Hydration: Why It’s So Important
Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water

Your body depends on water to survive.  Every cell, tissue and organ in your body needs water to work correctly.  Your body uses water to maintain temperature, remove waste, and lubricate joints.

It is important to drink throughout the day to replace the water your body loses.  Water makes up more than half your body weight.  You lose water when you go to the bathroom, sweat and even when you breathe.  You lose water even faster when the weather is really hot, when you are physically active, when you have a fever, if you are vomiting or have diarrhea.  If you don’t replace the water you lose, you can easily become dehydrated.

Staying hydratedSigns of dehydration are:

  • Dry mouth
  • Sleepiness or fatigue
  • Extreme thirst
  • Little or no urine, or urine that is darker than usual
  • Headache
  • Confusion
  • Dizziness or lightheaded feeling
  • No tears when crying

Don’t wait until you notice symptoms of dehydration.  Be proactive by drinking plenty of water.  The elderly are at greater risk of becoming dehydrated, because as you get older, you don’t have the same urge to drink.  Therefore, it is important for the elderly to drink throughout the day, even if they say they are not thirsty.

The average recommendation for daily water intake is 6-8 eight ounces of water a day.  Some people may need a little more, some a little less

In addition to water, fruits and vegetables contain water as well.   The top fruits that contain approximately 90% water per volume are watermelon, strawberries, grapefruit, cantaloupe, and peaches.  The top vegetables containing water are cucumbers, lettuce, zucchini, radishes, celery tomatoes and cabbage.

 

Here are some helpful tips for keeping properly hydrated:

  • Keep a bottle of water with you during the day.
  • If you don’t like the taste of plain water, try adding a slice of lemon or lime to your drink
  • Be sure to drink water before, during and after a workout.
  • When you are feeling hungry, drink water. Thirst is often confused with hunger.
  • If you have trouble remembering to drink water, drink on a schedule. You should drink water when you wake up, at every meal, and before you go to sleep.  If this does not work for you, schedule to drink a small cup of water every hour.

Related Health Tips

How to Keep Aging Loved Ones Safe and Comforted During COVID-19

Times have drastically changed. Things we didn’t even think twice about, such as going to watch a movie or eating at a restaurant with family and friends, is now being considered a thing of the past. The emergence of the COVID-19 virus has altered our usual ways of...

7 Ways to Reduce Your Fear and Anxiety Now

You know the feeling: you wake up in the middle of the night with a knot in your chest. You’re unbearably anxious, but about what? Maybe it hits you while you’re driving, watching traffic merge onto the freeway or negotiating uncontrolled intersections. Maybe it comes...

Tips on Preventing Accidental Falls in Home Care

Everyone is susceptible to falling. Younger people usually suffer no ill effects or if they do, the injury is minor and causes no long-term harm. Falls among older people, however, are a different story.Every year, one in three older adults falls but only less than...

Differences between Elderly Caregiver Roles

When we think of elderly caregivers, we often picture nurses working in hospitals or assisted living facilities. But the truth is that you don’t need a nursing degree to become an elderly caregiver. In fact, in some cases, all you need is a high school diploma and...

Winter Safety Tips for Seniors & Caregivers

Brrr! When temps drop and the roads get icy, it can be tempting to snuggle under the covers for the whole winter. But although the cold season may not be pleasant for anyone (sled rides excluded), winter weather can be particularly dangerous for the elderly—and...

Signs you Should Switch from Companion Care to Overnight Care

As an elderly loved one ages, making care decisions only seems to get harder and harder.While companion care may be enough for a while, there comes a point in every senior’s life when overnight care is needed. While companion care offers care with the activities of...

Having a Purpose in Life May Help Shield You from Dementia

As it stands today, the number of adults suffering from Alzheimer’s disease is projected to double by 2020. The rise in Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline has led some health professionals to call the current prevalence of dementia the “Alzheimer’s epidemic.” In light...

14 Foods to Help You Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

If you’ve ever thought about eating your way to wellness, high blood pressure is a great place to begin. As is true with so many ailments, high blood pressure is directly related to diet and can be treated through adding healthy, nutrient-dense foods to the daily...

The Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease: What You Need to Know

Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects hundreds of thousands of families every year. According to recent estimations, 5.3 million Americans are currently living with the disease, 5.1 million of whom are aged 65 or older.Because Alzheimer’s is so common, it benefits...

10 Stretches To Help You Stay Limber And Agile As You Age

One of the biggest dangers of aging is a loss of mobility and strength. In fact, a 2013 study published in the Journal Clinical Interventions In Aging, found that strength and muscle mass decrease by between 30-50% as people go from the ages of 30 to 80. What’s more,...

0 Comments

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Phone

+1 803-574-3069

Location

717 Encino Pl NE.
Albuquerque, NM 87102

Store Hours

M-F: 8am – 11:30pm
S-S: 9am – 9:30pm

We are happy to announce that we now accept credit card payments for all your orders. Please contact us via live chat after you complete the checkout process to finalize your transaction securely.

X
error: Alert: Content is protected !!