Two surprising health drinks everyone should try
Staying hydrated is vital as we age, but water isn’t the only answer, says wellness guru Liz Earle.
Staying hydrated is vital as we age, but water isn’t the only answer, says wellness guru Liz Earle.
One of the most important things we can do to boost both our longevity and the number of years we spend in robust health is to become better at drinking enough healthy liquids, says wellness expert Liz Earle MBE. But the liquids she recommends may surprise you – we all know we should drink more water, but how about broth and milk?
Ageing blunts the sensation of thirst explains Liz in her new book How to Age: Supercharge Your Health and Feel Better Than Ever. This makes older people more susceptible to dehydration, which can have profoundly detrimental effects including fatigue, brain fog, constipation, urinary tract infections (UTIs) and falls.
By contrast, a person who is adequately hydrated can enjoy improved mood, energy, skin, joints and digestion.
“Dehydration is a massive issue, particularly for women, as we get older” says Liz. “We don’t feel thirst in the same way as we do when we’re younger and simply don’t drink enough. By the time our brain is telling us, ‘You need to drink something, I’m thirsty’, we’ve actually probably been dehydrated for quite a while.
“Sipping little and often is best for the body,” she advises. “It’s much easier on the kidneys than just glugging a couple of large glasses in one go because we’ve forgotten.”
Failing to stay hydrated can result in a UTI and often becoming extremely unwell. It can even be a killer, Liz warns.
“I started researching and writing about water in my book because it is what powers our mitochondria – the powerhouses of the cells in our bodies,” she says. “It’s a very important element in longevity.”
While we can all get water easily in the UK by simply turning on a tap, Liz says that modern tap water does have a downside, though, depending on where you live. “In many areas water is a bit like ultra-processed food and has been through a lot of stages to treat it,” she explains.
“Most tap water has likely been through about seven people before it gets to you and, although it’s been cleaned, it will often contain traces of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, chlorine, hormones and other things that we don’t want in our water supply.
“So, having a water filter – it could be as simple as a jug water filter – is a very useful way of removing many unwanted chemical elements from our drinking water and it also just makes it taste nicer.
"Unless you’re really fortunate to live in the Welsh valleys or somewhere where your water comes directly from a spring, filtering your water is a very smart move.”
Liz says that for those who don’t like water, herbal teas or broth are also good for their health. “Bone broth is having a real revival because, as well as being made from bones, it’s very good for our own bones,” she explains.
“It contains collagen and lots of good amino acids, really good protein sources and traces of vitamins and minerals as well. So, you can either make bone broth or you can also now buy powdered bone broth in sachets, which is really handy. It’s extremely nutritious and delicious.”
And while we should avoid too much coffee and alcohol as both are diuretic, Liz advises bringing more milk back into our lives. The liquid has fallen out of favour because people consider it fattening, but she asserts that it should actually be considered a health food.
“Even full fat milk is, in fact, relatively low in fat at about 4%,” Liz says. “And yet, unfortunately, people have moved away from drinking it. There have been studies where they have given people working out in gyms an electrolyte drink or a glass of milk after their workout, and those having milk were actually better hydrated.
“I’m old enough to remember the campaign ‘Drink a pint of milk a day’. Can you imagine saying that to young people today: ‘Have you had your pint of milk?’ They would look at you in astonishment. But, in fact, we need that for the calcium in our bones and milk is naturally high in vitamin D, which many people in the UK are deficient in.
It’s also a source of vitamin E and vitamin A. Milk needs reviving as a natural energy drink.”
One good idea is to have a visual reminder to drink more liquid near at hand at all times of the day, such as keeping a water flask on the desk at work or on the bedside table.
“If you can remember to keep sipping, you’ll soon see the benefits because your skin cells will be plumper. But you’ll also be flushing through any of the overgrowth of the bad bacteria that can trigger UTIs.
"The importance of this cannot be underestimated: you’ve got to keep UTIs in check because they can lead to sepsis, which can be fatal.”
How to Age: Supercharge Your Health and Feel Better Than Ever by Liz Earle (Yellow Kite, RRP £22)
(Hero image credit: Getty)
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