You may be thinking, “This article is too late, it would have been more useful last week.” But it is always valuable to know to stay healthy and hydrated, and if you find yourself “too hot to handle,” you will know how to treat your symptoms.
When your body loses more fluid than it takes in, you may experience dehydration, a condition in which your body does not have adequate fluid to function as it normally would.
From the Mayo Clinic : “Anyone may become dehydrated, but the condition is especially dangerous for young children and older adults. The most common cause of dehydration in young children is severe diarrhea and vomiting. Older adults naturally have a lower volume of water in their bodies, and may have conditions or take medications that increase the risk of dehydration. This means that even minor illnesses, such as infections affecting the lungs or bladder, can result in dehydration in older adults. Dehydration also can occur in any age group if you don’t drink enough water during hot weather—especially if you are exercising vigorously.”
We all lose fluids each day through sweat, tears, urination, bowel movements, and even breathing. We replace those hydrating fluids throughout the day by drinking liquids and eating foods that contain water. When that process is unbalanced due to medications, illness or overexposure to the sun or heat without proper hydration, we can become dehydrated.
Drink your water! If preventing dehydration is not enough motivation for you to drink H20, read my article, Water is Life .
Symptoms of dehydration
Each person will experience symptoms differently, but the following are the most common symptoms of dehydration.
Experiencing extreme thirst with less-frequent urination, especially if that urine is darker in color, are indicators. Fatigue, light-headedness, dizziness, and/or confusion may also ensue. You might also notice an increased heart rate and have trouble breathing.
Additionally, children may have a dry mouth and tongue, no tears when crying, sunken eyes and cheeks, a sunken soft spot on the top of their skull, no wet diapers for an extended length of time, and irritability. I know that the last one can mean many things, but in conjunction with other symptoms, it may indicate dehydration.
Treatments for dehydration
At the first signs of dehydration, rehydrating to restore fluids is key. Though water is the best fluid to rehydrate, your body may need electrolytes and replenishment of nutrients such as sodium and potassium. Sports drinks are an option to recover from dehydration, but water is your best option to prevent it. If your symptoms are mild, hydration as described above may help. If you do not find relief, or if your symptoms are moderate to severe, you should always seek medical treatment.
For children, you should always seek the advice of your child’s healthcare provider to treat dehydration, even if it appears to you to be mild. Do not seek advice from the internet, as children’s bodies vary greatly in size and development and their health is not worth the risk of well-intentioned but often wrong advice.
Whether a child or an adult, depending on the severity, cases of dehydration may require intravenous fluids and sometimes hospitalization. Serious dehydration should be treated as a medical emergency.
Preventing dehydration
My hope for you is that you can prevent dehydration for yourself and your family members. Drink plenty of fluids when working or playing in the sun. Water is the best fluid to down when in the sun. Whether or not you are catching rays, take in more fluid than you put out. If you are able, plan outdoor activities for the cooler times of the day. If you do a more intense workout, a rehydration beverage with electrolytes may be needed. Do not give children adult sports drinks to replace electrolytes lost in illness or heat exposure. If advised by your childcare provider, give your child a fluid made specifically for children, such as Pedialyte.
Dehydration does not only occur during heat waves. Be knowledgeable about hydration and your body will function better in any weather.
Contributing writer Denise Lum is a Health and Fitness Coach raising her family in Alameda. Contact her via CoachDenise@alamedapost.com or FitnessByDsign.com . Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Denise-Lum .
The post Too Hot to Handle: What to Know About Dehydration appeared first on Alameda Post .
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