etables that are water rich include cucumber, lettuce,
baby carrots, celery, tomato, cauliflower, spinach and
broccoli, which are all above 90% water content.
CAFFEINE & ALCOHOL
C
affeine and alcohol in small doses are relatively
harmless – but both stimulants in large amounts
can lead to dehydration. Research suggests that on av-
erage 3-5 cups of coffee, or caffeine rich drinks, can in-
crease the risk of dehydration. Dehydration can occur
as both stimulants affect the brain, stopping the release
of water-regulating hormones, leading to increased
urine output and excess water loss.
SWEET & SALTY
S
imilarly to caffeine and alcohol, high levels of sugar
and salt in our diet can lead to dehydration. In the
body when there is an influx of sugar and salt, water
moves out of the cells into the bloodstream in an ef-
fort to reduce the concentration of sugar and salt to
maintain a nice balance. This ‘water pulling’, results in
cells being dehydrated, and interestingly occurs firstly
in the brain – which explains those headaches from
lack of water!
SWEATING IT OUT
W
ater is lost through various mechanisms in the
body, one of which is sweat. Sweating is vital to
the body as it helps regulate body temperature, but as
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