HOW TO REHYDRATE QUICKLY-min

HOW TO REHYDRATE QUICKLY

///

The optimum fluid level in the body is essential for your health. Too much fluid in the body can go a long way. And dehydration, which less fluid in the tissues, can cause severe health problems. It is thus important to stay hydrated at all times.

How can you do that healthily? Several activities can make you sweat heavily, such as high-intensity workouts, aerobics, or sauna session. It is important that you replace the fluid lost during these activities. Replacing the lost electrolytes and fluid may also help prevent dehydration from causing more damages, especially during diarrhea or after a heavy drinking. Read on to learn the clinical signs and symptoms of dehydration and how to curb it at home.

Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration

Water is the backbone for the proper function of cells, tissues, and organs in your body. Water performs several functions in the body. This includes lubricating joints, eliminating wastes, regulating body temperature, delivering nutrients, producing saliva, protecting and cushioning vital organs, and circulating blood, just to mention a few. It, therefore, requires you to keep yourself hydrated at all times, lest these processes lag behind. Dehydration is a physiological state that happens when the fluid you lose is more than the amount you take in. Common causes of dehydration include vomiting, sweating, diarrhea, and taking certain medications that stimulate the body to lose more fluid, such as diuretics. Certain groups of people are also more susceptible to dehydration than others. They include older adults, children, and people living with diabetes and kidney disease.

Dehydration commonly presents with signs and symptoms like dry skin, sunken eyes, increased thirst, dry lips, reduced urine output, slow return of skin on pinch, lethargy, dizziness, and headache. Checking the color of your urine may also help determine your hydration status. A dark urine is an indicator of dehydration. A pale urine means that you are properly hydrated. However, the color of urine may also change due to obvious reasons apart from hydration status. Your diet, certain medical conditions, and some medications may change your urine color. Studies suggest that urine color can only be used in some people like children and young adults to determine hydration status. This don’t apply to the older adults. Here are some ways to rehydrate yourself quickly.

Water

Drinking water is the popular and most affordable way of rehydrating and keeping yourself hydrated at all times. Water is not like most beverages as it is pure, lacking added sugars and calories. This means that you can drink water the entire day. Various factors, such as genetics, can make you lose more salt (sodium) through sweat than others. If you frequently get muscle cramps during workouts or your sweat irritates your eyes, you must be a ‘salty sweater’. If you think that you are a ‘salty sweater’, it will help to replenish both fluid and electrolytes lost via sweating, especially after a high-intensity workout in hot climates.

Coffee and Tea

You might think of both coffee and tea as transiently dehydrating. That is partly true because they contain caffeine, which is a stimulant and act as a diuretic, but only in excess amounts. That said, you can perfectly rehydrate by drinking moderate amounts of coffee and tea. They will also boost your energy levels significantly. You are likely to get dehydrated with higher doses of caffeine of about 250 mg to 30 mg, which is equivalent to two to three 240 ml cup of coffee or five to eight 240 ml cups of tea. Taking these beverages plain might be difficult to some people. It will help to add unsweetened almond milk to coffee. You can also try adding herbs and spices like nutmeg, lemongrass, or cinnamon to the tea.

Skim and Low Fat Milk

Milk is an excellent source of beneficial nutrients including protein. It also possesses great hydrating properties. Milk is highly concentrated in electrolytes, and for this reason it can restore the lost ones and balance water amounts in your body. Studies suggest that drinking low fat milk and skim may be as hydrating, especially after bouts of exercise in hot areas, as popular sports drinks. It will also provide protein, vitamins, and minerals. Protein in milk is of high quality having all the essential amino acids, including leucine, which is important for stimulating muscle synthesis, repair, and rebuilding. It is worth noting that taking milk after workouts may be accompanied by bloating and other stomach discomforts. Plus, it is not an ideal alternative of rehydration to those with lactose intolerance or allergic to milk protein.

Fruits and Vegetables

Another perfect tip of rehydrating quickly is by snacking with fruits and vegetables, which contain up to 80-99% water. They are better than most highly processed foods, which only contain about 1-9% water, such as crackers, cereals, chips, and cookies. Fruits and vegetables that are high in water include melons, grapes, berries, oranges, lettuce, spinach, carrots, and cabbage. You can prepare watermelon into cubes and put them in your fridge. This will make it easy to access them conveniently. You can also stock fruits and vegetables of different varieties. Before you lay your hands on the fresh fruits and vegetables, days or even weeks may have passed, making the nutrient content of these rehydrating options reduce through oxidation. The same goes for frozen fruits and vegetables, which are frozen for a very short time after harvesting.

Oral Hydration Solutions

Oral hydration solutions (ORS) are specially made to contain dehydration caused by vomiting or diarrhea. ORS can also help promote muscle recovery and prevent hangovers. They are usually loaded with key electrolytes such as sodium, chloride, and potassium. They also contain sugar in the form of dextrose. What’s more, some manufactures add zinc and prebiotics to some commercial ORS. You can make ORS at home by combining six teaspoons of sugar, one liter of water, and half a teaspoon of salt. If you have flavor enhancers, you may add to improve the taste.

Conclusion

Dehydration occurs when you lose more fluid than what you take in. Dry lips, dizziness, and headache are some of the signs and symptoms of dehydration. To keep yourself hydrated, drink water, low-fat milk, or eat fruits and vegetables.

Tatyana Dyachenko

For the past years, Tatyana has worked as a sex blogger and a relationship advisor. She has been featured in magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue. Vice, Tatler, Vanity Fair, and many others. Since 2016, Tatyana has focused on sexology, attended various training courses, participated in international conferences and congresses. “I wish people would address sexual issues in a timely manner! Forget shyness, prejudice and feel free to see a sex doctor for help or advice!” Tanya enjoys pursuing her flare for creativity through modelling, graffiti art, astronomy, and technology.

Latest from Health