DEHYDRATION SYMPTOMS & SOLUTIONS

Dehydration is no joke! If you live a lifestyle of consistently experiencing dehydration you should know that is not a sustainable lifestyle for wellness. Your body consists of approximately 60% water, so it’s safe to say, water is critical to many functions in our survival. Most importantly, water is the main building block to the life of every cell in your body. It lubricates joints, regulates body temperature, provides shock absorption for the brain and spinal cord, helps metabolize and transport food through the bloodstream, and flushes waste out of the system. Water is involved in every single aspect of your body systems. Generally, an adult male needs about 3.2 quarts of water every day to function properly and an adult female needs about 2.3 quarts per day. 

Often, people go to popular sports drinks in an attempt to prevent dehydration; however, these drinks have very high sugar content and processed minerals that have decreased nutritional value. It’s true, drinking enough fluids is essential for your body, but you need to drink healthy fluids that don’t have a negative impact on your body. 

The solution to dehydration is not simply to grab a sports drink. Instead, grab a healthy hydration drink with electrolytes that will cure your dehydration fast.

Questions We Will Discuss In This Article About Dehydration:

How can you tell when you're dehydrated?

What is the fastest way to cure dehydration?

What are the serious effects of dehydration?

How much water does it take to rehydrate?

How long does it take to rehydrate your body from dehydration?

What should I drink when dehydrated?

When should you go to the ER for dehydration?

SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES OF DEHYDRATION

WHAT IS DEHYDRATION?

In the simplest terms, dehydration is the lack of water/electrolytes that are needed in your body to maintain functionality. It's a metabolic/mineral imbalance that occurs when your water/electrolyte loss exceeds your water/electrolyte intake. Your body is always burning energy, whether you are laying down or playing sports. This is why a person can only last three days without water before their body begins to break down and eventually lead to death.

WHAT CAUSES DEHYDRATION?

The most common causes of dehydration are as simple as not drinking enough water, drinking too much RO/Filtered water that has no minerals or just feeling so sick you don't feel like eating or drinking. To be more accurate, it is electrolytes that your body needs, not just water. Electrolytes are minerals and most water you drink these days has been stripped of minerals. The water that has electrolytes is natural spring water.

Most people fall into these three categories and wind up with symptoms like headaches and cramps that remind them to “drink some water”. You will feel it when you are low on electrolytes.

Other Causes of Dehydration:

• Severe vomiting: This can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalance very quickly because large amounts of fluid are quickly leaving the body.
• A fever: The higher the temperature, the greater the risk of dehydration. This becomes most dangerous when a fever is present with vomiting and diarrhea.
• Excessive sweating: When doing vigorous activity in very hot weather, it is imperative to replace the fluids that you are losing through sweat.
• Frequent urination: This can be due to uncontrolled diabetes, certain medications such as blood pressure medications and diuretics.
• Alcohol consumption: Consuming alcoholic beverages increases water loss while simultaneously impairing your ability to recognize the early signs of dehydration.

You may be one of those people who claim to be so busy that you forget to drink water or maybe one of those who just grab a soda when you get thirsty. The problem is neither of these habits are sustainable for consistent healthy living. You are simply being reminded by thirst and pain that you need to drink something and grab whatever is available.

SYMPTOMS OF DEHYDRATION/ELECTROLYTE IMBALANCE

Early signs of dehydration include:

• thirst
• dry mouth
• dizziness
• lightheadedness
• infrequent urination
• dark urine
• lethargy

More severe symptoms of dehydration include:

• extreme thirst
• nausea
• fatigue
• poor sleep
• vomiting
• confusion
• Inability to concentrate
• headaches
• fast heart rate
• muscle cramping
• muscle weakness
• irregular heartbeat
• abdominal cramping
• numbness and tingling
• diarrhea or constipation

WHEN SHOULD YOU GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM

It’s important to know when to go to the ER for dehydration, especially to keep you and your kids safe. Although the dehydration symptoms listed above should be concerning, they are not always life-threatening. However, the following symptoms should be a clear indication of when to go to your nearest emergency room.

