Its hot right now – Temperature is nearing 3 digits! Let’s talk about Dehydration
At my house, there is no air conditioning. We keep the windows open. We eat outside on the deck. We wet our heads with cool washcloths. We have water gun “fights”. Sometimes, we sleep in the basement.
Fortunately, heatwaves in PNW are usually not terribly long and the evenings cool enough.
But what about during the day? If you’re like us, there’s often work to be done around the house and yard. It’s rare to take a day off because of the heat. So, how do we deal? How do we know when we are getting dehydrated or heat stroke?
Most people know to drink extra water when it’s hot.
How much water depends on our activity levels, weight, and general health. Children, pregnant women, people with chronic illness or on certain medications and the elderly are more prone to dehydration and can’t tolerate long periods in the sun.
A good rule of thumb is to drink about 8 ounces every 15-20 minutes when you are outside and active when it’s hot. That’s roughly ¾- 1 quart/liter of water in an hour. Drinking frequently throughout the day is better than drinking a lot of water at once.
Certain foods have high water content and are hydrating. These include cucumbers, watermelon, green salads, tomatoes and a lot of juicy fruits are hydrating.
Soda pop, sweetened tea, energy drinks, coffee, beer, and other alcoholic beverages do not count. They DO NOT hydrate your body. Diluted juice without added sugar is ok, teas are good. But the best thing to drink to hydrate is water. Electrolyte drinks and coconut water are good but a lot of them are full of sugar so mix it up with plain water. If you don’t like water, squeeze a lemon in it or add some mint.
Signs of dehydration are headaches, fever, dark and decreased quantity of urine, sweat, dry mouth, lack of tears, dizziness. Muscle cramps and twitches are another sign. You can pinch the back of your hand and if it tents up, then you probably need water. If you are stuck and start having signs noted above, you make your own electrolyte drink by adding a splash of juice and a pinch of salt to your water.
Regardless of the temperature outside, 8-10 glasses of water are usually enough for most people on a daily basis. If you have been traveling by plane or sick with diarrhea and vomiting, or you are a big sweater, more is likely needed.
Bieler broth is an old recipe that is used for rehydration. It is made with zucchini, string beans, celery, chopped parsley, flat-leaf or curly, and water. Cook all of these together until soft and puree. Add sea salt to taste. It is rich in electrolytes and easy to digest.
Remember, summer in the Northwest is glorious, but can be surprisingly hot. So, buy yourself a refillable water bottle and carry it with you when you head out.
Dr. Jennifer Means welcomes you for Primary Care for the whole family: Nutrition, IV Therapy, Naturopathy, and Acupuncture. Contact us at 503-641-6400.
