Taking a bath is good for you and your heart.  In fact, a new study shows that taking at least five hot baths a week with a temperature of 90ºF-104ºF lasting on average 12.4 minutes can improve cardiovascular health for seniors.

Hot water immersion & hydrotherapy can significantly strengthen the cardiovascular system and help with heart health by improving circulation, lowering blood pressure, reducing stress, and could be a useful lifestyle intervention to preserve cardiovascular function.

 

Hot baths use a method called passive heat and may provide many health benefits including better blood sugar management, relief from musculoskeletal pain, and improve mood and mental health.

However, a 2021 study found that also complementing hot water immersion with hydrotherapy, similar to being in a hot tub or spa therapy, was more effective than physiotherapy at improving pain, stiffness, and muscle strength after total knee arthroplasty.

 

SCIENCE-BACKED BENEFITS

Improved circulation: Hot water immersion increases blood circulation.

Lower blood pressure: The heat from a hot bath dilates blood vessels, which can lower blood pressure.

Stress reduction: spa therapy can help reduce stress levels.

Improved sleep: spa therapy can help you relax physically and mentally, which can improve your sleep quality.

Cardiovascular workout: The increased heart rate from a hot hydrotherapy bath can provide a low-impact cardiovascular workout.

“Stretching and moving in the water also provides a low-impact workout for discomfort in muscles, joints and bones.”

 

While hot tub therapy is extremely beneficial for your health and wellness, you might find gaining access to an outdoor hot tub difficult especially in the winter months, along with chemical treatment and the maintenance required onerous.

 

SOLUTION:  If you are an older adult aging in place, you are now planning for a fall-free future, and you are looking for products that are easy to use with little to no maintenance required.

 

ComfortSeries™ by American Standard provides a personal hot tub therapy experience, but it’s both a bathtub and a shower.  ComfortSeries™ addresses your concern for accessibility and ease of use.  It provides everything you need in a bathroom to provide the ultimate therapy benefits that you are looking for; but read on to see how these additional benefits support your health and wellness.

 

 

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Muscle relaxation:  the hot water and massaging action of the tub jets can effectively relax and soothe tight and tense muscles, helping to ease aches and pains.  A tub soak before exercising may also reduce the risk of injury.

“Stress causes the muscles of the body to contract.  A hot bath can relieve those symptoms and keep the muscles loose.” -Dr. Mark Khorsandi, migraine surgeon

 

Pain Relief:  soaking in a ComfortSeries™ tub may relieve some types of pain by relaxing tense muscles, joints and tendons.  If you have arthritis, the heat and massaging action of a ComfortSeries™ tub may help ease the stiffness and inflammation that cause pain.

Water supports your body and takes weight off joints, which helps improve flexibility and range of motion.

 

Improved Insulin Sensitivity: A study from 2019 and another from 2022 suggests that regular thermal therapy using hot baths or saunas may improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and better blood sugar management in a population with marked insulin resistance.  This could mean that using a ComfortSeries™ tub may also be beneficial for managing diabetes.

“Your skin releases endorphins in response to the soothing warm water the same way that endorphins are released when you feel the sun on your skin.  Submerging ourselves in hot water can be both therapeutic and reinvigorating because blood flow increases to the skin.”-Dr. Bobby Buka

 

Improvement in Mood & Mental Health:  A 2021 study comparing results of people who took submersion baths versus those who took showers found that routine immersion bathing appeared more beneficial to mental and physical health than routine shower bathing without immersion.  With added Chromatherapy as a supportive therapy technique, you can restore health imbalances through coloured LED light.  Studies have found that people with rheumatoid arthritis require fewer pain medications when they use Aromatherapy.

 

 

Tips to Improve Your ComfortSeries™ Hydrotherapy Session:

 

Bath Water Temp:  make sure that your bath water is not hotter than 104°F (40°C);

Drink Water:  drink plenty of water to keep you hydrated; before, during & after your bath;

Timing:  a ComfortSeries™ bathing session will auto end after 20 minutes.  You can restart your jets, however if you feel dizzy, lightheaded or have nausea, stop and cool off before resuming;

Maintenance:  a ComfortSeries™ bathtub has a Self-Cleaning Ozone Sanitation System which substitutes the need for harsh hot tub chemicals.  Being healthier and more beneficial for you, you will need to keep your bathtub wiped clean, and deep-cleaned once per month (see your Owner’s Guide) to ensure optimal Health Benefits.

