So what’s the deal with what we eat and drink…

We can spend a lot of time and energy considering what Nutrition and Hydration we need.  Whether it is to control weight or simply ensure we eat the right food groups.  There is so much advice and guidance about what we should eat and drink, how do we know what to consider to keep ourselves and our families healthy?  There are so many ways we can consider altering our food intake, including ‘fad diets’, the thought of making the right choice can be overwhelming.

In a nutshell, if we eat things in moderation and don’t overeat, we should be ok right?

Nutrition and Hydration

Nutrition and Hydration: an Overview

Nutrition

The NHS have provided us with the following ‘Eat well guide’ it’s a great starting point to understand how the different foods we consume can affect our bodies and how to achieve the best balance of the food groups.  If we take the time to raise our awareness and understanding, we are all off to a great start to eating healthier!

If like us you then think, OK, but how do I do that?  Then ideas of how to choose healthy snacks, recipes and how to help keep our kids healthy …. to name a few, can be found on the user friendly and easy to follow ‘Change for Life’ website!

Hydration

But while we consider our diets, an area equally important, but so often overlooked is fluid intake. Our body is made up of a high percentage of water, yet so many of us don’t drink enough!  Your brain is like a sponge, so if you don’t drink enough, imagine your brain starting to dry out.  This will prevent us from performing at our best.

Headaches, feeling thirsty or tired, muscle cramps and dizziness can be some of the symptoms we experience. Water helps to regulate our body temperature, lubricate our joints, and transport blood and nutrients around the body to give us energy and keep us healthy.

So what is enough?  To help answer that very valid question, is a useful ‘Healthy Hydration Guide’ from the ‘British Nutrition Foundation.’

Nutrition and Hydration

In Conclusion…

This is only meant to provide an overview in hope to spark your interest and answer some of the very many questions you may have.  Remember, it’s not just the ‘I need to get my body beach ready’, ‘lose weight after Christmas’, and all the other short-term fixes we think of that will help to keep us healthy every day.  It’s the small changes we can make for life that count!

 

For further posts relating to health and wellbeing please check out the following:

https://activfirst.co.uk/exercise-benefit-mental-health/

Benefits of Regular Exercise