Does drinking water help slow down the ageing process? A study has just been published (Dmitrieva, 2023), that tested the hypothesis that optimal hydration may slow down the ageing process in humans. The study measured serum sodium levels. Participants that had high levels of serum sodium had a greater risk of premature ageing and developing chronic diseases. If you have higher than normal serum sodium levels, it may be a sign of dehydration caused by not drinking enough, diarrhoea or from certain medications like diuretics (water tablets). Our bodies are made up of about 50% - 80% of water, which we need for digestion, to absorb vital nutrients, get rid of waste products and help regulate our body temperature. It also helps our skin, hair and nails!! So how much should we drink? It is recommended that men drink about 10 cups (2.5 Litres) a day and women 8 cups (2 Litres), and a little more if pregnant or breastfeeding. So, what counts as water? Does tea, coffee and soft drinks count? Well, yes they do!! I know many people do not like the taste of water, so this will be good news for you. I actually don’t mind water, but I also enjoy my morning black coffee and a soft drink every now and then.. Obviously we do not want to drink all of our calories, which are found in high sugar soft drinks and we also need to be mindful of our teeth and decay. But there are a lot of sugar free alternatives available. I read a great article (Soong, 2022), that talks about this topic and discusses what counts for water in our diets. Fruits, vegetables, smoothies, soups etc, all help with our hydration. That really doesn’t sound too hard at all. I think that consuming our recommended water intake is definitely achievable and in doing so, you may be slowing down the ageing process. References: Dmitrieva N. I., Gagarin A., Liu D., Wu C. O., Boehm O. (January 2023).Middle-age high normal serum sodium as a risk factor for accelerated biological ageing, chronic diseases,and premature mortality. EBiomedicine . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104404 Soong, J. (March, 2022). What counts as water? Stay hydrated and healthy. WebMD . https://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/healthy-beverages