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Fitness & Health

20th Jun 2017

This is how you know if you’re drinking enough water in the hot weather

Be warned - it's not pleasant.

Laura Holland

As much as we want the hot weather in Ireland, we’re very rarely able or ready for it.

From the sweltering heat within our houses and offices, to leaving the house in clothes that only intensify the heat, we’re not great when the temperature rises north of 20 degrees.

Suncream, meanwhile, is something you pick up in the local chemist before a trip to Spain.

Another thing we forget to do is to drink enough water. It’s vital to keep hydrated during any hot weather, but especially during a heatwave.

If you think you’re drinking enough but not sure, there is one way to check but it’s not particularly pleasant.

Nutritionist Amanda Ursel says that one very effective way of checking if you’re drinking enough water during a heatwave is to check your urine. Depending on the colour, it will indicate if you need to drink more.

She says: “If it’s pale and clear that’s good. If it’s dark orange and whiffy, you need to drink more.”

While it’s important to drink as much as possible, you also must not drink too much as this can cause problems for your kidneys.

On average you should drink approximately eight glasses of water per day.

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