Warning Signs of Dehydration
Up to 75% of our bodies are made up of fluids. If our bodies lose more fluid than what we take in, we will become dehydrated. Our bodies lose water in the following ways:
Water vapor is exhaled with breathing
Urine and stool
Sweating
Through damaged skin
Causes of Dehydration
Our risk of becoming dehydrated increases by the following conditions:
Diabetes
Fever
Heat exposure
Too much exercise
Vomiting and diarrhea
No access to water or clean water
Impaired ability to drink, like patients in a coma
Significant injuries to the skin
Young children and the elderly are more at risk of becoming dehydrated.
Prevention of Dehydration
As always, prevention is better than a cure. Follow these precautions to avoid getting dehydrated:
Make water your beverage of choice. Caffeinated drinks, alcohol, sports and sugary drinks (i.e., fruit juice, coconut water, and soda) are dehydrating and full of sugar. They actually make you thirstier but do not hydrate your cells.
Have warm water with lemon and herbal teas to satisfy your thirst. The heat will optimize the delivery of water to all of your cells.
Set mental triggers for yourself. Keep a container of water by your side as much as possible so that you can drink whenever you have “idle” time.
Make drinking water part of your daily routine. For example, drink 1 to 2 glasses of warm water upon awakening. Between meals (not during meals) sip on warm water throughout the day. Have water after each bathroom break, and after you’ve brushed your teeth. Associating certain activities with drinking water will help make drinking water a part of your daily routine.
Set a timer on your phone to alert you every time you need to drink a glass of water or install an app on your phone to remind you and track your drinking habits.
Have a personalized water bottle (ideally metal and NOT PLASTIC). Mark your water bottle with time-orientated goals using a permanent marker or piece of tape. Note how much you want to drink by a certain time. You’ll keep on schedule when the evidence of your progress stares you in the face. Making a competition out of drinking water with a friend can help you reach your goals faster.
Whenever you feel hungry, grab a drink of water first before you eat. Our brains often give off a signal that we’re hungry, when in fact we’re actually thirsty.
Eat water-rich foods. For example, watermelon consists of 92% water, zucchini 95%, cucumber 96%, and grapefruit 91%.
Flavor your water to make it easier to drink – but not with sugar! Here are some flavoring ideas:
Fruits: Lemon or orange.
Veggies: Cucumber, ginger, or celery.
Herbs: Basil, mint, lavender, lemongrass, or parsley.
Crush the ingredients before adding to the water. You can also freeze with water in ice cube trays and add a cube or two to your water.
Drink extra water and beverages with electrolytes when you exercise or do outdoor activities that increase sweating, especially on hot days.
Avoid physical activities outdoors on high-heat days if possible.
Avoid alcohol on extremely warm days. Alcohol increases our water loss and also impairs our ability to sense the signs of dehydration.
Wear light-colored and loose-fitting clothes when spending the day outside.
Seek air conditioned and shaded areas to protect from the heat.
Symptoms of Dehydration in Adults
Look out for these symptoms and signs:
Increased thirst
Dry mouth and swollen tongue
Weakness
Heart palpitations
Confusion
Inability to sweat
Headaches
Dizziness or passing out
Muscle cramps
Dark yellow colored urine
Treatment of Dehydration in Adults
Treat dehydration as soon as you see the signs with these methods:
Drink water. Sip small amounts of water every few minutes. Add a pinch of honey and lemon (alternative is “Emergency” Vitamin C powder) and a pinch of salt to accelerate hydration.
If you are nauseous or having a headache due to moderate dehydration, stick to having warm liquids like rice or barley water and soups every 15 minutes. Just put 1 cup rice or barley in 4 cups water and bring to a boil. After simmering for 20 minutes, strain the milky water and drink this water throughout the day.
In the case of being overheated with an elevated body temperature, make sure you cool yourself down. Remove excess clothes and move into cooler areas. Take a refreshing shower or place a wet towel on your head, neck, wrists, and ankles to cool down. Don’t use ice or water that’s too cold since they will only cause your body temperature to continue rising.
If your body temperature rises above 104˚F, go to your doctor, the nearest emergency room, or call 911 for help. You may need to receive an intravenous fluids.
Dehydration in Seniors
Almost 200 people die every summer in America from health problems caused by heat. Most of these people are 50 years or older. As we age, our bodies become more sensitive to heat due to high blood pressure, poor blood circulation, as well as medication side effects.
