Water, water everywhere

Dear Betsy, I was complaining the other day to my colleague about the heat and how exhausted it makes me.

She tells me you wrote an article last year, saying that dehydration can make you feel that way and in your article you talked about the importance of drinking water. Unfortunately, I did not see that article and now that it is so hot, can you please print it again?

Frederik Hansen.

"Thousands have lived without love, not one without water."

-_W. H. Auden.

Dear Frederik,

As the mercury began to rise towards our scorching summer, I found myself thinking about the importance of drinking enough water and why the whole family need to be encouraged to do so.

My two sons won't go anywhere without a bottle of water, and although I have driven them crazy with my nagging about it since they were small children, I am happy to say it has become second nature for them now.

Mum, dad, grandma, the baby, we all need to drink more as the temperature rises and air conditioners are switched on.

It is said the human body is made up of around 75 per cent water. Humans can live for many days, even weeks, without food but only a short time without water.

I believe that apart from oxygen, water is the most important thing you can consume, and food is of secondary importance. If you are not drinking sufficient amounts of water then your body will be unable to get maximum nutritional benefits regardless of what you eat.

I also believe that parents who don't ensure their children are properly hydrated (fizzy drinks don't count) are in my opinion guilty of child abuse. Why? Well just continue reading and discovering what havoc even one per cent dehydration can wreak on your body and you will want to offer a glass of water to every child (and adult) you meet.

It is vital that we drink at least two litres of water a day to replace lost fluids, maintain good health and ward off disease.

Losing body fluids does not mean you have to be visibly sweating. By the time you have finished reading this article, your body may have lost up to a half pint of water through natural excretion. On a cool winter's day, with minimal physical exertion, our bodies lose at least two litres of water a day.

Now, imagine it is a typical 40C summers day in Bahrain and it's easy to understand how simple it is to become dehydrated. Take it a bit further and try to imagine how construction workers and others who work outside in such extreme conditions, struggle to remain hydrated and healthy.

Thirst is not an accurate indicator of dehydration, as by the time your brain registers thirst, you are already dehydrated.

You are already one per cent dehydrated when you feel thirsty and according to research, the vast majority of us are dehydrated every day, at this level.

One per cent is not a lot you might think, but when you consider that your ability to work is impaired at two per cent, at four per cent you are lethargic, bad tempered and irrational and at only 20 per cent death can occur.

Dehydration lowers blood volume which in turn reduces the flow to your brain and muscles, making mental and physical tasks more challenging.

It may even raise your blood pressure, provoke blood sugar levels, increase stress and reduce the effectiveness of your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness.

Your kidneys are under strain, your digestive system is struggling and inevitably conditions such as constipation occur.

Aesthetically speaking, dehydration can mean dry, flaky skin, cause or worsen existing wrinkles, aggravate eczema and psoriasis and result in dull, dry hair, weak brittle nails, cellulite and weight gain, to mention just a few unattractive results.

For students, it can mean the difference between passing and failing an exam and trying to study when your brain power is diminished by dehydration is like taking one step forward and two steps backward.

Signs of dehydration

Headache

Lethargy

Tiredness

Muscle fatigue

Short tempered

Lack of concentration

Dark urine.

Drinking water first thing in the morning will kick start all of your body systems. Aim to drink a minimum of two litres a day. Sparkling water is said to leach minerals from the body so stick to still water for maximum benefit.

It is essential that you drink water throughout the day and not try to drink it all at once for maximum hydrating benefits.

Fizzy drinks, juices, tea and coffee do not count towards your water allowance. In fact, cola drinks, tea and coffee all contain caffeine which will act as a diuretic on the body, causing even more water loss, as will alcohol.

Not all waters are equal.

This might seem obvious. Then again it might not. You should consider carefully the mineral content of bottled water. Have you ever really read the analysis labels on bottled water?

Product research revealed that the healthiest three mineral waters, in order of preference are: Evian, ( France), Highland Spring ( Scotland) and Volvic (France).

They are said to have the best balance of good minerals, such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, and the lowest balance of the baddies - nitrates and sodium.

If you have high blood pressure, kidney problems or been advised to follow a low sodium diet, chances are that you never thought to include your choice of water in your nutritional criterion. Think again.

Some of my friends have labelled me a "water snob" due to my insistence to drink only one of the three waters mentioned above, but there is method to my madness.

High Water Content Foods

You can boost your hydration levels by eating foods with a high water content, but this is in addition to drinking enough water and not instead of.

The fountain of youth and health

Drinking the right amount and type of water can be one of the cheapest, most effective natural health and beauty treatments around.

Try drinking two litres of water every day for just a week and you will see and feel the difference in your skin and hair.

Your eyes will be clearer and brighter, those wrinkles will lessen, you will have more energy, be more productive at work (and play) and you will experience what the French call "bien-etre" or to you and I "well-being"... even if you drink the Scottish water!

Have it on the rocks

I know it can be daunting to think about swallowing your way through a large one and a half litre bottle, especially if it's a new habit for you.

Instead buy smaller 500ml bottles and aim to drink three to four bottles a day. If you find the taste of pure water unpalatable then try adding slices of lemon, lime or even cucumber.

Research tells us that drinking iced-water rather than room temperature requires more metabolic energy so if you're fighting the flab, have it on the rocks!

Upmarket restaurants report a surge in demand for so called 'designer waters', as it seems your water bottle has suddenly become the latest status symbol.

On a recent trip to Italy I spotted an exclusive designer water boutique which featured literally hundreds of different flat and fizzy waters of the world in chic designer bottles.

So, if the impressive health information above fails to convince you of the importance of indulging in the aqua, then maybe your sense of style will win you over.

Dear Betsy,

If the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog, what happened when the cat sat on the mat?

Alphabetti.

Dear Alphabetti,

Coming down from a pharmacologically induced high can be difficult and for some of us, it is not recommended.

Facing up to the mundane realities of life can be especially taxing for those who are cerebrally challenged, but this is not something to be ashamed of.

I suggest you try chasing Cerberus and the dragon and if you catch them, you will not only be able to answer your own question, but also solve the riddle as to the meaning of the universe.

Note to readers: Don't try this at home.

Food Percentage of water content

Tomatoes, courgettes, romain lettuce, watercress, 95%

Asparagus, broccoli, spinach, strawberries, mushrooms,

orange juice, watermelon, grapefruit, sweet peppers 90%

Yoghurt, pineapple, kiwi, pears, apple, blueberries, raspberries 85%

Grapes, cottage cheese, cherries 80%

Prawns, bananas, ricotta cheese, avocados, tuna in brine 75%

Hammour, long grain white rice, baked potatoes 70%

Pasta, skinless chicken, 65%

Ice-cream, salmon steak, chick peas, beef steak 60%

Mozzarella cheese, (low fat) grilled burger (lean) 50%

Cheddar and swiss cheese, white and brown bread 35%

Breakfast cereals, popcorn (less than) 5%

IF ONLY YOU DO ONE THING THIS WEEK

Make an appointment to have your eyes tested. Living in our harsh climate means we need to take good care of our eyes. There are some eye diseases that have no symptoms but can be helped if caught in the early stages.