 

**People with certain heart conditions such as heart disease, angina, or arrhythmia, should always consult a doctor before using hot tub hydrotherapy.

 

 

Now you know why a bath is far more beneficial than a shower.  Are you considering making a change to update your shower or your current bathtub?

 

American Standard Walk-in Tubs Canada provides installation service so that you have peace of mind:

• that the product selected is for your specific needs;
• that all installation & Code requirements are met and exceeded;
• that an operations review is completed with you;
• that you receive a quality 150 year name-branded ComfortSeries™ hydrotherapy tub by American Standard;
• that you receive a Lifetime Warranty including labour costs on your ComfortSeries™ hydrotherapy tub.

 

When you think of a luxurious bath, you probably imagine a tub of hot water topped with a thick foam of bubbles. While bubble bath products are popular for achieving bath time indulgence, there are other relaxing bath products that can enhance your soak and provide greater health benefits.

Why Bubble Bath Products Aren’t the Best for Your Bath Time

Have you ever treated yourself to a relaxing bubble bath only to suffer from dry, itchy skin for the rest of the day?

Your bubble bath products are probably the culprit.

To create bubbles, bubble bath products contain foaming agents such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). These chemicals are so aggressive that they remove the protective layer of your skin, which in turn makes your skin more sensitive to other ingredients. While sinking into bubbles may feel great at first, your bubble bath can end up giving you dry skin and aggravating existing skin issues.

Fortunately, there are other relaxing bath products that you can use instead. In addition to creating a luxury bath, these products can also boost your well-being and help with common ailments. This ensures the benefits of your soak last even longer than they would with bubble bath products.

Sea Salt Baths

If you suffer from dry skin or skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, sea salt baths could be just the ticket. The sea salt gently removes your dry skin and can soothe any itching, making it a great alternative to bubble bath products.

Sea salt baths are ideal for stiff joints, sore muscles, and cramps. They also improve poor circulation, especially in the legs. According to a review of scientific evidence, sea salt baths have even shown to help with rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and many more!

Here’s how to enjoy the most sea salt bath benefits:

• Fill your tub with water that is a few degrees warmer than body temperature
• Add ¼ to 2 cups of sea salt to the water, depending on your size
• Soak for at least 20 minutes before getting out of the tub
• Dry off thoroughly and apply moisturizer to your skin

While salt baths are considered a safe way to bathe, you should avoid them if you have an open wound or develop hives after sitting in the salt water. If you’re suffering from severe skin conditions, aches, and pains, it’s always best to consult your doctor to find the best treatment for you.

Essential Oils in Bath Water

With so many options to choose from, essential oils are a fun way to spice up your bath time and improve your well-being. Unlike bubble bath products, each essential oil carries its own unique aroma and health benefits. These are some of our favorites.

Lavender

This essential oil is perfect for stress relief. The relaxing scent can help you wind down for bed and relieve headaches and migraines. If you’re suffering from any aches, pains, or inflammation, lavender is one of the best essential oils for your bath water.

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is another essential oil that can aid with aches and pains in your joints or muscles. The scent is much stronger than lavender, which means you may feel more alert after your bath. Just be careful if you have pets, as this essential oil is toxic to animals.

Chamomile

You might already drink chamomile tea to reduce stress or relax before bedtime. A soak with chamomile essential oil in the bath water can be just as effective. What’s more, chamomile has anti-inflammatory properties that can help with pain, neuralgia, and arthritis.

Rose

Rose oil doesn’t just smell great, it’s a powerful essential oil, too. Try this essential oil in your bath water if you have pain or anxiety. Rose oil is thought to stimulate the brain to release endorphins, known as the feel-good hormone. After your soak, you may feel the difference in body and mind.

How to Use Bath Oils

Essential oils are 100% pure plant oil — or should be. Avoid any relaxing bath products that contain artificial fragrances, colors, or a high percentage of added water so you can get the most out of your bath time. Assuming your bath products are completely natural, here are some tips for using these essential oils in your bath water.

• Do a skin patch test.It’s possible to be allergic to essential oils, so test a small amount 24 hours before adding anything to your bath water.
• Use a carrier oil when adding essential oils to your bath water.Essential oils are not soluble and the droplets can irritate and burn your skin.
• Try these three great options for carrier oils: Coconut, sunflower, and jojoba oil. Add 3-12 drops of essential oil in a tablespoon of carrier oil for each bath.
• Add essential oils after drawing your bath.The hot water will allow the aromas to escape the oil and fill your bathroom with the scent. This means you get to enjoy some aromatherapy, too!
• Be aware that your tub may become more slippery.Take special care as you get out of the tub and be sure to use handrails or ask for assistance.

