We need to consume enough water and fluids throughout the day to survive. Staying hydrated helps us stay alert, supports our digestive processes, supports blood circulation, helps with lymphatic drainage and more. Even though drinking adequate fluids is crucial to our health, many of us don’t drink enough. To put it into perspective, a huge 80% of Australian adults suffer from dehydration, consuming just over 1L of water instead of the recommended 2L or 8 glasses.
Many of us don’t drink enough water for a number of reasons, but mainly because we don’t always recognise the symptoms of dehydration. Besides the obvious thirst, dehydration symptoms include brain fog, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and even muscle cramps – symptoms we don’t often relate to dehydration. It only takes a 2% loss of total body water content (lost through sweat, tears, menstrual blood, breast milk, urine etc.) for our bodies to start feeling thirsty. Once we’re at the point of thirst, our bodies are already in a state of dehydration.
Did you know that we can eat our way to hydration? I know this sounds strange, but bear with me. Imagine biting into a juicy piece of fruit or slurping up a delicious smoothie or soup – you’re consuming water without even realising it!
Plenty of the foods we eat on a daily basis have a high water content, especially fruit and veggies like watermelon, cucumber, oranges, tomatoes, kiwi fruit and leafy greens. Soups and smoothies are also handy ways to up our fluid intake. Although these foods cannot completely replace the recommended 8 glasses of water per day, they can certainly help us get there.
Here are some delicious recipes to help yourself and your family stay hydrated:
Virgin Pina Colada Ice Blocks
Ingredients:
Method:
Watermelon, Mint + Haloumi Salad
This is a traditional Greek recipe. The sweetness of the watermelon pairs beautifully with the creaminess of the haloumi and the mint adds freshness, it’s the perfect summer salad!
Ingredients:
Method:
1.Line a flat tray with baking paper or foil and arrange the haloumi slices on top. Grill until golden, then flip and cook the underside until golden as well. Allow to cool slightly then chop into bite-sized pieces
2.Add the haloumi, watermelon and mint to a large bowl
3.In a smaller bowl, mix the lemon juice, vinegar and honey until combined and pour over the watermelon, haloumi and mint
4.Toss well and serve on a bed of rocket, in toasted pita bread or on its own
Quick & Easy, Delicious Chicken & Corn Soup
You don’t have to be sick to enjoy a yummy bowl of chicken & corn soup!
Ingredients:
Method:
1.Add the oil to a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Fry the spring onions until slightly soft, then add the chicken pieces and cook until golden brown
2.Add the creamed corn and soy sauce and stir well. Then pour in the chicken stock and allow the soup to simmer for 20-30 mins or until it starts to thicken
REFERENCES
Tamlin, S. (2020), Human Hydration: Are we drinking enough? Water Logic Australia, cited on 16.7.2020, accessed <https://www.waterlogicaustralia.com.au/resources/are-we-drinking-enough-water/#:~:text=THE%20AVERAGE%20Australian%20only%20drinks,by%20most%20leading%20health%20organisations.&text=are%2C%20such%20as%3A-,It%20takes%20only%20a%202%25%20loss%20of%20total%20water%20content,body%20to%20start%20feeling%20thirsty.>
