Your Body’s Silent Cries for More Water

Posted by: Tampa Cardio

On: August 24, 2020

dehydration tampa cardio

You may think “But, I’m not thirsty”

The truth is, by the time you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

Drinking enough water is a great way to make sure your body performs the way it should. Neglecting to do so can result in problems for every organ in the body. This is especially an issue here in Florida in the summer. It is hot out and you are sweating even if you aren’t exerting yourself very much.

Dehydration occurs when you lose more water than your body is taking in. If you don’t replace the water, you end up in a negative water state. It is most common among older adults and children but can occur at any age.

Mild forms of dehydration can be self-cured by drinking more water and beverages that have electrolytes in them (sodium, magnesium and potassium).  If it gets to the point of severe dehydration fluid is needed quickly and will require an IV to infuse missing moisture directly into the body as fast and safely as possible.

Signs you may be dehydrated include:

Children and Adults

  • Dry mouth and tongue
  • No tears when crying
  • No wet diapers for three hours (babies)
  • Sunken eyes, cheeks
  • Sunken soft spot on top of skull (babies)
  • Listlessness or irritability
  • Darkened urine
  • Extreme thirst
  • Less frequent urination
  • Dark-colored urine
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Confusion

Visit the doctor, emergency clinic, or ER immediately if you have diarrhea for 24 hours, can’t keep even water down, have black or blood colored stool, or are disoriented and unusually sleepy.

 

Tips to Stay Hydrated:

During strenuous exercise make sure to drink liquid all the way though your workout as well as before and after.

Avoid drinks with caffeine and energy drinks

In humid weather you need extra water intake to make up for what you sweat out

If you have a cold or flu, you may not feel like eating or drinking. Make sure you do it anyway.

Should you experience vomiting or diarrhea, make sure you keep putting fluids in. Do not wait for dehydration to occur.

How much water should I drink?

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is: About 15.5 cups of fluids for men. About 11.5 cups of fluids a day for women.

This has been a mid-summer tip to help keep your heart healthy from the experts at Tampa Cardiovascular Associates. www.tampacardio.com 813-975-2800.

Posted by: Tampa Cardio

On: 24/08/2020

Leave a Reply