Dr KellyEVERY health or fitness enthusiast will encourage that we drink a lot of water. Two or three litres a day. But none will talk about how many times one would have to rush to the restroom to urinate, and that can get so discomforting making us reduce the quantity of water we take and then resulting in us being dehydrated.
Dehydration is when the body loses more fluids than it takes in. We lose water every day from Sweat, Urine, Digestive tract and even from breathing. If we don’t replace lost fluids, we will get dehydrated.
Causes includes are:
1. Non-availability of water:
Most people, especially in rural areas, may lack access to clean water or they are too busy and forget to drink water.
2. Diarrhea and Vomiting:
A prolonged bout of diarrhoea or vomiting can cause the body to lose more fluids than it can take in, resulting to dangerous dehydration.
3. Fever:
If you have a fever, your body loses fluid through the skin’s surface in an attempt to lower your temperature and if not managed in time can lead to dehydration.
4. Sweating:
Sweating is part of your body’s natural cooling process. When its hot, your sweat glands activate to release moisture from your body in an attempt to cool it off. Excessive sweating can cause dehydration since you lost a large amount of water. That’s why it’s advised to drink water when doing high-intensity workouts.
5. Humid hot weather:
Dry heat is actually more harmful because it dehydrates you. Dry air has a greater affinity for water molecules and it does this through perspiration.
6. Increased Urination:
Chronic conditions like diabetes or kidney disease can increase urination and some hypertensive medications like diuretics can increase urination as well. If you don’t replace the fluid lost through excessive urination, you risk developing dehydration.
Read also: 5 Easy At-home Techniques To Get Rid Of Bad Breath
What are the signs of dehydration?
1. Increased Thirst
2. Concentrated urine
3. Dry mouth
4. Palpitation (increased Heart rate)
5. Lightheadedness
6. Weaknesses
7: Coma, Organ failure and Death
Read also: When Starvation Gains You So Much Weight!
How the body works with low fluids
Blood vessels contracts >> Heart rate increases to supply vital organs Brain, Heart, lungs kidneys and intestines, Since the skin is not a vital organ, it’s not supplied enough with blood, making the skin cold and clammy.
Treatment:
Treatment for this is rehydration through Intravenous fluids or homemade oral rehydration solution.
Now that we have a clear understanding of how important it is for our body to be hydrated, let’s talk about ways to stay hydrated.
Water is the Healthiest hydrator. You can drink eight glasses of water and while that is still a way of putting water into your body, it could mean eight trips to the bathroom without it actually reaching your cells.
However, the water you eat is different. This is because The water in food is surrounded by other molecules that help it get into our cells more easily, and ensure it stays in our system for long enough to be put to good use and also with fewer visits to the restroom. It tastes better than water and it’s more nutritious. They are mostly fruits and vegetables like Tomatoes (109mls), Cucumber (100mls), Apple(115mls), Watermelon(92mls), Grapefruit(72mls) and many more.
Water intake is based on Environment, Age and Weight and the requirement for Men: 2.5 – 3.7 litres, Women 2 – 2.7 litres so let’s endeavour to maintain a water balance to stay hydrated.
If you think your symptoms of dehydration are severe, don’t hesitate to seek help! Severe Dehydration is a medical emergency and should be treated in an Emergency room.
Thank you for Reading
Dr Kelly
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