Dr Sarah Aitken talks about the importance of keeping hydrated

Описание: We are encouraging everyone to drink more fluids to stay healthy and hydrated #drink8tohydrate

You should drink plenty of fluids such as water, diluted squash and fruit juice to stay hydrated. The key is to drink regularly throughout the day (at least 8 mugs / glasses).

If you're active, or if the weather is particularly hot, there's a greater risk that you will become dehydrated. To stay hydrated, you should increase your fluid intake.

People with diabetes have an increased risk of dehydration when their blood glucose levels are too high. This is because the kidneys try to remove the excess glucose from the body in urine, which also removes water from the body along with it. This is why you may have increased thirst when you have high blood glucose levels from being dehydrated.

Drinking sugary drinks such as fizzy pop and fruit juice will increase the glucose level in the blood and contribute to poor diabetes control.

You can rehydrate the body and help to prevent high blood glucose levels by avoiding drinks with lots of sugar and drinking plenty of low-sugar fluids.

Examples of low sugar fluids include:
Water is best to drink – you could add a squeeze of lemon or lime, slices of cucumber or mint leaves to make it more interesting

Tea and coffee – have without added sugar or use sweeteners which do not increase blood glucose levels

Flavoured herbal tea – most are also calorie and caffeine-free

Sparkling water with a small amount of squash/cordial

No added sugar fizzy drinks – have in small amounts if wanted, try to have a mixture of these and non-sweetened drinks

Fruit juice* – a portion is 150ml and counts as 1 of your 5 a day, can dilute with water

Milk* – contains calcium and protein, choose skimmed or semi-skimmed

*if you are trying lose weight, it is better to obtain fluids from non-calorie sources