Special K health advice

Many of us fail to drink enough, which leaves us feeling slow and sluggish and you may mistake hunger for thirst, reaching for some food when your body is actually craving something to drink. Staying well hydrated is very important, particularly in hot climates or when you are physically active.

Here are some simple ways to help ensure you stay well hydrated:

Vary your drinks: Tea and coffee does count towards your fluid intake but try to include or swap with other drinks, such as water, herbal or fruit teas, diluted fruit juice and sugar free squashes.

Check the colour of your pee: It sounds odd, but looking at your pee is one of the easiest ways to see if you are dehydrated. Aim for your urine to be a pale straw colour. If it is a darker yellow, you need to be drinking a bit more.

Drink little and often: Rather than glugging a huge glass of water and running straight to the loo, try to take regular, small drinks throughout the day.If you feel thirsty then you are already dehydrated. The sensation of being thirsty can be slow to kick in, so think about times of day when you feel thirsty; try to anticipate these and drink more.

Take it to bed: Have a glass of water next to the bed and take sips if you wake up during the night.

Losing fluids: You are likely to lose more fluids if you are spending the day in an air-conditioned office or car; travelling on hot public transport; spending a day outside in the heat; or being active in the garden or house. Try to remember to drink a little more than usual on these days.

Give it some flavour: Try adding ice to your water or keep it chilled in the fridge. Why not add a splash of sugar free squash and drink it out of a wine glass - it's amazing how good non- alcoholic drinks can taste!


Special K recipes for healthy meals:

Prawn and stir-fried vegetable wrap
Serves 1

90g cooked peeled prawns, 2 tsp oil, selection of vegetables (chopped), finely chopped garlic, ginger and chili, 1 soft flour tortilla

Heat the oil in a small non-stick pan or wok, add the prepared vegetables, chili, garlic and ginger and stir-fry until the vegetables are cooked. Add the prawns and cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until the prawns are warm. Heat a soft flour tortilla according to manufacturer’s instructions, spoon the vegetables into the centre, fold and serve.

Potato and spinach curry
Serves 4

500g new potatoes (halved), 1 tbsp oil, 1 large onion (sliced), 2 tbsp mild curry paste, 400g can chopped tomatoes, 2 large handfuls frozen spinach, boiled rice and tzatziki to serve

Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer until tender. Drain well. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion for 2-3 minutes. Add the curry paste and fry for a further 30 seconds. Stir in the potatoes, tomatoes and spinach and cook for 10 minutes. Serve with boiled rice and tzatziki.