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Symptoms Of Dehydration In The Elderly & How...
Adequate hydration is essential to maintaining good health. Most adults are able to monitor and respond to their hydration needs. However, this becomes more difficult as we get older, meaning elderly people are more susceptible to becoming dehydrated. In this blog post, we'll look at the symptoms of dehydration in the elderly and ways to help older people to meet their hydration needs. Check out our water solutions now! Why are older people at risk of dehydration? Water makes up a large proportion of our bodies. You can read more about hydration needs in different age groups here. Up to 20% of older adults are dehydrated, especially those in long-term care establishments. As we get older, our ability to sense thirst decreases. Poor mobility, cognitive decline, and physical ailments (including problems with swallowing) are also potential barriers for staying hydrated. Certain patient groups are at even greater risk of dehydration. For example, people with dementia or Alzheimer's Disease may be disorientated or forgetful, which could make it more difficult to recognise and respond to thirst. Certain medications such as diuretics and laxatives can also result in an increased risk of dehydration due to fluid losses. Research has found that some older people may consciously limit their water intake due to fear of incontinence or to avoid relying on others for help with going to the toilet. Consequences of dehydration in older people Dehydration is associated with poor health outcomes at all ages, but the effects can be more pronounced in elderly people. Dehydration in older adults has been associated with pressure sores, urinary tract infections, increased risk of falls, and unplanned hospital admissions. Even mild dehydration can affect cognitive ability, resulting in confusion and delirium. If dehydration is not addressed quickly, it can result in a rapid decline in an older person's health, which could result in increased disability, loss of independence and even death. How to encourage older people to stay hydrated Relatives, friends, carers and healthcare professionals can help to encourage older people to stay hydrated. Here are some suggestions: Provide a range of drinks that they enjoy make water more palatable using a ceramic water filter. You could also mix water with other beverages such as fruit squash, fruit juice or cordials. Offer hydrating foods such as soups, stews, smoothies, lollies, yogurts, ice cream, fruits, and jellies. Ensure they always have a drink during mealtimes. Offer regular drinks between meals too such as water, milkshakes, tea or coffee. Leave a jug or refillable bottle of water in an easily visible and accessible place. Encourage older people to incorporate hydration into their social activities - why not invite an older person over for a cup of tea or suggest that they attend a local lunch club with friends. Prompt them to drink little and often throughout the day - if an older person has memory issues, you could pin a note to remind them to drink in a visible place in their kitchen. Check out our water solutions now!
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How Much Water Should We Be Drinking?
Drinking enough water to stay well hydrated is a key aspect of maintaining good health. However, there is a lot of conflicting information about how much water we actually need. In this blog post, we will explore what the recommended daily water intake is, how to ensure you're consuming the right amount of fluids and how to meet these daily hydration requirements. Check out our water solutions now! What is water used for? Water is essential for life. Water makes up around 60% of our bodies and has many significant functions, including: Removing waste products from the body Transporting nutrients in the blood Helping regulate body temperature Therefore, maintaining an adequate level of hydration is crucial for keeping us healthy. Drinking enough water, i.e. the recommended daily amount of water is also important for helping to maintain a healthy weight. We constantly lose body water through urine and sweat, so it is essential to replace this lost fluid by drinking enough water. Know how much you need Many different factors have an impact on how much water we need. An individual's age will affect their water requirements. As a rule of thumb, adults between the ages of 18 and 60 require 35ml of water per kg of