The weather will soon be heating up and it is time to increase your intake of water.

Check out your hydration. Is your skin dry? Do you get headaches? Does your tongue look pink and healthy? Check the color of your urine. The paler and clearer it is, the better. If it is dark colored, it is a sign that you are dehydrated. Check this daily.

Water is essential to all life. You cannot survive for long if you have no water. World experts recommend 8 glasses a day under normal conditions, but if you are spending the summer in the Gulf you should aim for at least 10 glasses a day.

Over time, even slight dehydration may cause a lot of problems for the body. These can include constipation, tiredness, weight gain and dry aged skin. It is also thought to be one of the causes of high blood pressure. Because toxins cannot be adequately flushed from the body, dehydration can also lead to damage to the immune system.

It is not only the hot sun that robs bodies of liquid. Air conditioning in homes, offices and cars is also a culprit.

Children and Water

Doctors are concerned with boosting the consumption of water in young children and with developing good habits. Research in the United Kingdom has shown that pupils with free access to water in the classroom achieved improved tests results and better levels of concentration. Children should have between 6 to 8 glasses of water a day as it prevents dehydration in the brain, which is 80 percent water. Children would need more water if they were spending long periods in the heat or in school buses.

Pediatricians are concerned by the number of children who need treatment for bladder and kidney problems. So, the clear message to children should be that water is cool. It is the best drink for them, especially if they also eat salty snacks. A local pediatrician says that if your children do not need to go to the toilet during the school day, then they are not drinking enough water. Long-term problems related to kidney disease and high blood pressure can be the price people pay for not having drunk sufficient water as a child. So, water in school is cool!

Recipe of the Week

Grilled Chicken With Tarragon-Citrus Relish

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 tbsp canola oil

6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, 4 to 5 ounces each salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper

1 grapefruit, peeled and cut into sections (remove all membranes)

2 oranges, peeled and cut into sections (remove all membranes)

juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp. chopped, fresh tarragon

Method

Preheat the grill. To make the citrus relish, combine the grapefruit and orange sections in a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice and tarragon and set aside. (This can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to a day or two. The relish should be served at room temperature.) Brush the chicken breasts with oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, turning only once. (Thin breasts will take less time, thicker breasts will take more.) Place the chicken on warmed plates, top with citrus relish and serve immediately.

Ask Alva

How soon after pregnancy can one start exercise? Any particular tips on losing flab off the tummy and hips? Mita

You sound very keen to recover your figure and reclaim your body, but you do have to have your postnatal check up first. If you have had a caesarean delivery it is advisable to wait 8 ­– 10 weeks before exercising. Once you have the all clear from your doctor, you can start to exercise gradually, but it is difficult because your energy levels can be low due to breast-feeding and broken nights. Slowly work up to doing double the number of recommended stomach exercises. Try to go for walks in the park with the baby, as this will help tone the legs. Using an exercise bike would be good too. You have to start gradually as your body is still recovering from producing a baby. Alva