and vegetables, it is released into your body gradually, over time, and not just flushed through your system and into your urine.

Consume foods like melon, cucumber, courgette, pears and apples. A saying from when I was young comes to mind: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. This humble fruit is so often forgotten but is a power packed option. Water eaten also is accompanied by fibre, vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients that help your body cope with the effects of modern living. Also eating foods that help us absorb water like bananas and avocado which are rich in potassium can help overall hydration.

Start with a Glass Each Day

When you go to bed take some water with you so that when you wake up you can start your wake-up routine with a hydrating glass of water or with a mug of hot water with lemon - so hydrating.

Flavour It

With a small amount of effort, you can use fruit veg and herbs to flavour your water, my favourite is lime and mint muddled and left to soak in overnight in 2 litres of water. The flavours are subtle but just enough to improve the taste.

I know I still have not told you how much to drink 😊 and the truth is it depends on body weight, age, exercise levels, and atmospheric conditions. So, check in with yourself, your skin, sleep, memory and concentration and yes, your pee! Then add more water each day until you feel an improvement. Be kind, take small steps and every day brings a new opportunity.

Emma-Jane, Spa Director