body weight; adults over 60 require slightly less - 30ml per kg. Children also have specific hydration requirements. Other factors include: Gender - males have higher body water content than females, meaning they generally require more water. Exercise levels - people who undertake a high level of physical activity are likely to lose more water through sweat, and therefore require a higher intake. Environment - living in a warmer climate increases the water requirement. Air-conditioning and central heating can also increase an individual's water needs as they speed up the evaporation of sweat from the skin. Health status may also impact water requirements. If an individual is losing a lot of fluid due to a health condition, or symptoms like sickness and diarrhoea, they may require more water. In these situations, it is best to consult with a doctor for advice. How to assess if you're drinking enough water The simplest measure of hydration that we have is thirst - if you feel thirsty, this is a good indicator that you need to drink more water. Another reliable indicator is urine colour. Ideally, urine should be a pale yellow straw colour as this indicates a good level of hydration. Anything darker suggests that you need to drink more water as soon as possible. Other symptoms of dehydration include: Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or tired A dry mouth, lips, and eyes Urinating fewer than 4 times a day There is such a thing as too much While drinking enough water is vital for good health, drinking too much can also have adverse health consequences. We drink too much water; this can lead to an electrolyte imbalance called hyponatremia. This is when the salt levels within the body become too low and have potentially fatal consequences. You can work out whether the amount of water you're drinking is right for you by paying attention to how you feel, your thirst levels, and urine colour. Stay hydrated and keep track of how much water you're drinking by carrying a water filter bottle. Doulton® Water Filters make a range of high-quality static and portable water filters. Discover which water filter is best for you to enjoy the taste of Doulton filtered water. Check out our water solutions now!
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What Is Coronavirus & How Does It Relate...
What is Coronavirus? Coronavirus (COVID-19) is an illness that can affect your lungs and airways. In the UK, our Chief Medical Officers have raised the risk to the public from low to moderate. As you are aware, the number of people infected with the virus is changing on a daily basis. For up-to-date information about Coronavirus, please visit the Government's online advice and for medical advice from the NHS. What are the symptoms of Coronavirus? The symptoms of coronavirus include a cough, a high temperature and shortness of breath. 80% of people infected have mild symptoms, but some people will require hospital treatment. Even if you have these symptoms, it doesn't mean you have the coronavirus, it could be another type of virus, like a cold or flu. How is it spread? As COVID-19 is a newly identified virus, the exact way in which it spreads is not yet known. However, similar viruses are spread via droplets from coughing or sneezing. What can I do to protect myself? The advice provided by the NHS is to: wash your hands with soap and water often. Do this for at least 20 seconds Always wash your hands when you get home or into work Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze Put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterwards Try to avoid close contact with unwell people Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean. Will filtering my tap water help protect me from contracting coronavirus? Doulton® ceramic filter candles are able to filter a number of different impurities, including bacteria, cysts, heavy metals, disinfectants and particles, including microplastics. However, the virus particles are too small to be filtered out. It is important to remember that tap water in the UK is considered safe to drink and is routinely treated via a number of different processes. To reduce your risk of becoming infected with coronavirus, follow the advice provided above. For up-to-date information about Coronavirus, please visit the Government's online advice and for medical advice from the NHS. Check out our water solutions now!
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Is Drinking Water A Natural Anti-Ageing Remedy?
