Hydration is essential for keeping your body healthy in the blazing summer heat. In order to evaluate if you’re drinking enough water, doctors recommend looking out for certain signs.
According to Dr. Phillip Davis, a former FDA physician who serves on ShineWater’s medical advisory board, “Your body needs to be properly hydrated to function at its best.” By preventing dehydration and maintaining proper hydration, it allows you to regulate your body’s temperature, prevent infection, deliver nutrients to cells, and even improve sleep quality.”
The difference between thirst and dehydration must first be understood. Dr. Alexa Mieses Malchuk, a family physician with the membership-based primary care practice One Medical, explains that being dehydrated is much more severe and does have some classic signs and symptoms.
She claims that these symptoms may include a dry mouth and cracked or dry lips, but they don’t end there.
Read also: The Inflation Reduction Act’s Impact After One Year
More Than Words
Although the phrases “thirsty” and “dehydrated” are sometimes used interchangeably, the latter is a real condition that can have negative effects. According to Davis, “the clinical condition of dehydration can happen if we don’t drink enough fluids or if our body is losing too much water.”
Numerous things, including insufficient water intake, high sweating, strenuous activity in hot temperatures, eating too much salt, and medical conditions like diabetes, can cause dehydration.
Dehydration is a major cause of heat exhaustion, a hazardous heat-related condition that can result in life-threatening heat stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC recommends drinking water even if you don’t feel thirsty.
CDC warns on its website that “by the time you feel thirsty, you are already behind in fluid replacement.” The government advises consuming 8 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes, or approximately a quart per hour, if you’re working outside in the heat.
Read also: Robotaxi Services Stall Streets, Raising Questions about Regulatory Approval
Source: cbs news
