Get Your Feet Wet : HYDRATION and Preventing Dehydration

The short of hydration (and avoiding dehydration) is your body needs water to work and to keep you alive.  There are many different 'calculators' available for reaching the amount of water you need to stay hydrated but proper dehydration depends on a person's age, body weight, activity level, altitude, climate and temperature, the amount of alcohol they consume and whether or not they are ill, pregnant, or nursing.  We feel knowing what to watch for will be more useful to you in an emergency than your calculated percentage of dehydration.  


LOOK TO THE WEE
Dark yellow urine first thing in the morning is normal because it is concentrated on account of you going several hours without anything to drink.  As you go about the day you are properly hydrated if your urine is clear to light yellow.  The darker the urine the more water you need.  Certain vegetables and fruits can change the color or smell of your urine, so keep in mind the other symptoms of dehydration.  


A few of the SYMPTOMS of dehydration:
Though we look to many sources to establish the facts, this information should not be used during a medical emergency to diagnose or treat a condition.  Please contact a licensed physician with any and all symptoms for proper care or call 911 if you suspect dehydration in a child.  This information is intended to introduce you to some of the symptoms of dehydration to help you spot them quickly and seek proper medical attention.  Generally the symptoms below become worse as dehydration progresses, but symptoms and the severity of dehydration may vary from person to person. 

• Increased thirst to extreme thirst
• Cravings for sugar and/or salt to loss of appetite
• Dry mouth/dry tongue, sticky mouth/sticky saliva, dry lips
• Redness in the cheeks
• You urinate less/less often and/or it is darker.  Dark amber/brown urine, or little to none in 12+ hours is cause for concern. 
• Constipation
• Irritability
• Headache
• Dizziness/light-headedness 
• Nausea or vomiting
• No tears
• Skin is cool to the touch to cold and clammy, or hot and dry
• Chills
• Rapid breathing, heartbeat, or pulse
• Cramps
• Weakness or the inability to stand or walk
• Confusion
• Decreased energy or abnormal drowsiness to loss of consciousness
• Rapid weight loss
• Seizures

PREVENT DEHYDRATION
Never ration water.  Drink the amount you need today and try to find more for tomorrow.  If water is available and you are showing any symptom(s) of dehydration, even if you have had the 'assigned' amount of water to drink for the day, drink the amount you need to stay healthy today.


Give a person showing a symptom/symptoms of dehydration give them more water to drink - in small amounts - regularly.  Our bodies need time to absorb the water we drink.  If more water does not seem to help you should seek medical attention immediately.


In hot or humid weather you will need to drink more water to lower your body temperature and replace what you lost through sweating.  Stay cool, do your best to avoid being outside during the hottest hours of the day, and keep your activity level low.