++ The "dog days" of summer are here. In many parts of the USA, this summer has been, and continues to be, hotter than usual. What have you been hearing about staying properly hydrated? Why is it important?
Dehydration coupled with hot weather (or worse, hot, humid weather) can easily lead to heat exhaustion (dizziness, nausea, headache). Cooling off promptly is essential, and so is proper hydration. The next step is heat stroke, which can be fatal (little perspiration, confusion or loss of consciousness - move the victim to shade and get medical help at once).
Under most circumstances, drinking enough water will take care of the hydration. Thirst, however, is not always a reliable indicator of when a person needs to drink more water. It is too easy to disregard. Not only that, but the sense of thirst is often disrupted in children, the elderly, and people with a variety of medical conditions. The amount of water needed depends on a person's size, adaption to hot weather, and amount of perspiration produced.
Water intoxication is a condition that is frequently misunderstood. This happens when a person is losing electrolytes (certain minerals) from the body, as well as water; but, replacing only the water. It is uncommon in healthy adults. It can happen much more easily in infants, young children, and those with certain medical conditions. Pregnant women and the elderly should be on the look-out for this, too. Most of us consume enough salt to compensate for this. Those who don't, benefit from rehydration solutions, which are generally safer than self-prescribing salt tablets. One common type of rehydration solution is sports electrolyte drinks - Gatorade is one brand name of these, but many people use that name to refer to the whole class of drinks. These drinks can be over-used, in which case they are little more than salty soft drinks.
"Energy drinks" containing caffeine, and other sources of caffeine, can be counter-productive because the caffeine can trigger more urine production. Alcohol also triggers more urine production, which in turn, leads to more fluid and electrolyte loss. Juice and soft drinks are safer is this regard, but the high sugar levels can also cause your internal thirst monitor to malfunction - not to mention the extra calories!
Play it safe in hot weather - drink more water.
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