10 Ways To Combat Dehydration At Home
The human body is 70% water and for this reason, people are advised to drink plenty of water. But sometimes you feel parched even after drinking enough water. It shows that the water released through urine and sweat hasn’t been replenished and your body is dehydrated.
What Is Dehydration?
Reduction of water leads to salt-sugar imbalance. Here the body is unable to retain fluids and electrolytes that affect the functioning of the body. The following are the causes of dehydration.
Diarrhea Or Vomiting: It leads to excessive loss of water from the body leading to dehydration.
Fever: Constant high fever results in dehydration.
Sweating: The body keeps losing water due to sweating, especially after intense physical activities like workouts.
Age: Infants and older people are at higher risk of dehydration.
Chronic Illness: People suffering from chronic problems like diabetes and kidney problems are at a higher risk of dehydration.
Weather: Extremely hot weather increases the chances of dehydration.
Signs And Symptoms Of Dehydration
Everybody faces dehydration but it could mild to severe. In mild cases, drinking water is sufficient. But in severe cases, you could need hospitalization.
• The tongue becomes dry and sticky
• Excessive thirst
• Less frequent urination
• Dizziness
• Dark urine
• Fatigue
Dehydration signs in children are different from those of grown-up kids and adults. And parents need to be careful about dehydration in kids.
• Dry mouth
• Sunken eyes and cheeks
• Lack of energy and increased sleep
• Dry diapers for more than 3 hours
• Absence of tears while crying
Side Effects Of Dehydration
When your body is dehydrated, you have the following side effects
• Bad breath
• Frequent chills
• Cravings for sweets
• Cramps in the muscles
• Headache
• Dry skin
Dehydration isn’t a medical condition but it can lead to a medical emergency if left untreated for a long time. While mid dehydration can be treated at home, you need medical intervention to treat severe dehydration.
Treat Dehydration At Home With The Following Things
- Banana
Ingredients:
Bananas (1-2 pieces)
How To:
Consume bananas before starting any physical activity
Take bananas twice a day
How It Works:
Dehydration results in potassium deficiency, but bananas can replenish potassium and save the body from dehydration.
Precaution:
Infants less than 6 months old should be given bananas only after consulting a doctor.
- Buttermilk
Ingredients:
Buttermilk (1 cup)
Dry Ginger (1/2 tsp)
How To:
Mix dry ginger in the buttermilk
Consume the refreshing drink
Drink it 3-4 times a day
How It Works:
Buttermilk is a natural probiotic and it is rich in minerals and magnesium as well. It replenishes the minerals depleted due to dehydration.
- Barley Water
Ingredients:
Barley (1 cup)
Water (3-4 cups)
Lemon (1/2 piece)
Honey
How To:
Boil barley in a cup of water for up to 50 minutes
Stain the barley when it is cool and add lemon to it
Consume it at regular intervals 3-4 times a day
How It Works:
Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, barley water can help restore the micronutrients lost by dehydration.
Precaution:
It isn’t for infants less than 6 months of age.
- Soups
Vegetable soups contain the micronutrients lost by dehydration. They contain potassium, magnesium, and other nutrients that you need to stay hydrated. Drinking soups before an intense workout can help deal with dehydration.
- Coconut Water
Coconut water has sodium and potassium in high amounts. And these are two nutrients that are lost during dehydration. If you feel dehydrated, you should drink 4-5 glasses of coconut water every day.
- Essential Oils
a. Lemon Essential Oil
Ingredients:
Lemon Essential Oil (1-2 drops)
Water (1 glass)
How To:
Add lemon to water
Consume the solution
Drink it once a day
How It Works:
Lemon water has cleansing properties and it contains antioxidants that can keep your body hydrated.
b. Wild Orange Essential Oil
Ingredients:
Wild Orange Essential Oil (1-2 drops)
Water (1 glass)
How To:
Add the essential oil to a glass of water
Mix it well and drink it twice a day
How It Works:
It is a refreshing drink with a rich amount of antioxidants. Also, it is a flavored drink that boosts immunity and keeps the body hydrated.
c. Peppermint Essential Oil
Ingredients:
Peppermint Essential Oil (1-2 drops)
Water (1 glass)
How To:
Add the essential oil to a glass of water and mix it well
Drink this solution 1-2 times daily
How It Works:
It contains potassium and magnesium that are lost during dehydration. This water can replenish these micronutrients in your body.
Precaution:
This drink isn’t for children up to 6-10 years of age.
- Homemade ORS
Ingredients:
Salt (1/2 tsp)
Sugar/Brown Sugar (6 tsp)
Water (4 cups)
How To:
Add salt and sugar to water and mix them well
Fill the solution in a bottle
Consume 3 liters of solutions a day
How It Works:
Drinking ORS is a great way to replenish the lost body fluids due to dehydration. It contains a high amount of sugar and sodium depleted with excessive loss of water.
Precaution:
Consult a doctor before administering ORS to infants less than 6 months old.
- Juice
In juices, you can consume pickle juice, cranberry juice, orange juice, apple juice, and even lemon water. These are high-energy drinks that will instantly replenish the micronutrients lost due to dehydration. Also, you can improve the taste of these juices sugar, or salt to them. But avoid giving juices to infants lower than 6 months old.
- Salt
Dehydration results in the loss of essential micronutrients, minerals, and electrolytes. Increasing the amount of salt in your diet can help improve the water and sugar balance in your body. You can take salt in juices. But be careful of excessive salt consumption, especially if you are suffering from hypertension.
- Yogurt
Yogurt has electrolytes lost during dehydration. If you consume a cup of yogurt 1-2 times daily, your body can fight dehydration. Also, you can add a pinch of salt to improve the taste of yogurt. If you want, you can even add sugar instead of salt to the yogurt.
Disclaimer: The above information is for educational purposes only and the readers are advised to consult doctors to combat dehydration.
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