With lockdown measures lifting and concern about a difficult few months ahead, taking care of our bodies and building a strong immune system has never been so important.
Keeping hydrated goes a long way in the fight to stay fit; regulating body temperature, helping to dissolve minerals and nutrients to make them accessible to your body and carrying them to all of your body’s cells.
Yet according to the Natural Source Waters Association we still aren’t drinking enough of it, when it’s crucial we get the recommended six to eight glasses of water per day.
Commenting on the importance of keeping hydrated, family GP Dr Ellie Cannon said, “It can be hard for people to get enough water, but it is essential to keeping the body functioning properly – almost all of the major body systems depend on water to function.
Some people have difficulty planning this into their day, whereas others may just not like the taste of water.
Sparkling water is an easy fix to make drinking water more enjoyable, and using a machine like SodaStream means you can give plain old tap water some fizz from the comfort of your own home.”
As we strive to keep our bodies fighting, adjust to new ways of living and battle to keep cool in the heat, Dr Ellie Cannon shares her six top tips for smart summer hydration:
- Many of us are adapting to different routines or travelling to work in a new way this year. If your commute now involves cycling or walking, don’t forget to keep hydrated en route. And if you are working from home, it’s important to still stay hydrated through the day as this aids concentration and energy.
- We all know we are supposed to drink lots of water to prevent dehydration throughout the day, but some of us are better than others! For those who find it a chore or feel plain water can be a bit boring, fizzing up your tap water using SodaStream’s sparkling water makers is a great way to make getting your fluid fix a bit more exciting.
- We lose a lot of water when we exercise, both from sweating and faster breathing, so it’s easy to get dehydrated. This can make you more tired and more crampy. But don’t just drink when you are exercising: a good way to rehydrate is to drink plenty before you exercise, steadily in the few hours beforehand, as well as during exercise. This is especially key in warmer weather.
- We are not all equal when it comes to drinking water; some will need more than others depending on their size, the weather and how active they are. It’s even different for men and women: data from the European Food Safety Authority suggests 1.6 litres for women daily, but 2 litres for a man. So make sure you know your body and how much water you need, tell tale signs that you haven’t had enough are dry mouth, lips and eyes, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, feeling tired and not going to the toilet frequently.
- Add a zingy lemony twist to your water to jazz up the taste and maximise the bountiful health benefits! Lemons are a great source of Vitamin C which is essential for the immune system, fights against coughs and colds, and helps to prevent disease.
- Finally, don’t forget that while it’s great to drink water for our own health, the health of the planet is at risk from single-use plastic water bottles. While looking for the best ways to keep hydrated, make sure to still make sustainable choices by remembering your reusable bottle.
SodaStream’s sparkling water makers – a favourite of Eamonn Holmes and regular on Gok Wan’s Instagram stories – save the use of countless single-use plastic bottles as one gas cylinder puts the fizz into up to 60 litres of plain tap water.
SodaStream’s Spirit Hydration Pack is available for just £99.99 RRP and pairs brilliantly with delicious Soda Press and Classic flavours; including the hugely popular Kombucha Passionfruit & Mandarin flavour which packs a whopping one billion live probiotics per serve – more than double that of standard Kombuchas!