With temperatures reaching up to 30C in parts of the UK, many of us are struggling to stay cool, both during the day and night. There's much focus on what you should be doing – drinking a lot of water to stay hydrated and using clever hacks to keep cool.
But there are also certain things you should avoid doing, as they could be worsening the effects of dehydration.
Speaking to The Mirror, Rohini Bajekal, nutritionist and a Board-Certified Lifestyle Medicine Professional at Plant Based Health Professionals, has warned of the importance of staying hydrated – and how to avoid getting dehydrated.
Rohini said: "Hydration is super important, and you can find countless tips on staying hydrated, from time-marked bottles to whether tea and coffee count towards your water intake.
"Dehydration can cause several, and serious health issues ranging from headaches, dizziness and lack of focus, to kidney and brain problems in severe cases.
"It's important that we stay hydrated at all times, but even more so as we approach the summer months."
While it's important to drink water throughout the day, another beverage that many of us like to enjoy on long, hot summer-nights could be making things worse.
Rohini warned: "Alcohol is an obvious drink to avoid. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it can cause your body to remove fluids from your blood through your renal system at a much faster rate than other liquids. This means you dehydrate faster than usual.
"When drinking, I would recommend drinking water at regular intervals to replenish your system, and choose lighter coloured drinks with lower alcohol content, and obviously limit how much you drink.
"I would also recommend avoiding sugary drinks. A study (July 2016) published in the American Journal of Physiology found that sugar sweetened beverages worsen dehydration and increase kidney injuries. These drinks often contain high amounts of caffeine too."
In addition to drinking water, Rohini also recommends eating hydrating foods such as watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers and other fruits and vegetables high in water content.
She explained: "Roughly two-thirds of our body is made up of water. Whole plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables generally have a high water content.
"Cucumber (95% water), watermelon (91%), spinach (93%), mushrooms (92%) and tomatoes (95%) are especially good sources.
"They are also rich in fibre, a nutrient which only one in 10 UK adults meets the daily recommendation for."
Rohini says these foods go towards your overall hydration and fluid intake for the day. She added: "The eight glasses a day goal is rather arbitrary as there are many factors that affect water intake including age, gender, body weight, the overall environment (e.g. a hot climate), activity levels, medical conditions, pregnancy and breastfeeding."
Although other drinks may have water in them, some can act as diuretics, which can make you pee more.
Rohini warned: "If you're drinking alcohol or a lot of coffee, remember they are diuretics (which means they promote water loss through urine), so it is a good idea to drink a glass of water in between drinks."
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