So we've all heard that dehydration is bad for you, but do we actually know why? If not, keep reading to find out, plus learn how to prevent the dangers of dehydration!
What is Dehydration?
Dehydration is when your body doesn't have enough water to function correctly. Your body tends to lose water throughout the day by sweating, urinating, and even crying. But the water that is released should be replaced by drinking more water and eating various foods with water in them. However, most people (admit it, like you) tend to forget to drink water throughout the day and don't realize that dehydration has hit. If you are sick, you tend to lose more water or don't feel like drinking it, causing you to feel even more dehydrated.
Symptoms of Dehydration
Some early symptoms of dehydration are fatigue, dizziness, and headaches. These are early warning signs from your body telling you to drink more water. Prolonged dehydration can lead to muscle cramps, fainting, confusion, and dry skin. Left untreated, more severe dangers of dehydration include heat stroke, seizures, and brain damage.
How to Prevent Dehydration
So now that we know what dehydration is and its symptoms, how do we prevent the dangers of dehydration? The first and most straightforward way is to understand the signs of dehydration, and as soon as you start to feel them, start drinking water! Read on to find more tips on how to prevent dehydration.
Switch out the water for...
A sports drink! As they replenish your body with necessary electrolytes, sports drinks can come in handy when you are exercising. Just be sure that they are low calorie, so you are still making your workouts count! (Coconut water is a great option.)
Start eating!
You can also switch out the water for foods with a high concentration of water, such as melons, grapes, berries, and lettuce. They're super helpful to increase your hydration, without having you drink all of your daily intake.
Bored with water?
If you think plain old water is boring to drink, try some carbonated water, or add fruit for some added flavor! Teas and juices can also help prevent the dangers of dehydration. On the other hand, alcohol will not be helpful, as it dehydrates your body instead, so definitely avoid that when hydrating.
Can't remember to drink water?
If this is your #1 issue that keeps you from staying hydrated, have no fear. Bring a water bottle with you throughout the day to always have easy access to drinking water. Some water bottles even have reminders to help you get an adequate amount of water every day, leaving no excuse to forget drinking! Another way to remind yourself to drink water is to drink one glass when you wake up, and one glass before you fall asleep. This can instill the habit of drinking water throughout your day.
And last but not least…
If you're looking for a hydration reboot, IV treatments can supplement your water intake and rehydrate you. While you still need to practice other forms of hydration, IV treatments are a fast and convenient way to get and stay hydrated. Plus, just like drinking water, you can receive treatment while in the comfort of your own home!
This article was originally published at iveeapp.com.
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