As with all aspects of health and wellbeing, the key to anti-ageing is a long-term approach. The important link between drinking water and anti-ageing is that it supports a healthy lifestyle, which is essential in ageing well. Ageing is about more than just lines on your face; it is about mobility, energy, wellness and mental sharpness. Taking care of yourself should be a life-long, holistic concern. Many of the factors that contribute to wellness into old age can be supported by drinking water. These include exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, brain health and hydrated skin. Check out our water solutions now! Can drinking water reduce wrinkles and make you look younger? As much as 60 per cent of the body is made up of water, so drinking water is inevitably important to protecting your health. Skin that is hydrated retains its elasticity, helping to prevent the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The natural plumpness of skin decreases through time as collagen levels drop. Adequately hydrated skin will retain its movement better despite this, helping with the appearance of wrinkles. Drinking water helps to ensure that the body has enough water to function properly and that skin remains hydrated. Drinking water to support healthy ageing While wrinkles are a natural part of the ageing process, lifestyle choices such as smoking, drinking alcohol excessively, sun exposure and eating too much sugar can all have an impact on their appearance. Exercise and healthy eating, in particular, are important to staying healthy throughout your life and into old age, protecting mobility and helping to fend off illness. This is due to the myriad health benefits they bring as well as helping to maintain a healthy weight. Making the right choice in what you eat and drink will protect joints and bones as well as reduce your chances of suffering heart disease or a stroke. Drinking water supports a healthy lifestyle by controlling how much you eat, preventing fatigue through dehydration and helping you find the mental and physical energy to make the choices that will help your body age well. In particular, drinking water is vital to brain health, which is incredibly important in the ageing process. The lifestyle factors that are important to ageing well are also essential in protecting the health of the brain and cutting your chance of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Drinking water is so important to the health of the brain that severe, prolonged dehydration can even age the brain. Drinking water is part and parcel of a commitment to protect the body from the signs of ageing by making the right lifestyle choices. Remember it is never too late to make a change. Commit to a healthier lifestyle today and reap the benefits in years to come. Using a water filter improves the taste and quality of drinking water from the tap to help you drink more. Discover the best system for your home at Doulton Water Filters. Check out our water solutions now!
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Supporting Children With Hydration Needs
Hydrating with water is crucial for our health and it's important that both adults and children consume enough fluids to meet their daily hydration needs. Due to their physiology, children are at greater risk of dehydration than adults. However, children don't always recognise thirst and if they aren't reminded, they may forget to hydrate. In this blog post, we share simple ways to help your child to meet their hydration needs. Check out our water solutions now! Know how much they need The amount of water a child needs depends on a range of factors including their age, gender, physical activity levels, and the weather. Children should be having 6-8 glasses of fluid per day, with older children needing larger servings. As a rule-of-thumb, guidelines from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) say that you should be encouraging your child to drink the following amounts: Age (years) Amount (litres/day) 4-8 1.1-1.3 9-13 (girls) 1.3-1.5 9-13 (boys) 1.5-1.7 14 + Same as adult requirements (i.e. 2-2.5) This guidance assumes that 70-80% of the water in the diet comes from drinks, with the remainder being obtained from food. As well as encouraging your child to drink more water, try to incorporate hydrating foods into their diet. Suitable suggestions include soups and stews, milk and yoghurt, and fruits and vegetables such as melon, strawberries, cucumber, lettuce, and tomatoes. Don't wait for them to get thirsty Encouraging children to have a regular drink is important as they may not remember to do so on their own. Young children have lower heat tolerance than adults and they are also less sensitive to thirst. Therefore, by the time that some children recognise their thirst, they may already be dehydrated. Offer water regularly throughout the day, especially when your child is physically active or the weather is warmer. Have water readily available As well as actively encouraging your children to drink water, consider making it easily accessible to them in your home. If they are unable to reach the tap you could set up a jug or water dispenser with some cups in a place where they are able to help themselves. Always pack a water filter bottle in their bag for school or other activities, as well as on long journeys. Using a ceramic water filter helps to retain naturally occurring minerals within the water that other water filters can remove. Removing these naturally occurring minerals can lead to over purification of your tap, meaning that your child could miss out on these all-important nutrients. Lead by example Demonstrate to your children the importance of drinking water by acting as a role model. It's important to drink water with them at mealtimes and also ensure that they see you drinking water throughout the day so that they consider this to be a normal, healthy habit. Many children arrive at school under-hydrated, so make special efforts to ensure that you always have a drink with breakfast as a family. You can also help your children understand the importance of drinking by teaching them about hydration. Make hydration fun! While all drinks contribute towards fluid intake, sugary drinks like fruit juice and soft drinks contain free sugars, which are associated with weight gain and tooth decay in children. Water is the best choice for hydration as it contains no added sugar. You can also make water more interesting by adding fruits, veggies or herbs. Some ideas include frozen berries, lemon, fresh mint, or cucumber slices. To make drinking more exciting, try providing a special cup that has their favourite colour or cartoon character on it, use crazy (non-plastic) straws or ice trays that make cubes in fun shapes. If your children aren't keen on the taste of water, using a ceramic water filter system will reduce the added chlorine in tap water; improving the taste and odour whilst retaining the naturally occurring minerals which are important for overall health and give water its great taste. Doulton Water produces a range of static and portable water filters to suit all needs. Discover the Doulton difference today. Check out our water solutions now!
