Drink Up to Beat the Heat

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How do you prevent dehydration and stay cool when it’s hot out? How much and what do you need to drink and eat in order to stay hydrated? Dehydration means that you’re not taking in enough water from fluids and food in order to keep the body at the proper temperature and to allow it to perform its many functions. What are the signs of dehydration? When your body is dehydrated you will:

1. be noticeably thirsty
2. be fatigued
3. likely have a headache
4. feel lightheaded or dizzy
5. have difficulty paying attention
6. experience decreased performance
7. have muscle cramps

Here’s an easy tip to tell if you’re hydrated or dehydrated:
Check the color of your urine. Yes, you read that correctly. Take a look at your urine and see what color it is. Does the color of your urine look light or clear, similar to lemonade? If so, you are hydrated. Does your urine look dark like the color of apple juice? If you tell me yes, you need more water.

When you’re active, whether you work outside, exercise outdoors or are in your garden putting around, do NOT rely on your thirst to prevent dehydration. When you’re sweating and hot, your thirst mechanism can ‘shut off’ and trick your body into thinking that you’re not thirsty. This puts you at risk to become dehydrated. It’s important to continually drink fluids whether you’re thirsty or not.

How much water do you need each day? You’re probably thinking eight glasses, right? For years we’ve been told to drink eight glasses of water every day. The Institute of Medicine has released updated numbers. Guys, you need about one gallon of water per day or roughly 128 ounces which is about 16-eight ounce glasses. Ladies, you need about three quarters of a gallon of water or around 96 ounces per day which translates to 12-eight ounce glasses. Wait a minute, isn’t that double what we thought? Yes and no.

Yes, these numbers are higher but no as 128 ounces for men and 96 ounces for women is the water total from all fluid sources and food. So this includes the water in coffee, tea, milk, fruit and vegetables juices as well as fruit and vegetables themselves, many of which contain a high percentage of water.

For example, did you know that watermelon is about 90% water? Pineapple and peaches contain about 85% water. Cherries, lettuce, cucumber and spinach all have a high water content. If you eat a lot of fruit and veggies, it’s much easier to get the water that your body needs.

Adequate water from both fluids and food is critical to keep you hydrated. Keep a water bottle with you filled with your fluid of choice and drink all summer long.