Dehydration can be serious. When you lose more fluid than you take in, the body ceases to get proper nutrition and oxygen to the tissues. Having adequate fluid levels in the body regulates temperature through sweating, maintain blood pressure, and helps eliminate waste.
Issues That Can Occur
Dehydration can show up with many signs including confusion, dizziness, headaches, dry mouth, weakness, constipation, increased fall risk, and cramping in the limbs, leading to shock, just to name a few.
Reasons
- Medications: Some medications cause the body to sweat more or sweat less. Also, changes the ability of the body to regulate body temperature.
- Decreased Thirst: Sense of thirst decreases.
- Body Temperature: Less likely to sense and respond to changes in temperature.
- Decreased kidney function: The kidney’s ability to remove toxins from the blood progressively declines with age. This means the kidneys are not as efficient in concentrating urine with less water, and less able to conserve fluid.
- Illness: Vomiting and diarrhea are major dehydrators.
- Ability: Ability to walk, hold a glass, open a bottle, lead to reasons not to drink.
How Much Fluid Do I Need
It is hard to say how much fluid each individual should consume daily, because there are many variables to consider, such as weight, activity level, and types of foods consumed. As for diet, if many fruits and vegetables and water-based soups are consumed, it will help with hydration levels. As well as how much fluid is consumed daily.
Prevention
Make sure an adequate amount of fluids are consumed during the day; eat healthy foods with a high water content; check that urine color is light and output adequate. Also, drink with every meal and in between meals. Drink extra during heavy activity. Consuming more fluids leads to less constipation, fewer falls, and feeling better overall!
Tracking the amount of fluids and fluid rich foods you intake is the most beneficial, and will keep you feeling great each and every day!
Stay happy and healthy and confident always! – Meredith