How can you tell if someone is dangerously dehydrated?

• When rehydration is not helping
• When there is excessive vomiting
• When there is fever of 103°F or higher
• When there is an extreme lack of tear, urine, and sweat production
• Loss of consciousness

If left untreated dehydration/electrolyte imbalance can cause the following:

• Decrease in blood pressure and reduced oxygen to the tissues, which can be life-threatening
• Seizure
• Coma
• Heat injuries - such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke
• Kidney problems - such as kidney stones, urinary tract infections and eventually kidney failure

If the signs of dehydration do not resolve after sufficient fluids have been given, it is crucial to seek medical advice. In instances of severe dehydration, an intravenous drip of salt and fluids given at the hospital will act quickly to restore hydration in the body.

DEHYDRATION SOLUTIONS

TREATMENT FOR DEHYDRATION

The only effective method for treating dehydration is to replace the fluids and electrolytes that have been lost. For older adults drinking an oral rehydration solution is useful as well as the intake of additional fluids. Fruit juices should be avoided for those experiencing diarrhea, as fruit juices can make diarrhea worse.

What is the fastest way to cure dehydration?

Get a healthy electrolyte drink into your system as soon as possible and drink it gradually. If you can't get an electrolyte drink, then drink spring water. 

For infants and children oral rehydration solution is recommended, starting with a teaspoon every five minutes and increasing the amount from there.

How long does it take to rehydrate your body from dehydration?

It depends on a various of factors, including how dehydrated you are, size and age, and if you have stopped exerting yourself. It usually takes around one to two hours for your body to rehydrate fully after gradually drinking electrolyte fluids.

PREVENTING DEHYDRATION

Of course, the best treatment for dehydration is to avoid becoming dehydrated in the first place. Waiting until you are thirsty to rehydrate is a sign that you are already way behind on your fluid intake for the day. You must know how important it is to stay hydrated on a day-to-day basis. Put into practice measures to keep hydrated, like keeping a water bottle with you at all times filled with a healthy electrolyte drink.

People often don't drink enough water because they don't like the way it tastes, or they just get busy and don't realize that they aren't drinking enough water or fluids throughout the day. Find something healthy that you like and sip on it throughout the day, instead of chugging large amounts at a time when you’re thirsty.

Sports drinks that are loaded with sugar are not the answer as they provide too much sugar and not enough electrolytes to keep your body in balance. Good quality drinks that have unprocessed minerals and electrolytes are the way to not become dehydrated from the start.

SUPPLEMENT WATER WITH ELECTROLYTES

To really give your water a boost, you can supplement plain, filtered water with a high-quality electrolyte powder mix. HYDRATE is a perfect choice because it has ingredients that truly enhance your water and tastes good. It includes:

• Organic Lemon Juice - for a fresh, natural flavor
• Organic Coconut Water - for increased hydration and potassium
• Organic Stevia - for a touch of sweetness
• Magnesium Sea Minerals - for electrolytes and other trace minerals to improve memory, sleep and mental clarity (perfect for new moms!)
• Himalayan Pink Salt - includes over 80 trace minerals and helps to balances hormones
• Ascorbic Acid - for antioxidants

A FINAL WORD

Preventing dehydration is really about creating a hydration habit where you drink throughout the day instead of waiting until you are thirsty and then chugging down a huge amount of water at one time, which is not healthy.

When you are sweating heavily, and you notice chalky rings on your clothing, this is a sign that you are losing salt. When hydrating, be sure to get enough electrolytes as well as enough fluids to maintain a healthy balance of fluids and electrolytes.

Drinking too much water can be about as dangerous as becoming dehydrated. Too much water can lead to water intoxication, which means salt and electrolytes in the body become diluted. This can lead to dangerously low levels of sodium called Hyponatremia.