The two dietary sources of water are food and drink. We lose between two or three litres of water a day through breathing, sweating and urinating. To prevent dehydration you simply need to replenish the liquids that are lost throughout the day. It is important to avoid becoming thirsty – as you will already be dehydrated by that stage.

As we get older our appetites diminish and often we eat less nutritious food. An aging body is also increasingly susceptible to degenerative diseases. The kidneys, vital for regulating the amount of fluid in the body, deteriorates with age

So drinking water is particularly essential to health in later years.