Most of us are aware of the need to drink adequate water each and every day. We know we should drink a minimum of eight 8oz glasses of water daily. But sometimes we forget and need to be reminded of the importance of hydration to our health. Our grandchildren are being raised with the concept of promoting water consumption by keeping a water bottle with them most of the time, but the concept isn’t as prevalent among seniors.
Did you know that half of your body weight is made up of water? Every part of your body, each cell and organ depend on adequate water supplies to do their jobs. They can’t function without it. Hydration is necessary to regulate our temperatures, remove waste from our bodies and to lubricate joints.
We lose water through normal activities such as sweating, urinating and even breathing. In hot weather we need more fluids to stay hydrated. Heavy exercise, a fever or other illness can also dehydrate our bodies.
Symptoms of dehydrations may include little urine or dark urine, dry mouth, excessive fatigue, thirst, headache and dizziness. Drinking water is the best solution to the problem, but on occasion and especially if you are exercising or working hard, you may want to drink sports drinks that offer carbohydrates and electrolytes to maintain body equilibrium.
So drink that water. You may want to invest in a bottle with markings in ounces to help you remember how much you’ve taken in each day.
