Dehydration is a common problem, especially among children and the elderly, that occurs mostly during summer. It is a condition that occurs when the amount of fluid lost from the body is more than one’s water intake. There are a number of factors responsible for dehydration like sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea, but it could also be due to insensible losses of water as vapor in summer. Therefore you need to stay hydrated. It is usually accompanied by a deficiency of electrolytes.
Dehydration can be crippling and detrimental to the health of most people but could be deadly in the elderly and children due to their inability to communicate and act on their thirst. Some signs of dehydration are thirst, dark color urine, listlessness, fatigue, dry skin and tongue, and headache.
Some effective natural ways to prevent dehydration this summer:
Drink plenty of water
Good health practice is to drink plain water at regular intervals even when you are not thirsty. The requirement for water may be different from person to person. Some general recommended rules are around 8 to 10 glasses a day or around 33 times your body weight in kgs.
The calculation is body weight in kg x 33 = _______ ml of water/day.
Eg. 50kg x 33= 1650 ml of water/day = 1.6 lt of water /day.
Eat more hydrating fruits and vegetables
It is important to minimize the intake of dried fruits and increase the intake of hydrating fresh fruits and vegetables to keep your body cool for a long. Summer hydrating fruits and vegetables are oranges, watermelon, strawberries, grapes, pineapple, cucumber, tomatoes, and mangoes.
Fruit juice & coconut water
If you opt for juice instead of whole fruit, homemade slow-pressed fruit and vegetable juices are recommended. They have no additives and retain all the essential nutrients in the fruit. Coconut Water is an excellent source of water to help correct electrolyte imbalance and to keep your body hydrated.
Salads
Salads are a great way to start your meals in summer. They are quick to prepare and healthy. Remember the more the number of fresh vegetables in the diet, the healthier you will be in summer.
Curd
Curd is a great summer food as it has cooling properties. Raita, lassi, shrikhand, chass, etc are the different forms of the curd. Eating curd is the best way to stay hydrated during summer.
Sabja Seeds
Sabja seeds also known as basil seeds help to beat the summer heat, keeping the body cool. They are used to make a faluda but you can add them to any juice and experience a cooling effect on the body. They also contain fiber, essential amino acids, and omega-3 fatty acids. It is the best source to stay hydrated this summer.