Dehydration

dehydration

Dehydration is caused by our body losing more fluids that we are putting in. Some people think that any fluids will do but I disagree, drinks such as tea, coffee and alcohol can be dehydrating and therefore not help with the overall outcome.

Dehydration can cause us to have headaches, constipation, weakness, fatigue, dry mouth and lips, dizziness, dry or flushed skin and muscle cramps. The body needs water to be able to carry out many of its functions:

If you want to eat, give your body the water that is needed in order to digest food. If you want to exercise and sweat, give your body the water that it has to shed in sweat, and so on. 

You can do this by maintaining an adequate fluid intake and eating foods that are naturally high in water content, such as vegetables and fruits, and generally avoiding foods with a high salt content. This includes fried foods and processed foods filled with preservatives. 

It is suggested that women drink 2.7 litres of water in a day and men should have 3.7 litres.  

Check your urine. When well-hydrated your urine will be mostly clear with a tinge of yellow. When your body is about three percent dehydrated your urine will be noticeably yellow. When your body is more than five percent dehydrated – which is considered severely dehydrated – your urine will appear orange.

Tip. If you forget to drink during the day start with a large pitcher of filtered water when you wake, you will be half way there already!