Try these alternative relaxing bath products to suit your mood and needs. You’ll likely find that your soak is even more luxurious than with any bubble bath products — and the benefits last much longer! If you want to enjoy your most relaxing soak yet, take a look at our guide to drawing the perfect hydrotherapy bath.

Hot baths help with a long list of medical complaints. No matter whether you’re living with headaches or dry skin, a soak in the tub can be a simple and effective at-home therapy. You can also try a hot bath for muscle recovery.

Although studies debate whether you’re better off taking a hot or cold bath for sore muscles, most people find the idea of hopping into a tub filled with cold water unpleasant. That’s why we focus on hot baths! Read on to find out why a hot bath for sore muscles could be the best way to relieve your pain and improve your mood.

What Causes Sore Muscles?

Everyone experiences sore muscles at some point in their lives. If you lead an active life, sore muscles may be a result of injuries. When you damage a nerve, disk, or vertebra, the surrounding muscles will often contract around the affected part of your body to prevent any further damage. While this is a critical biological response, the resulting muscle spasms can cause you more stress and discomfort.

Medical conditions may also be at the root of your muscle pain. Poor circulation, Parkinson’s disease, and autoimmune diseases such as fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis can cause muscle soreness. If you’re using ACE inhibitors to lower your blood pressure or statins to lower your cholesterol, you may also suffer from muscle aches.

Whatever the cause of your soreness, the pain can put your body in a state of increased stress, which can cause you to feel even more stiff and achy.

Why You Should Try a Hot Bath for Muscle Recovery

Here are four reasons to try a hot bath for sore muscles.

1. Relieve Muscle Stress Throughout the Body

Doctors and physical therapists often recommend heat therapy for muscle pain. You may have used a heat pack to reduce muscle soreness in a targeted area. Heat packs warm the skin and help you relax, but they can’t penetrate your muscles very effectively. Taking a hot bath for muscle recovery combines complete heat therapy with hydrotherapy, which can increase relaxation thanks to the buoyancy of the water.

A hot bath allows for a full-body release as all your muscles are thoroughly warmed and relaxed. The warm water loosens spasms and releases tension from surrounding muscles that may have been compensating for your injury. If your tub features water jets, you can even massage multiple areas of your body to soothe any stubborn aches.

2. Improve Blood Circulation for More Supple Muscles

A warm bath encourages the circulation of blood around your body. The increased blood flow provides your muscles with more oxygen and nutrients. This improves the elasticity of the connective tissues, releases muscles tightness, and relieves pain. Not surprisingly, bathing is an excellent way to combat muscle soreness from poor circulation.

Provided your aches are not a result of an injury, you can also try some light stretches in a hot bath for muscle recovery. Because your muscles are more supple and relaxed, you can safely train your flexibility and soothe your muscles. What’s more, the buoyancy of the bath can make some movements easier.

3. Easily Customize Your Bath for Different Needs

Unlike many pain-relief treatments, a bath is a versatile therapy session. As well as taking a hot bath for sore muscles, you can design your bath time around your specific needs and mood.

For example, if your muscle soreness is caused by injury or rheumatoid arthritis, you can add sea salt, lavender oil, or chamomile oil to the water.  These natural products can reduce inflammation to ease your muscle pain. On the other hand, if your muscle soreness comes from stress and tension, you can try adding rose oil to your hot bath for muscle recovery. Having a wide range of bathing options makes your experience more varied and enjoyable.

4. Experience Muscle Recovery in Just 15 Minutes

A hot bath can be a long and luxurious activity, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get results from a shorter soak each day. In fact, a hot bath for muscle recovery needn’t last more than 15 to 20 minutes. After that, the bath water will start to cool and become less effective for muscle relaxation.

You may be tempted to run a hotter bath so you can enjoy the warm water for longer, but do not exceed 105 degrees. A bath that is too hot can prevent relaxation and dehydrate you very quickly, which can make muscle soreness worse. Make sure you feel comfortable in the water and keep a glass of water by the tub.

Soothe Your Muscles With a Safe Bathing Experience

Regularly taking hot baths for sore muscles can help soothe your aches and pains. With 44 strategically located air and water jets, our walk-in tubs ensure a safe, relaxing, and accessible hydrotherapy experience you can enjoy every day. To find out if a walk-in tub is right for you, contact us and we will help you.

