Severe dehydration – when your body loses more fluids than it takes in for an extended period of time – can be life threatening.
This is especially true with adults who are on various medications (as always, check with your medical provider) such as diuretics, those with kidney disease or hyperglycemia, older adults as well as children and pregnant women, and simply those who are out in hot weather for a long period of time. Those who work like this, construction workers, highway workers, or anyone who does gardening or landscaping suffer from dehydration often.
It can cause you to hallucinate, to have diarrhea (thereby losing even more fluids), to pass out, and can even be fatal if left untreated. Dehydration is also a risk factor for kidney stones and urinary tract infections.
Dehydration is often accompanied by an imbalance of chloride, potassium, sodium, and other electrolytes, which are often included in drinks such as Gatorade, Powerade, Pedialyte, and similar products. Be aware, however, that these products often also include sugars, and the low- or no-calorie drinks have artificial sweeteners. The loss of electrolytes by itself can cause an irregular heart rate, cramps, dizziness, fatigue, seizures, and convulsions, among other symptoms.
One study from 2013 () states that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Seventy-five percent! Think back: when was the last time you had a glass of water? If it wasn’t today, you too may be at risk. ” target=”_blank”>One study from 2013 states that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Seventy-five percent! Think back: when was the last time you had a glass of water? If it wasn’t today, you too may be at risk.
We’ve made it easy to combat dehydration with an all-in-one dehydration first aid kit. Stock up and prevent the symptoms of dehydration from affecting you.
It’s one of the easiest health problems to fix. How to treat dehydration: drink water! Add electrolytes! Cool down!
If you simply can’t abide water, go for products that are high in water content: watermelon, spinach, cucumbers, celery, radishes, grapefruit, cantaloupe, and strawberries. Avoid really salty foods, which tend to make you even more dehydrated. Soda won’t dehydrate you, but it won’t hydrate you as well as water either.
So the next time you go outside in this hot, hot weather, make sure you drink something before, during, and after – and stock up on our hydration first aid kits to prepare for future instances.