Ah, glorious summertime. The days are longer and warmer, and you are probably busy swimming, hitting the outdoor trails, or playing sports with friends. However, with temperatures being extreme lately, it’s important to ensure you are drinking enough water throughout these sunny summer days to avoid dehydration.
Dehydration is a condition that occurs when someone loses more fluids than he or she takes in. When someone gets dehydrated, it means the amount of water in his or her body has dropped below the level needed for normal body function. Small decreases don’t cause problems, and in most cases, they go completely unnoticed. But losing larger amounts of water can sometimes make a person feel quite sick. Anyone may become dehydrated, but the condition is especially dangerous for young children and older adults.
“When you’re dehydrated, your body can show various kinds of distress that you might not instantly recognize as relating to low fluids. And repeatedly being under-hydrated causes stress to all of the body’s systems since they are designed to slow down or to stop functioning to divert resources to the kidneys when there’s not enough water to go around,” explains Lisa Sotir, MD, Chief of Emergency Medicine at MetroWest Medical Center.
According to Dr. Sotir, the easiest way to avoid dehydration is to drink lots of fluids, especially on hot, dry, windy days. Water is usually the best choice. Drinking water does not add calories to your diet and can be great for your health.
“The amount that people need to drink will depend on factors like how much water they’re getting from foods and other liquids and how much they’re sweating from physical exertion,” she says.
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of dehydration and taking quick action in the case of an emergency will give you a better chance at enjoying a healthy summer with family and friends.
To learn the signs of dehydration, visit here.
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