Water: Don’t Get Caught Without It!

Water is a nutrient essential for human life. It makes up about 70 percent of your muscles and about 75 percent of your brain. Water is also necessary for everything your bodies does: absorbing and using nutrients from the foods you eat, safely removing toxins and waste, and even regulating your body’s temperature. There is no system in your body that does not depend on water to function. Drinking water may also help reduce risks of certain diseases such as asthma, heart problems, and cancer, and may help improve respiratory problems.

Dehydration

You lose water through sweat, urine, vomit, diarrhea, and even your breath! If you don’t replace what you lose, you can become dehydrated.  This can severely affect your health and even lead to death. Dehydration is the loss of water and essential body salts, such as sodium, potassium, chloride, and magnesium, that are needed for normal body functions. When the body is dehydrated, it loses energy, muscles may start to cramp, and cooling becomes a problem, which may lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.  Children and people over the age of 60 are especially susceptible to dehydration. In fact, dehydration caused by diarrhea is one of the biggest single killers of children in the world today. This year about 2.2 million children will die of dehydration caused by diarrhea - 80% of them in the first two years of their life.

Keeping the body well hydrated all year round is very important – especially during the summer months when most people are more active. Physical activity combined with hot weather makes your body lose fluids through perspiration. The more active you are, the more fluids you lose, and the greater the chance of dehydration. Prevent dehydration by drinking the amount of water your body needs and knowing the signs of dehydration if it does occur.

Signs and Symptoms

Surprisingly, you can’t rely on thirst to tell you that you need fluids, especially if you are older. So how do you know if your body needs water?  The easiest way is to check the color and quantity of your urine. If you are not urinating that much and your urine is dark, then you need to consume more fluids,  But watch for signs of dehydration, too. Thirst, dry lips, and dry mouth indicate mild dehydration. Early signs can include headache, loss of appetite, fatigue, flushed skin, heat intolerance, and dark urine with a strong odor. Signs of severe dehydration include a rapid and weak pulse, cold hands and feet, difficulty swallowing, clumsiness, dim vision, and muscle spasms. Additional signs for children may include may include lack of tears when crying, no wet diapers for more than 3 hours, high fever, irritability, and sunken abdomen, eyes or cheeks.  Anyone with severe symptoms should see a doctor right away.

How much water do we need?

Experts suggest about 10-12 cups of water a day for good health, but there is no official requirement. Many factors affect your needs, such as your physical condition, environment, and foods. For example, eating a diet rich in fiber or protein can increase the need for water. On the other hand, foods such as vegetables and fruits provide water. The best way to stay hydrated is to always keep a bottle of water at your side. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink water – keep drinking throughout the day. On hot humid days, an active person can become dehydrated in as little as 15 minutes!

Take these precautions to avoid the harmful effects of dehydration during the summer:

• Drink plenty of water, especially when working or playing in the sun.
• Schedule physical outdoor activities for the cooler parts of the day.
• Wear clothing that allows your body to sweat properly.
• Take occasional breaks away from the heat.

Enjoy your fluids, whether you drink them or eat them!

Drinking water is the best and cheapest way to get enough fluids, but other fluids can help, too.  Flavored or sparkling water, fruit juices, low-fat milk, and frozen juice pops will all do the trick. Sports drinks can be good for athletes who need to replace electrolytes lost due to excessive exercise and sports performance, but they are expensive and most people don’t need them. Other drinks, such as energy drinks and sodas, can also be costly and have lots of sugar and caffeine, which actually causes you to lose more fluids.

Another way to get your fluids is to eat fruits and vegetables. Grapes, watermelon, and oranges are delicious and full of water – so are cucumbers, lettuce, celery, and many others.

Water is great – it helps every cell in your body, circulates everything your body needs, rids your body of wastes, and even cools you down when you need it. Be sure to keep your body healthy by drinking plenty of liquids, especially in the summer. Being aware and prepared is the easiest way to avoid dehydration.

For a refreshing drink, mix seltzer or sparkling water with  2 flavors of 100% fruit juice such as orange and pineapple.