 

On Monday, April 8^th there will be a total solar eclipse that will cross the eastern side of Canada from southern Ontario, and Quebec towards the Maritimes, following the path of totality over two of our great lakes and the St. Lawrence River.

Millions of people throughout North American will be witnessing this rare celestial event, which won’t happen again over parts of Canada until 2044.

Depending on where you live, the Great North American Eclipse will take approximately 2 ½ hours in duration, with the actual total eclipse event lasting only 2-3 minutes.

You can check your city on this Eclipse Simulator to see the event times.

 

Watching it Safely

We all know that you cannot look in the direction of the sun without eye damage.  So, if you are going to be participating in an Eclipse Watch Party, please ensure that you have proper eyewear.  Many municipalities are offering free Solar Eclipse glasses, or you can purchase them at several camera retailers.  Make sure that the legitimate eclipse glasses bear the manufacturer’s name and address on the label, and the ISO code IS 12312-2 is clearly noted.  Eclipse glasses must not be scratched, torn or punctured.

If you don’t have your solar eyewear, or you are not able nor interested, you can watch the event on television or in the local media.

Or, you can have a little fun and create your own “fun in the bathtub” Solar Eclipse!

 

 

Instructions:

1. Check out the actual solar eclipse times happening close to you, so you know when to start your bath.
   • The complete process occurs over 2 ½ hours, starting around 2:00p in southern Ontario; however, you may not wish to be in the bathtub that long, unless you are really enjoying yourself. The inline heater helps to keep your water at your desired temperature, so stay in as long as you want!
   • The total eclipse starts at 3:13p (for 2-3 minutes) in southern Ontario, and at 5:09p in Newfoundland.
2. With your ComfortSeries™ chromatherapy lights turned on to yellow or red (sun) at 2p, use your bath scrunchie or round loofah (moon), and follow the timeline for complete totality using your bath lights.

 

Did you know that you can even do this without the water in the bathtub?

Maybe you are babysitting your grandkids, and looking for something fun to do.  All you have to do is turn out the bathroom lights, sit in the bathtub, and turn on the chromatherapy lights, and follow the fun instructions above.

 

While this activity may seem silly, it’s still fun, and it gets you in your hydrotherapy tub for a massage session— for relaxation, and maybe reduce some aches and pains along the way.

 

Chromatherapy Tip:

When the sun is not shining as brightly in dreary weather, we can feel gloomy too.  ComfortSeries™ chromatherapy lights are designed to assist with emotional wellness, and can help support your mental well-being using light therapy.  Just sit in your ComfortSeries™ bathtub (with or without water) and turn on the chromatherapy lights, as often as you need.

For more information on ComfortSeries™ spa bathtubs and the healing benefits of Chromatherapy, scan the QR code with your digital device.

by American Standard Walk-in Tubs—Canada

1-844-867-7737

AmericanStandardWalkinTubs2u.com

1. What is Poor Leg Circulation?
2. Causes of Poor Circulation
3. Symptoms of Poor Circulation
4. Treatments for Poor Leg Circulation

The circulatory system delivers blood, oxygen, and nutrients to all cells in the body. When blood flow in your body is reduced, you may start to experience the symptoms of poor circulation in your legs and feet. These symptoms can include numbness and muscle cramping, and one of the most common areas for poor circulation is the legs. If you believe you are suffering from poor circulation symptoms, it is important to speak with your doctor and learn how to improve blood circulation.

Let’s look at the causes, symptoms, and treatments of poor leg circulation:

What is Poor Leg Circulation?

Poor leg circulation, or peripheral artery disease (PAD), is a circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to your limbs. While it commonly occurs in the legs, peripheral artery disease can also affect the peripheral arteries to the stomach, arms, and head. The arteries harden due to plaque buildup in the arteries and blood vessels, and this blocks the normal blood flow through the vessels and results in poor circulation in the legs.

While it isn’t a condition in itself, poor leg circulation may be a sign of larger health issues. If you’re experiencing the associated symptoms of poor blood circulation, it’s important to consult with your doctor, who can check for other health complications that may worsen over time. These can include obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol, and various heart and arterial conditions.

What Causes Poor Circulation in the Legs?

Poor leg circulation is often caused by a health condition called atherosclerosis. With atherosclerosis, fatty deposits (or plaque) build up and constrict your artery walls, reducing blood flow. It starts with damage to the endothelium, a thin layer of cells around the arteries, often caused by high blood pressure, smoking, or high cholesterol. When the endothelium is damaged, bad cholesterol enters the artery wall and leads to the formation of plaque.

