Food & Drink

How Much Water Should You Really Be Drinking?

| tigeresskirby

We all know that we’re supposed to drink a certain amount of water per day, yet there’s so much nutritional information in the media today that it’s not always easy to filter through it all. Not only that, many people don’t realise the importance of drinking water.

So, why do we need to drink water?

Our bodies are composed with a whopping 60% water. It is used to transport nutrients, regulate our temperature, as lubrication and is the environment in which every single chemical reaction in the body takes place. As little as 2% loss of water seriously comprises our mental and physical performance. Our energy levels slump, blood pressure lowers (causing less blood to the brain and reduced concentration), headaches set in and muscle function decreases. In fact, with insufficient water intake we put ourselves at risk of death. Did you know, although not healthy or recommended, we can live for over a month without food yet if we were to go without water for a week we would die!

OK, how much water should we really be drinking then?

2 litres per day if we haven’t exercised. That’s a minimum of 2 litres and must be increased if we take part in any physical activity. We lose 2-2.5l/day alone just through breathing, sweating and urination. 1-2l/hour is lost during exercise!

Sounds like a lot! How can I ensure that I hit 2l?

I recommend to carry 2l water bottle with you each day and sip it throughout the day. If you’re not used to drinking so much, you might find that you need to go to the toilet a little more that usual. This is normal and will settle down after a couple of weeks! Also, we do get some water from the food that we eat. This shouldn’t be confused as part of your 2l! That’s additional water that is vital for our bodies to function.

And if I’m exercising?

Take a sports bottle with you to drink throughout the session. Refill at the end to ensure maximum re-hydration. You can see my favourite ones right here!

Is any fluid classed as part of my 2 litres?

Definitely not. Diuretics such as alcohol and caffeine (found in tea, coffee and most soft drinks) actually dehydrate the body and shouldn’t be counted as part of the 2l. In fact, they should really be avoided.

It may not be easy to hit 2 litres a day, but it is important. People who don’t usually hit the recommended amount can notice huge differences in their concentration and performance just by upping their intake! If there’s one thing that you do today, make sure that it’s to drink your water! x

Physalis- The Fruit That You Need To Discover!

| tigeresskirby

You know when you find something that’s absolutely delicious and good for you and you get a little bit too excited? That’s me right now, telling you guys about my favourite fruit. I’ve been a fan of physalis for a while, but to my surprise not all that many people know about it. Well if you haven’t heard of physalis before, you have now…

It’s not exactly a household fruit. In fact, the first time that I came across physalis was actually, typically, as a decoration on my dessert. My gran told me that they were called Chinese lanterns and I went on calling them that for years. That was until I grew up, stumbled across them in the fruit aisle on my food shop and realised they’re not called Chinese lanterns at all. Their real name is physalis.

OK, so they kind of sound like a disease but I promise you that they are absolutely delicious. If you have a sweet tooth, I recommend that you swap your bag of sweets for a bag of these as a healthy alternative! Honestly, they’re that good (ish). Super sweet and super yum, as well as having a number of health benefits such as helping to improve eyesight, protecting the kidney and liver, aiding healthy pregnancy and helping to relieve arthritis pain. I picked mine up at Sainsbury’s for £1 per bag. Give them a try and let me know what you think!

physalis-2

Hot Lemon, Honey & Ginger

| tigeresskirby

We’re smack bang in the middle of Winter and (may I assume) have spent the majority of the last month partying and no doubt mistreating our bodies. It’s only natural that we’re probably going to start suffering for it soon… This is my favourite winter remedy to warn off colds and flu.

Ingredients

1/2 lemon

2 teaspoons of Manuka Honey (ordinary honey will also do)

1 teaspoon of finely cut ginger

300ml of boiling hot water

Step 1

Add water to kettle and set to boil.

Step 2

Squeeze half a lemon into a mug Add 2 teaspoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of finely cut ginger. You can add the squeezed lemon remainder into the mug too (just make sure it’s not waxed).

Step 3

Once boiled, pour hot water over the ingredients in the mug. Stir well.

Step 4

Find somewhere cosy to sit and enjoy.

The Best Healthy Halloween Treats Found Online

| tigeresskirby

Happy Halloween! It’s that time of year once again when all things strange, spooky and out-of-the-norm become the norm! With all the sweet (tricks and) treats around us, it’s sometimes a little hard to stick to your healthy habits. Well, that was until I collated this wicked list of all things healthy and Halloween from different sources across the web.

Here it is, my top healthy Halloween treats list…

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