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How To Have A Healthy Heart
A healthy diet and lifestyle can go a long way when it comes to our heart health. Some of the best ways to look after your heart include eating a Mediterranean-style diet, hydrating with water, avoiding smoking, and getting some regular exercise. The good news is it's never too late to start making changes, but for many of us, that's easier said than done. Check out our water solutions now! In this blog post, we share simple and small lifestyle tweaks that can make a big difference to your overall heart health. Discover how to have a healthy heart! Eat a Mediterranean-Style Diet Eating like the Spanish and Italians can do a lot of good for our hearts. The Mediterranean way of eating is built around plant-based foods. It's rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and pulses with moderate amounts of lean meat, oily fish, and dairy. There's strong scientific evidence to suggest that a Mediterranean-style diet can help to lower our risk of heart disease and strokes. Snack on Nuts Consuming a handful of nuts several times a week has also been shown to reduce our risk of heart disease. Nuts can help to lower 'bad' LDL cholesterol levels, which have been associated with heart disease. Remember to choose unsalted nuts, as too much salt in the diet can raise blood pressure. A portion of nuts is one ounce (30g), which is equivalent to a small, cupped handful. Stop Smoking Avoiding smoking is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of heart disease. Nearly 20,000 heart and circulatory deaths in the UK are linked to smoking each year. The good news is it's never too late to quit smoking - experts say that you can experience improvements in breathing in as little as 2-12 weeks after quitting. There's plenty of support available if you're ready to stop smoking. Move More! Most of us know that getting some regular exercise is good for our heart health. It's recommended that we try to do some exercise for 30 minutes per day at least five days per week. This doesn't mean you need to pound away on a treadmill. From walking to cycling to dancing, there are so many options available. The most important thing is to find a form of exercise that you enjoy and can keep up in the long term. Cut Down on Booze Drinking too much alcohol in the long run has been linked with an increased risk of heart disease. In fact, some scientists go as far as saying there's no healthy level of alcohol intake. Like everything, it's all about moderation. Remember to try to stick to the recommended drinking guidelines - no more than 14 units of alcohol per week with several alcohol-free days. 14 units of alcohol are equivalent to: 6 pints of beer 9 small (125ml) glasses of wine 14 shots of spirits 6 large (175ml) glasses of wine Drink More Water If you're trying to cut down on booze or you're trying to lose weight, water is the perfect solution for heart-healthy hydration. It's sugar-free, fat-free, and calorie-free! We should all be aiming to drink at least two litres of water per day. Don't forget to carry a refillable water bottle with you when you're out and about to help cut down on single-use plastic. Using a ceramic water filter system helps to reduce common contaminants from drinking water, improving the taste and odour. Learn more about the health benefits of drinking filtered water here. Check out our water solutions now!
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Water And Weight Loss: What's The Link?
