Nutrition and Hydration Week
Nutrition and Hydration Week (17-23 March) is an annual event with a shared, global objective to reinforce, focus, energise and create activity and engagement to promote nutrition and hydration as a fundamental element to maintaining health and wellbeing within health and social care.
Did you know?
Water makes up around 60% of your entire body and is vital for staying healthy. People should aim to drink 8 cups of fluid a day. Drinks that are good to stay hydrated include water, tea, coffee, fruit or herbal teas, smoothies and milk.
The benefits of hydration:
- Aids with digestion
- Prevents urinary tract infections
- Increases wound healing
- Boosts your general health
- Improves brain function
- Maintains a healthy heart
- Lubricates joints
- Removes toxins
Being hydrated has benefits for your skin, it makes you more alert and reduces your chances of a fall. Being dehydrated can increase your chances of infection, and some of these infections are more resistance to antibiotics. It can make you tired, thirsty and lightheaded as well as giving you headaches and making you think slower. In some serious cases being dehydrated can be life threatening.
Older or more vulnerable people may not recognise when they are thirsty, so it is important to have protected drink times. Staying hydrated can help digestion, prevent UTI’s, promote wound healing and benefit general health. It can improve brain function and help to maintain a healthy heart as well as lubricating joints and removing toxins from the body.
It is important for young people to stay hydrated to support mental performance, energy levels and overall wellbeing.
Why staying hydrated is important
Why staying hydrated is important in avoiding infections and preventing antibiotic resistance by West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership.