- 1. Drink 1.5 L to 2 L of water per day
- 2. Avoid the hottest hours
- 3. Have water nearby during exercise
- 4. Take home-made serum when you have diarrhea
- 5. Eat water-rich foods
- 6. Avoid drinks that cause dehydration
Dehydration happens when there is an insufficient amount of water in the body, which ends up impairing the functioning of the whole body and can be life-threatening, especially in children and the elderly.
Although dehydration is not a very common problem, it can easily happen, especially when there is more water loss than what is ingested. The chances of this happening are greater in people who are taking medicines to urinate, who live in a very hot place or who are experiencing a vomiting crisis and diarrhea, for example.
However, it is relatively easy to avoid a dehydration situation by simply following some of these steps:
1. Drink 1.5 L to 2 L of water per day
This is the best way to avoid dehydration, as it guarantees an adequate intake of water, preventing it from being lacking in the body. However, and although the average recommended amount is 1.5 to 2 liters, it is important to adjust this amount, being that during the summer or during periods when there is a diarrhea crisis, for example, it is important that it be greater.
This habit should be encouraged with greater persistence in the elderly, since it is common that they do not feel thirsty, ending up spending several hours without drinking water. The water can also be exchanged for teas or natural juices.
The best way to know if you are drinking the right amount of water is to observe the color of the pee. Ideally, the urine should be a light yellow color, so if it is too dark, it means that you need to increase the amount of water ingested during the day. See how to know how much water to drink a day.
2. Avoid the hottest hours
Although the sun has several health benefits, it can also cause many complications, especially when there is no safe sun exposure. One of the most frequent consequences is dehydration. This is because in the sun the body needs to produce sweat to cool down, so there is a great loss of water through the pores.
To avoid this, it is advisable to avoid being in the sun during the hottest hours, that is, between 11 am and 4 pm, approximately. In addition, suitable and breathable clothing must be worn, which must be cotton and light in color.
3. Have water nearby during exercise
Physical activity is another situation in which there is a great loss of water, since there is an increase in body metabolism and the consequent production of sweat. Thus, in addition to drinking 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day, it is also important to drink 1 liter of extra water for each hour of exercise.
4. Take home-made serum when you have diarrhea
Diarrhea is another of the most common situations that lead to the onset of dehydration because, when that happens, it is very important to increase the amount of water that is ingested. However, in addition to water it is also very important to ingest minerals, which are lost with feces.
For this reason, whenever you have diarrhea it is important to take homemade serum, or a rehydration solution that can be purchased at the pharmacy, in the same amount of feces that is eliminated. See how to prepare homemade serum at home.
5. Eat water-rich foods
This is the ideal tip for those who cannot drink water during the day, as it allows the intake of water through food. To do this, just invest more in water-rich foods, such as watermelon, melon, cauliflower, carrot or tomato, for example.
However, the ideal is to eat these raw foods, in salads and juices, or in soups, since cooking them removes most of the water. If you have difficulty drinking water, check out more tips:
6. Avoid drinks that cause dehydration
Not all drinks bring health benefits and some may even facilitate a situation of dehydration. Coffee, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages are some examples. The ideal is to always give preference to filtered water, natural juices or teas, for example.
