Dehydration 101: How To Cure Dehydration?

Could you use some fluids right now? If you're already thirsty, you're probably dehydrated. Most Americans do not drink enough fluids to function optimally. Three-quarters of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Dehydration can cause a range of unpleasant symptoms, including headaches and fatigue. It can even be life-threatening if left untreated. Dehydration is one of the easiest conditions to reverse.

In order to combat dehydration like a warrior, you must first understand what it is and how it works. Learn how dehydration works and how to rehydrate.

What Is Dehydration?

Do you have the flu or a cold that has you stuck on the couch? Was last night's wedding reception too boozy for you? Everyone experiences dehydration at some point. You know that dehydration is no laughing matter if you've ever fantasized about drinking a lake's worth of water.

Dehydration occurs when the body loses fluids. The body loses more fluids than it consumes. Dehydration slows us down because up to 60% of the adult human body is composed of water.

Most of the time, we aren't even aware that we are dehydrated. Mild dehydration may not cause any noticeable symptoms. In contrast, severe dehydration is enough to make someone feel sick. Dehydration of any kind is harmful to the human body. 

What Causes Dehydration?

Your body naturally loses water every day. The primary cause of daily water loss is urination, which is the function of your kidneys to eliminate waste. Sweating, breathing, and creating saliva are other ways you lose water every day. Here's an overview of how much water adults lose naturally every day:

Exercise in the heat, for example, can cause more water loss. Dehydration occurs when you cannot replace the water you lose. Conditions that cause greater water loss include:

What Are the Symptoms of Dehydration?

Dehydration can happen to anyone of any age if they do not replace lost fluids. A hiker who does not drink anything while hiking in hot weather could become dehydrated quickly and even suffer from heatstroke. Mild dehydration, or a loss of just 1% to 2% of your body weight, can make you feel unwell.

When you are dehydrated, you will feel thirsty. You're already dehydrated the moment you reach for a drink in the refrigerator. Other mild dehydration symptoms include:

You will eventually become severely dehydrated if you ignore your body's need to rehydrate. The following symptoms may indicate severe dehydration:

Children with dehydration may not produce tears when they cry if they are dehydrated. People who are severely dehydrated should seek medical care immediately.

How Can You Tell If You Are Dehydrated? 

Are you wondering whether you should increase your fluid intake? It's not always easy to tell if you're dehydrated. The good news is that there are plenty of easy ways to test your hydration level and determine if you need more water. The following are some simple ways to check for dehydration, which you can do just about anywhere. 

The Skin Elasticity Test 

You are made up partially of water in all your body cells. The skin in particular consists of 64% water. You can tell if you are dehydrated by checking your skin. Look for signs of dehydration such as:

You can also perform a skin elasticity test. Here's how:

How long did the process take? If it took longer, you were more dehydrated. Hydrated skin systems return to their original state instantly. This test does have one caveat. It doesn't matter how hydrated you are, the more elasticity your skin will lose as you age.

The Nail Test

If you like to paint your nails, you might not be able to perform the nail test. It's also an easy way to check for dehydration if you're in-between colors. To do the nail test, follow these steps:

Pressing on your nail causes it to turn white because blood is forced out as a result of the pressure. The blood usually returns within two seconds. If you're dehydrated, it may take longer.

The Pee Test 

Would you be able to name all the shades of yellow? Sunshine yellow, hay bale yellow, amber, honey, maybe even chartreuse? Even if you can't name the exact color, that's fine. To determine your hydration level, you simply need to understand lighter and darker. Yellow hydrated pee should still be yellow, but more like the pastel yellow, you'd see at Easter or in a nursery. It should not be clear — overhydration is a thing, too. 

Pee should never get darker than lemonade, otherwise, you are dehydrated. You need fluids, immediately if it looks more like apple juice or honey than lemonade. You should go to the emergency room or call your physician if the juice is darker or more red than apple juice (and make sure you aren't just eating a lot of beets).

Thirst is not a pleasant sensation. The body is telling you, "Hey, drink something already." If you're concerned about dehydration, know that there are many ways to prevent it. Follow these suggestions to prevent dehydration under any circumstances:

How Much Water Should You Be Drinking? 

