No.you never drink enough. For many it is difficult to reach the canonical 2 liters of water a day needed to keep the body fully hydrated. And, although recent data show that in 2021 in Italy there was an increase in the sales of flavored water and water, tea and herbal teas, unfortunately it is still not enough.
“A reduction of even just 3% of the water content in our body could lead to memory and concentration difficulties. A 4% reduction could cause headaches, irritability and sleepiness, especially in children “explains the doctor. Athanasia Tourlaki, dermatologist from My Doctor which specifies «Water makes up about 60% of an adult’s body. Two important organs like the heart and the brain are made up of 73% water. Every day we should therefore consume a certain amount of water to survive: generally, an adult male needs about 3 liters per day, while a woman needs about 2.2 liters. This amount of water does not necessarily have to come from drinks, but can also be contained in food ».
Water, do you drink enough?
Everli, online shopping marketplace, highlighted some significant data regarding the sale of water during the last year: in 2021, in fact, the site saw a 7.65% increase in water sales and a 12.2% decrease in herbal teas, chamomile and similar. The most “drinking” provinces? Venice, Udine and Trieste. Also, there was a 33% increase in “still drinks”, ie all non-alcoholic water-based drinks, especially in Parma, Bologna and Verona. But all this is not enough.
A survey conducted by Waterdrop, an Austrian company with the aim of “Encouraging you to drink more water so you can live a healthier, longer and more sustainable life” said Martin Murray, co-founder and CEO of the company, highlighted that about 70% of the population does not drink enough. With damage to the whole body.
The importance of drinking it even in winter
“Drinking a lot of water is essential to allow the body metabolism to function properly and to maintain blood pressure correctly. Furthermore, people who do not drink enough are unwittingly led by the brain to search for liquids in food that are not absorbed through water. Very often this leads them to assimilate too many calories and therefore to gain weight “explains the Dr. Niccolò Fabbri, dietician nutritionist of My Doctor, who joined the online video consulting project activated by the platform.
A detail, that of drink enough, which must not be lost sight of even in winter. During the cold season there is the feeling of needing less fluids, low temperatures do not cause sweating and one is mistakenly led to drink less, specifies the dietician. But making a mistake. “During the cold season, the concentration of moisture in the air is reduced, causing an increase in transepidermal water loss, that is, through our skin. Indeed, in our winter skin becomes drier and rougher, especially after using aggressive detergents and disinfectants that alter the skin’s hydrolipidic barrier. It is important to drink enough fluids, unfortunately, however, with the lowering of temperatures, sweating is reduced and therefore also the sensation of thirst »explains the dermatologist.
How to drink more water even in winter
How to solve then? First of all by taking a large bottle of water to work “By doing this, you will be able to monitor the amount drunk,” says the dietician. But also changing your diet is a good strategy. Introduce soups, vegetables and fresh fruit guarantees a good water supply to the body, thus compensating where it is lacking.
Or add tea, herbal teas and infusions to your day as long as you know how to choose the right ones: “Green tea or turmeric herbal tea, for example, are antioxidants with anti-inflammatory effects while the black currant infusion, which, in addition to having anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, can improve microcirculation and therefore help those suffering from venous insufficiency »Explains the dermatologist. But pay attention to those with a draining effect «Containing diuretic substances, they are in fact not recommended in these cases precisely because they do not have a moisturizing effect. Therefore, all draining herbal teas should be avoided, for example those with fennel, and not to drink too much tea for the same reason “specifies Dr. Blacksmiths.
Various apps and tips
And for the most forgetful, how to regulate? “For example, make it a habit to drink a glass of water in the morning as soon as you get up and at the end of each meal. It may seem silly, but this habit allows you to increase your daily intake by one liter, ”explains the dietician. Another “trick” to keep in mind is that of use seasonings, which give flavor to the water; once they get used to it, they can also be eliminated and will be drunk safely.
Without forgetting the apps. The same Waterdrop has thought of an application that monitors the daily situation, also setting reminders that help you drink a little more each day. Plant Nanny instead it is an app where you have to take care of a plant: the more you drink the more it grows and becomes flourishing, the same principle as Water Time where there is a drop that has to keep his good mood. More sophisticated It’s Water O’clock, developed by the Italian Society of Food Sciences and developed by Molasses which also calculates the external temperature of where you live, as well as personal parameters such as age, weight and height, so as to calculate your daily needs to measure.
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