My senior dietitian insisted on showing me a new piece of equipment that calculates a person’s level of hydration.

He set me up on the machine and my results were generated.

I was more dehydrated than 75 per cent of the healthy population.

Just like 80 per cent of Australians, I was living with chronic dehydration, without even knowing it.

Sources

Water, fruit juice, soft drinks, tea and coffee, milk, soup, alcohol and ice blocks are all classified as fluid, but not all are hydrating or good for you.

Alcohol has the opposite effect (diuretic), drinking too much can actually worsen dehydration and is often the cause of your headache the next morning.

Tea and coffee are also diuretics (makes you urinate more frequently), however if you have tea or coffee at the same time everyday and in moderation, your body over time adjusts and can help keep you hydrated.

Finally, don’t forget that the food you eat makes up about 20 per cent of your fluid intake.

This can be from foods like yoghurt or the water in fruits and vegetables.

Why is staying hydrated so important?

Hydration helps slow the progression of early stage Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and prevents the re-occurrence of kidney stones.

Drinking water regularly can lead to clearer, healthier looking skin, reduce craving for sweet foods, improve sporting performance by reducing mid-exercise fatigue and keeps your joints healthy and lubricated.

It’s also good for your oral health, by reducing your risk of dry mouth, bad breath, unpleasant taste changes and cavities.

Effects of Dehydration

Even mild stages of dehydration (no water for 4-8 hours) can have disastrous effects on our health, such as reduced energy levels, foggy thinking, reduced short-term memory and worsening of anxiety.

Additionally, children that are dehydrated will struggle to learn and retain new information.

Recommendations

1. Always choose water first - juices, soft drinks and fancy coffees can all contain loads of hidden sugar and calaries.

2. If you are a healthy weight aim for 30mls per kilogram of body weight each day. Eg 55kg x 30mls = 1650mls (or 1.65 litres)/day.

3. Add slices of fresh fruit to your water bottle, strawberry, cucumber, lemon, mint leaves or orange are all good options.

4. Fill up two drink bottles every morning, one to drink before lunch and one for the afternoon.

5. Make homemade ice blocks - using 50 per cent fruit juice and 50 per cent water, they are refreshing and hydrating for those warm summer days.

6. For every standard drink of alcohol, try to have one glass of water.

Jessica Ammendolia writes her weekly health column for The Area News.