As atherosclerosis progresses, plaque builds up and narrows the arteries in the legs. This limits the blood flow to your muscles.

Other factors that increase your risk for poor leg circulation include:

• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Increasing age, especially after age 50
• A family history of peripheral artery disease, heart disease, or stroke
• Lack of regular exercise
• Unhealthy diet

Those who smoke or have diabetes have a higher risk of poor leg circulation because of reduced blood flow.

What are the Symptoms of Poor Leg Circulation?

People with poor leg circulation may experience muscle pain and cramping in the legs. This leg pain is usually caused by physical activity, like walking, but disappears after a few minutes of rest. The location of the leg pain depends on where the narrowed artery is. It can also affect different muscle groups, such as the hip, thigh, foot, and calf.

Symptoms of poor blood circulation in legs include:

• Leg numbness or tingling
• Cramping in hip, thigh, or calf muscles after physical activity
• Discoloration in legs
• Coldness in lower leg or foot
• Sores on your toes, feet, or legs

If poor circulation in your legs continues to persist over time, you may feel leg pain even when you’re sitting or lying down.

What are the Treatments for Poor Leg Circulation?

Poor leg circulation is a common problem, especially as we age. Fortunately, there are simple habits and lifestyle changes you can make to reduce pain associated with poor circulation in legs. While it’s important to consult with your doctor, here are some ways you can improve circulation in your legs at home:

Exercise Regularly

Although it can be difficult for those with poor leg circulation, exercise has been shown to improve blood flow and reduce leg pain. A lack of physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, is one of main causes of poor leg circulation.

Walking is a great exercise for poor leg circulation because it promotes the production of new blood vessels in the legs. This helps improve blood circulation and exercise tolerance. You may feel some pain and cramping in the legs at first, so start off slow by walking for 30 minutes three to five times a week. Then, gradually increase the duration to 60 minutes. As you adjust to walking regularly, you’ll see improved circulation in the legs and increased blood flow the rest of your body.

Resistance training is another good way to improve blood circulation in your legs. It increases muscle strength by making your muscles work against weights or force. This can help reduce muscle pain and cramping from poor leg circulation. Examples of exercises include leg extensions, hamstring curls, leg press, and squats. Similar to walking, it’s important to start off slowly and then gradually increase your repetitions as you get used to regular training.

Eat Healthier

A healthy, well-balanced diet is an important part of preventing plaque buildup in your arteries. Eating healthfully can reduce your risk of high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol, which can all contribute to poor leg circulation and other serious health issues. Include more antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, and less sodium. Other ideas to incorporate include:

• Whole grains: great source of fiber, and can decrease cholesterol levels and improve circulation
• Fish: contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help decrease blood clot formation, cholesterol levels, and plaque buildup
• Garlic: decreases cholesterol buildup in the arteries of the legs
• Citrus fruits: high in vitamin C, which strengthens capillary walls and prevents plaque buildup
• Cayenne pepper: increases metabolic rate and strengthens arteries and blood vessels

Use Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy uses water to treat various health problems, including poor leg circulation. With hydrotherapy, the body is exposed to alternating hot and cold water. The body reacts to hot and cold water by expanding and constricting the arteries and veins. This promotes increased blood flow and circulation, and reduced sensitivity to pain.

Practice hydrotherapy in your bath by relaxing in a quick, 15-minute warm bath. This will help expand your blood vessels to improve blood flow to your legs. Don’t stay in for too long to avoid overheating. Walk-in tubs are great for whole-body hydrotherapy because they offer a deep soak, maximizing the benefits of hydrotherapy. Many walk-in tubs are equipped with a whirlpool or airbath feature for a relaxing and enjoyable hydrotherapy session.

American Standard’s ComfortSeries™️ Accessible & Walk-in Tubs are equipped with RevitaJet™ Whole Body Hydrotherapy System with 44 air and water jets that are strategically placed to create the ultimate at-home hydrotherapy experience in the comfort of your bathtub.  The jets can be adjusted and positioned to target any specific sore spots or wherever you feel your body most needs a massage.  This at-home massage therapy can be incredibly useful for all ages, but especially seniors who have limited mobility.  The ComfortSeries™️ Accessible Tub is safe and easy to get in and out of, and the jets are a therapeutic way to receive a daily massage for your whole body.  The massaging jets can target the back, legs, wrist and feet, which are common pain points for people with arthritis.  Whether you elevate the water temperature or stick with your usual heat, incorporating massage into your hydrotherapy session will further stimulate blood circulation in legs and feet, helping you feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

Poor leg circulation is a common occurrence, and making a few life changes can help alleviate the symptoms of poor blood circulation in your legs. If you have any concerns in regards to your blood circulation, meet with your doctor to discuss treatment. For more information about the benefits of a walk-in tub to improve leg circulation, contact American Standard Walk-In Tubs Canada today.

