Summer can be so fun! Bright sunny days, warm temperatures, festivals, vacations, long hours of daylight…
Summer can also be hot! During the summer it is even more important to drink plenty of water. So, how much is enough?
When we don’t drink enough water, we become dehydrated. When it is hot, and we sweat, it is even easier to be dehydrated.
What about age? As we age, our total body water decreases. (Check out your skin lines and wrinkles,). So, it is even more easy to be dehydrated.
When you are dehydrated you can feel dizzy, especially when standing or quickly turning. You can also have a headache, feel extra tired, and feel like your heart is pounding or beating differently. With decreased water in your body, you can become constipated and can find you urinate less.
If you take diuretics (water pills), your risk of dehydration goes up.
If you have incontinence (trouble holding your urine), do you tend to avoid drinking when you are going to be somewhere without easy bathroom access? This can make it easier to be dehydrated, too.
Note, one technique that often helps with incontinence is to empty your bladder on a scheduled basis. Rather than drink less, schedule bathroom stops every 2-3 hours rather than waiting for the urge to urinate.
When you are going to be out in the heat, don’t forget to drink water. The hotter and more you sweat, the more important that you drink as you get thirsty. Dehydration can make it easier to fall and keep you from feeling good.
If you would like to learn more, please contact us at www.medsmash.com.
Biblical Application
Thirst is mentioned at least 42 times in the Bible. The term is often used to represent our longing for God. Jesus said He could quench thirst.
Small doses of the ‘water’ He offers are not sufficient. To be thoroughly quenched, full commitment is the best dose. Think of full glasses of water vs drops. Regular time in the Word vs hearing verses on Sunday. Daily, or even many times per day, time in prayer. Regular time in praise.
John 4:14 ESV
“But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 7:37 ESV
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”
Isaiah 44:3 ESV
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.
I’m praying we all find the living water than can truly quench our thirst.
Blessings,
Michelle
yourhealthandsoul 
Good article! Many of my senior friends don’t like to drink water. They think drinking coffee or tea replaces the need for water. I doubt that is true since both contain caffeine. Doesn’t caffeine dehydrate you?
Also, I drink plenty of water and once in a while, I drink Pediatric Electrolyte. I feel that help to keep me from dehydration. Is that a good idea?
Pat
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Pat,
Those are great questions. Water is a great choice because it hydrates with no extra calories, carbohydrates, or negative effects, as long as you are drinking to satisfy thirst. (It is possible to over hydrate with water or other beverages when drinking large quantities). Caffeinated beverages pull some of the water they supply back out of the body. So, you’re right, they do not hydrate as well as water. Other good options are sport drinks, especially if someone has been exercising a lot or vomiting,and fluid-filled foods such as watermelon, cantaloup, iceberg lettuce, strawberries, spinach, broccoli, or cauliflower. Your pediatric electrolyte drink can be especially helpful if you’re dehydrated from vomiting or diarrhea. If you take diuretics (medicine to pull off fluid) or blood pressure medicine (especially certain kinds that impact the angiotensin system), be sure to discuss this use of the electrolyte solution with your doctor. Your doctor will want to know so your potassium can be monitored.
Michelle
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