Perhaps you've heard that you should drink eight glasses of water a day. This is only a general recommendation. The 64 ounces of water we were originally taught is only enough if you weigh less than 125 pounds. On average, American adult men weigh 198 pounds, and women weigh 170 pounds, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Other factors, such as your activity level, can affect how much water you need to drink. In most cases, eight glasses a day isn't enough. So, how much is enough, then?

Divide your body weight in half. That's approximately the amount of water, in ounces, you need to drink per day. Double the amount of your regular fluid intake if you are exercising outside, especially in the heat.

Knowing that, do you get even close to the right amount of water you need per day? To be clear, if you weigh 140 pounds, you need 70 ounces of water a day to stay properly hydrated. Reach out to your doctor and ask if you're still not sure how much water you should be drinking daily. 

What Happens to Your Body When You're Dehydrated?

Even when you're mildly dehydrated, you might feel kind of under the weather. What's happening to your body when it's screaming for water? Understanding what goes on when you're dehydrated, first helps to know your body's relationship with water. To give you an idea of how important water is to your health, consider the following:

What does this mean? Basically, you're made up of mostly water. Water helps your body:

Water plays an important role in your health because it easily dissolves many substances that make critical nutrients and minerals accessible to your cells and enables chemical processes. Also, water's "sticky" surface helps to transport the carbohydrates and proteins your body uses as fuel and then helps get rid of waste. When you drink water, your digestive tract absorbs it for your body to use.

Water dissolves electrolytes in your body, and the two work together to keep you healthy. To demonstrate, can you remember a time when you ate too much of a salty snack? Did you feel thirsty afterward? If so, it was because your sodium level was too high. As a result, your brain sent signals to make you feel thirsty and reach for a drink. Drinking helps restore the electrolyte balance in your blood.

As you can see, your body works in harmonious ways to ensure it is functioning at the highest level possible. However, it needs you to do your part and keep it hydrated. If you lose access to water or go too long without drinking, you'll likely experience the following stages of dehydration:

If left untreated, dehydration progresses quickly. You might experience delirium, confusion, seizures, shock, and, ultimately, organ damage if you don't rehydrate.

How to Cure Dehydration

You can treat dehydration by replacing the fluids and electrolytes you lost. The cause and severity of your dehydration, along with your age, will help you or your doctor determine the best treatment method. For example, children and infants who are dehydrated as a result of vomiting or diarrhea might take an over-the-counter rehydration solution, while older children can have diluted sports drinks. Adults with mild dehydration due to illness or drinking too much alcohol can feel better by drinking fluids.

If you're suffering from a mild case of dehydration and don't feel like running out to the grocery for sports drinks, you can concoct a home remedy. Here's a simple rehydration solution you can make at home if you have a few basic ingredients on hand: 

Adults and large children can drink this solution until they feel better. If you want to improve the taste, you can add half a cup of orange juice or mashed banana. Whether you're a child or an adult, you should seek emergency medical attention if you're severely dehydrated. Severe, and sometimes moderate cases call for a dehydration IV. Intravenous rehydration delivers fluids and salts directly through the vein. This enables a fast and effective recovery. 

Most people in America are chronically dehydrated. If you're like the majority, there's no need to panic — you have options. Treating dehydration as early as possible will get you back in shape and keep it from turning into something dangerous.

Contact Pure IV Texas Today

f you're dehydrated, whether it be from spending the day outdoors or suffering a hangover, Pure IV Texas can help. When you don't feel great, the last thing you want to do is wait in line at the emergency room. We bring our IV services to you so that you can rehydrate quickly and comfortably at home. Our quick procedure has you rehydrated and relieved faster than it takes to drink an adequate amount of water. Best of all, you never have to leave the couch.

You have choices when it comes to the combination of vitamins and electrolytes you want to get. What you need could be completely different from what our last patient required, or even what your partner needs. Our most popular option is the Myer's Cocktail. It's a blend of saline (salt), vitamin B, vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, and glutathione. It's the best treatment for hangovers, when you feel like you're getting sick, right after you got sick, migraines, fatigue and more. 

You can look here for all the combinations of packages we offer — plus browse our range of add-ins.

Finally, did you know that being dehydrated could be the reason why you're always tired? Why it seems like coffee makes you more sleepy, instead of less? Don't let that stay your reality. Text us or give us a call at 833-688-1299, and we'll be right over with our IV mobile unit to help! You can also fill out our online contact form to reach us!