Signs, Treatment, and Prevention of Dehydration in Seniors
Follow the same pointers as you would for any other adult, but take extra care because the older we get, the longer it takes for our bodies to tell us that we’re thirsty:
Make sure you drink your 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. Drink more if you are spending time outside when it’s hot.
If you’re looking after a senior, whether as a family member or caregiver, make sure they drink enough water. On hot days make sure the senior is staying in cool areas, such as in the shade or air conditioned areas. Check on them multiple times per day.
Always check whether medications have any side effects that will make you or a senior in your care more sensitive to heat. Take precautions to compensate for these side effects if necessary.
Install an air conditioner in your house to keep you cool, if possible. Seniors with limited income can contact the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for help in covering costs of installing air conditioning units and utility bills. If this is not an option, spend some time in public places (ie., public library) with air conditioning during the warmest times of the day.
Dehydration in Kids
Millions of children worldwide die of dehydration, mostly because of diarrhea. Mild to moderate dehydration can happen very easily and quickly in children, especially through diarrhea and vomiting. The sweat mechanisms and temperature regulation in infants are not well developed, increasing their risk of dehydration.
In developing countries, millions of children get sick each year from contaminated water. These children don't always have access to basic health care and parents don't always know that dehydration can kill their children. In many cases, children will keep on drinking the contaminated water which gave them the diarrhea in the first place as they have no other option, starting a vicious cycle.
In developed countries we are fortunate enough to have access to clean drinking water, which makes it easier to prevent and treat dehydration.
Signs of Dehydration in Kids
Your children are dependent on you to look out for them. They may not realize when they’re suffering from dehydration, or they’re too small to tell you something is wrong. Watch out for these signs:
Not drinking or eating enough
Looking tired and too weak to cry
Dry mouth and eyes
Unnaturally cranky and irritable
Dark yellow urine or decreased urine
Vomiting more than once
Treatment of Dehydration in Kids
If you start to see the signs of dehydration in your child, call your child’s pediatrician for guidance. Generally, these treatments will help:
For infants under one year old: If you breastfeed, do so more often. If you bottle feed and they vomit more than once, give smaller amounts more often. If they eat solid foods, include cereal and a strained banana in their food for more fluids. Give infants an electrolyte solution designed for infants, as water will create an imbalance in their electrolytes.
For children older than one year: Give them extra fluids more often, especially if they vomit or have diarrhea. Give them primarily liquids like clear soup but avoid processed foods (i.e., cereals), dairy products, and refined sugar since they will accelerate the dehydration.
Dehydration in Dogs
Dogs are often taken out for walks during summer and are therefore more at risk of getting dehydrated than other pets.
Causes of Dehydration in Dogs
The following can cause dehydration in dogs:
Vomiting and diarrhea
Illness and fever
Heat stroke
Drinking too little fluids
Signs of Dehydration in Dogs
Like kids, dogs can’t tell you when they’re dehydrated. Look out for these signs to spot dehydration:
Loss of elasticity in the skin. Pull the skin lightly; if it doesn’t come back into its original place it has lost elasticity.
Loss of appetite.
Dry mouth.
Gums losing moistness and become dry and sticky, while saliva becomes thick.
In cases of extreme dehydration, their eyes will sink in and they may collapse with shock.
Treatment of Dehydration in Dogs
If you start to see the signs of dehydration in your dog, you can treat it as follows:
Give the dog an electrolyte solution such as Ringer’s lactate. Contact your vet for the recommended dosage.
If dehydration is severe, seek medical attention immediately. Your vet might need to give him an IV.
AUTHOR
Dr. Payal Bhandari M.D. is one of U.S.'s top leading integrative functional medical physicians and the founder of SF Advanced Health. She combines the best in Eastern and Western Medicine to understand the root causes of diseases and provide patients with personalized treatment plans that quickly deliver effective results. Dr. Bhandari specializes in cell function to understand how the whole body works. Dr. Bhandari received her Bachelor of Arts degree in biology in 1997 and Doctor of Medicine degree in 2001 from West Virginia University. She the completed her Family Medicine residency in 2004 from the University of Massachusetts and joined a family medicine practice in 2005 which was eventually nationally recognized as San Francisco’s 1st patient-centered medical home. To learn more, go to www.sfadvancedhealth.com.