In January, lots of people's thoughts turn to weight loss. From juicing to intermittent fasting to appetite suppressant pills, there are so many options available, all promising dramatic weight loss. However, all too often, people find that after a while, they've regained the weight lost, which can be frustrating and demotivating. Most people know that to maintain their weight loss, they need to follow a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise. However, drinking enough water is another important part of the puzzle. This article looks at the link between water and weight loss. So, 'does drinking water help you lose weight?' Check out our water solutions now! A natural, zero-calorie beverage With no added calories or fat, drinking water is the drink of choice when it comes to losing weight. People who replace other high-calorie beverages (such as fizzy drinks) with water are shown to consume fewer calories. What's more, water is naturally sugar-free. Eating too much sugar has been associated with health problems such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. To enhance the taste of your water, you can add natural flavourings to your water, such as fresh fruit and herbs (i.e. mint) or no-added-sugar fruit squash. You can also use a water filter, which removes impurities in the water that might affect the quality and taste. Maintain your energy levels Dehydration can trigger dips in energy and feelings of tiredness. When you're feeling tired and low on energy, you're less likely to be physically active, which can hinder your weight loss efforts. Ensuring that you stay hydrated can help support you in staying active and healthy. Most adults should aim to drink two to three litres of fluid per day. Little and often If you're thirsty, it's a sign that you're already dehydrated. The body can only absorb a certain amount of water at one time (approximately a quarter of a litre every 15 minutes), so the rest of it will simply be excreted as urine. Therefore, the best way to maintain hydration is to sip on water (and other sugar-free beverages such as tea and coffee) throughout the day. Help maintain your hydration levels by carrying around a water filter bottle and sipping from it regularly. Confused cravings Thirst and hunger signals are processed by the same area of the brain. This means that we can mistake thirst for hunger, which can lead to cravings for high fat, high sugar snacks. Whenever you experience cravings, try drinking a glass of water and waiting 15 minutes. If the cravings go away, you were just thirsty! Sipping water regularly throughout the day can help prevent this from happening. Helps you feel fuller If overeating at meals is an issue for you, try drinking a glass of water before you eat to fill you up. It's been shown to reduce the amount of food consumed at mealtimes, contributing to weight loss. Eat your water Whilst drinking water is important, the foods that you eat also contribute toward your hydration status. Not only do fruits and vegetables provide us with fibre and other important nutrients, but they also contain high amounts of water. For example, strawberries, oranges, and peaches are made up of around 90% water, whilst lettuce, celery, and courgettes contain around 95% water. Other hydrating foods include soups, stews and casseroles, and certain dairy products (i.e. yoghurt and cottage cheese). Enjoy the taste of Doulton filtered water Protect your health by drinking quality filtered water and embrace sustainability by using a Doulton Water Filter, while turning your back on single-use plastic. To add a Doulton Water Filter to your home, find the filtration system that is right for your family from our range. Check out our water solutions now!
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Stick To Your New Year's Resolutions: How Drinking...
January is a time of year when many of us resolve to change our ways, starting again with a clean slate. For people who have previously had a bad year or who have seen healthy habits fall by the wayside, the New Year has a powerful effect of helping you to feel positive and embark on a new beginning. Check out our water solutions now! Making small and meaningful changes, such as drinking more water, getting some daily exercise, or finding time for relaxation, can go a long way. Below are the top tips to assist with sticking to your New Year's resolutions. Sticking to your New Year's resolutions Following habit-forming advice can help you stick to your New Year's resolutions in the long term. The habit formation process begins with an 'initiation phase' where we choose what our new habit will be (i.e. drinking more water). This is followed by a 'learning phase' during which the habit is consistently repeated to strengthen the new behaviour. Finally, you will reach the 'stability phase' where the habit is formed and you do it without much effort. The science shows that the process of forming a new habit can take around ten weeks. Making a new healthy habit Psychologists say that making a new habit requires you to do the following: Decide what goal you want to achieve for better health (i.e. drinking more water) Choose a simple action that will help you meet your goal daily (i.e. taking a water filter bottle with you) Plan when and where you will do your chosen action (i.e. filling your water bottle at home every morning before going to work) Every time you encounter that time and place, do your chosen action Within ten weeks, you should find yourself doing