Written by Lee-Anne Creery for American Standard Walk-in Tubs Canada

 

Ah, sunshine finally!

One of the most important things you can do is to get outdoors and enjoy the beautiful weather.  But while you are taking a deep breath of fresh air and getting some much-needed Vitamin D, you’ll also need to practice proper hydration and sun protection, even in the Canadian winter & spring.

Here is what you should keep in mind.

While most people are itching to get outside and away from snow and COVID confinement, it’s important to remember that the sun’s UV rays are still powerful and can burn and easily damage older adult skin in a short period of time.

 

Sun Protection Tips

• Apply sunscreen (even in winter) with SPF 30+ one half hour before going outside
• Dress for the weather. It’s always best to layer clothing for warmth while it’s still chilly, and keep exposed skin covered.
• Wear a hat. Wide-brimmed is best to keep the top of your head covered, but also shade for your face and ears.
• Wear sunglasses. While you do receive Vitamin D through your unshielded eyes, 20% of cataracts are caused by extended UV exposure.  Ensure that your sunglasses are full spectrum UV protection, which will also shade the glare from bright surfaces such as wet pavement, and snow & ice.
• Go outside in the morning before 10a or after 3p, when the sun is less harsh, and less damaging.
• The same tips apply if you choose to stay indoors and get your sunshine in front of a window.
• Know the warning signs of overheating. Seek shade on days of high heat and humidity, and prevent mental confusion and high heart rate caused by heat stress.

Statistics show that 32% of Canadians are Vitamin D deficient, rising to 40% in winter; Health Canada recommends that people over the age of 50 need to take a daily supplement of 600 IU-800 IU (15mcg-20mcg) in addition to the natural or fortified sources of foods.

Vitamin D deficiency can have a severe impact on your overall health, from bone maintenance to protecting against cardiovascular disease; colorectal cancer, and regulating the immune system.

Although you don’t need sunlight as part of your DRI for vitamin D, it sure does feel good after what seems like a long winter’s nap!

If getting some sun isn’t your thing to boost your mood when the days are still gray, and you start to feel the winter blues setting in, boost your spirits with aromatherapy and essential oils.  Research shows that the components of certain oils can boost our mood, ease stress and help us to relax while supporting our mental health during winter blahs.  Citrus helps to remind people of summer and may invoke positive emotions.  What is your favourite aroma to help you feel good?

 

For Seniors, not drinking enough water can have serious consequences.  Dehydration is a leading cause of hospital visits among older adults who feel pain & discomfort, confusion & dizziness, and fainting.  Dehydration can lead to poor cardiovascular health, low blood pressure, blood clots, and painful kidney stones.

 

Hydration Tips

Water is the most important element to the human body.  Water helps your heart pump blood to the necessary muscles, it lubricates your joints, helps your organs function properly, and helps your brain prepare for the decisions that you make.

• You MUST drink 6 to 8 cups (8oz each) of water per day as a minimum.
• The recommended Daily Activity Level is 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week, so if you are an active adult, add 1 to 2 cups of water for every 30 minutes of exercise. According to this article by Reader’s Digest Canada, Dieticians recommend water intake differently for men and women.
• If you are thirsty, chances are, you are already becoming dehydrated, so be aware of dehydration warning signs: muscle cramps, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, chills, irritability, and dry mouth. Drink water immediately, or seek medical help.

Did you know that your fluid intake can also include food moistures?

Change your fluid sources, but remember that not all drinks are equally hydrating.  Water can be consumed cold or hot with lemon, in forms of tea, sports drinks, popsicles, or fruits and vegetables.  Apples, watermelon, celery and cucumbers have the highest water content.

But beware, make sure that you keep the sugar content/glycemic levels low.  Drinks like sodas, beer/alcohol, hot chocolate, lemonade, sweetened iced tea, energy drinks, flavoured milk, and smoothies can work against you, causing dehydration.

So, if you want a healthier hydrating beverage next time you are thirsty, reach for a sports drink that is helpful for replenishing electrolytes, or a moisture-rich food.

Read more:

Safety Tips and Healthy Living Recommendations