75% of our body is made of water and we should try and keep it that way.

Dehydration will cause:

1 – Fatigue: water is most vital source of energy in the body, lack of it causes enzymes activities to dip and slow down resulting in tiredness.

2 – High Blood Pressure: When fully hydrated our blood is 90% water, lack of it makes blood thicken increasing resistance to blood flow and a higher blood pressure.

3 – Asthma & allergies: When dehydrated the body will restrict airways to conserve water and the rate of histamine produced increases.

4 – High Cholesterol: It’s production increases to prevent water loss from cells.

5 – Bladder & kidney problems: Lack of water means toxins and acid waste are not flushed away, making bladder and kidneys more prone to infections.

6 -Skin disorders & ageing: Dehydration stops toxins from being flushed through the skin, making you prone to skin disorders, including discolouration, premature wrinkling and early ageing.

7 – Digestive disorders: Shortage of water and alkaline minerals can lead to digestive disorders including ulcers.

8 – Constipation: Most regions of the body will draw water from the colon to provide fluids for critical body functions, and lack of water means waste moves much slower or not at all, resulting in constipation.

9 – Joint pain & stiffness: Cartilage padding is composed mainly of water and it is weakened by the lack of it which can result in discomfort and slow joint repair.

10 – Weight gain: The body cannot effectively eliminate toxins and it stores them in fat cells. Fat is not released for energy unless sufficient water is present to flush away toxins first.

Drink around eight glasses of water every day and increase if you exercise or run, if you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated !

Start your day with a glass of water left at room temperature.

Some sport carbs gels have high levels of caffeine in them to boost energy which has dehydrating properties.

A good way to tell if you are dehydrated is by the colour of your urine, the lighter the better (see chart below)

If you run a lot, specially long distance during warm seasons you should be aware of Hyponatremia, or water intoxication.

Drinking too much water on the run up to a race and on the day can cause blood plasma to increase and dilute salt content, as well as losing more salt through excessive sweating. This will cause electrolytes levels to decrease and will interfere with brain, heart and muscle functions.

So it’s recommended to drink ready made sports drinks to keep electrolyte levels safe and to sip water instead of gulping it down fast.

RRR (beep beep)

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