your new habit automatically Dry January How drinking water will help you stay alcohol-free Whether you have overdone it over the festive period, crept into the habit of drinking when you get in from work, or you just want to focus on a healthier version of yourself, Dry January is an excellent time to cut out the booze. With plenty of people jumping on the wagon, you will not be going in alone when it comes to forming this new healthy habit. However, if alcohol is off the menu, the question is, what drink will you be enjoying instead? Drinking water is a great way to reduce your alcohol intake, and if you follow the habit-forming advice above, you may find that your evening glass of wine or pint in the pub seems less tempting in the long term. Here is how drinking water supports Dry January: Staying hydrated will stop you from building up a thirst and craving a cold beer Drinking water helps to keep your mind focused and sharp, giving you the energy and resolve to stick to Dry January Drinking a glass of water as your first choice will fill you up, helping to put you off having another drink There are no added calories in water, making it a good non-alcoholic drink that won't affect your waistline Drinking water is one way to reduce your intake of sugary drinks, which, when consumed to excess, is associated with health problems such as type 2 diabetes and obesity Drinking water is a cornerstone in a healthy lifestyle, supporting healthy eating and exercise Enjoy the taste of filtered water Choosing to drink more water is a simple, realistic, and achievable New Year's resolution for most people. To enjoy the best taste and quality of water, use a water filter. Doulton water filters remove up to 99.99% of common contaminants, including chlorine and microplastics (down to 0.5 microns). Doulton water filters make a range of high-quality water filters to suit all homes. Discover which water filter is best for you to enjoy the taste of Doulton filtered water. Check out our water solutions now!
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What A Difference A Decade Makes: Sustainable Living,...
A decade on, and the world seems to have changed immeasurably, with wellness and the environment commanding our attention. Just 10 years ago, as we entered this decade, plastic pollution, while most definitely a problem, had not truly entered into mass consciousness. We all knew too much sugar was bad for us, but the scale of the problem was perhaps not realised to its full extent. And while we were all aware that rest and diet were essential to health,˜ wellness' as a lifestyle was undoubtedly not branded in the same way. Check out our water solutions now! Social media, television and the passage of time - as relayed through news reports - have woken the public at large up to the need for better diets, more sustainable living and a respect for our bodies and the planet. Say goodbye to single-use plastic, choose filtered water It was only in the last couple of years that the war on plastic really took hold, yet now it is commonplace for parents to choose stainless steel refillable water bottles for their children, commuters to carry their own travel coffee cups and for families to shun products in single-use packaging. These issues are close to the heart of Doulton Water Filters. As a water filtration company, our message is to drink water healthily and sustainably. With a rich heritage in the ceramics industry, Doulton uses all-natural clay as a base to create world-class water filters that target contaminants in drinking water, just as we have done for more than 185 years. It is no news that water is good for you; it is essential to life, but the good that choosing water as a drink can do for your health has risen in prominence as the focus shifted to wellbeing and looking after yourself in a 24-hour society. Drinking water helps to improve concentration in adults and children alike, flushes out toxins, hydrates the skin, supports brain health and aids weight loss. It is also a much better choice for your teeth than sugar-filled fizzy drinks. Unfortunately, the prevalence of stress and obesity in the last decade has pushed the need for healthier options into the spotlight, such as drinking water, taking more exercise and getting five portions of fruit and veg a day. Drinking more water is a simple step to take. Choosing tap water instead of bottled water will even save you money. Taking longevity and sustainable living into the new decade Change begins in the home, where quality can influence decision-making. The improved taste and odour of Doulton filtered water should encourage all the family to drink more water and to take it with them when they leave the house, rather than buy bottled water. Doulton Water Filters is an emblem of longevity and quality through the standards of water filtration that have seen our product remain as relevant today as it was 185 years ago. Sustainability and longevity will continue to gain importance through the next decade, as will health and well-being. Protect your health by drinking quality filtered water and embrace sustainability by using a Doulton Water Filter, while turning your back on single-use plastic. To add a Doulton Water Filter to your home, find the filtration system that is right for your family from our range. Discover the Doulton difference and raise a glass to a new decade of improved wellbeing and sustainable living. Check out our water solutions now!
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