8 symptoms of dehydration that most people ignore
As you know, our body is mainly composed of water - it is attested that the percentage is around 60-65%.
When we are dehydrated, it means that our body is experiencing a serious lack of water, a condition that we must absolutely remedy if we do not want to suffer from some disturbing symptoms.
If we do not want to arrive at severe levels of dehydration, which would require hospitalization, we must replenish the liquids lost by drinking a lot of water and eating lots of fruit and vegetables.
How do we know when we are dehydrated? Here are some fairly common symptoms that you may not realize are actually serious warning signs.
via healthline.com
What are the possible symptoms of dehydration? And what can we do to avoid them? Here are some suggestions:
1) You are always hungry: It is commonly believed that the first symptom of dehydration is thirst, but according to the Mayo Clinic this symptom happens only when one is dehydrated at very high levels, therefore, in only the most serious cases. What you may not have thought of is that liquids are integrated into our body also through the intake of certain foods. And this is why our body sends us the signals of hunger when it lacks water. We must not confuse these signals and think that we need food because in this way we would need even more water -- to digest the food!
Solution: Always drink one or two glasses of water before eating anything (unless it is the usual time you eat). After drinking, allow 30 minutes before eating. If you're still hungry, have a healthy snack. If you're not hungry anymore, then that means you need to drink more water and not eat more food.
2) You can't think and concentrate as you should: You need water for your brain! Besides the fact that it helps us to concentrate better, the brain needs the right amount of water, otherwise, its volume could shrink even by 2%. This is the reason why even if you are awake, that your brain cannot "connect" and words do not seem to come out of your mouth properly and your thoughts are extremely confused.
Solution: Instead of drinking coffee because you think you are tired, just drink some water! Coffee can keep you awake for a while, but its effect is limited and, above all, it is a diuretic drink that can reduce the percentage of water in your body. In fact, the more caffeine you consume and the more water your body will release.
3) Sudden desire for certain foods: Cravings of this type are usually associated with pregnant women and it is difficult to think of it being linked to dehydration. Instead, especially if you tend to want "fresh" foods such as fruit, especially oranges, melons or grapes, that means that your body probably needs some water.
Solution: Obviously you must drink more water. Forget about the energy drinks that some athletes drink after a workout. Drink water! And eat fruit, such as melon and strawberries. Cantaloupe and grapefruit also contain around 90% water.
4) You have a headache: Many do not suspect that headaches can be associated with dehydration. Be careful, though, because an excessive intake of water can also lead to severe headaches! In any case, most people suffer from a headache, in this case, due to a lack of fluids.
Solution: As soon as you wake up, drink half a liter of water immediately. Have breakfast and drink another bottle of water after you finish eating. In this way, by mid-morning you will have already drunk about half of the water you need during the day.
5) You feel constipated: Many think they need to consume more fiber. In part, this is absolutely true, but your body also needs more water to digest and properly eliminate excess substances.
Solution: You should try to consume one or two tablespoons of fiber (18 to 35 gr) per day and drink water abundantly.
6) You have dry lips: In a state of dehydration, your lips will undoubtedly be dry. This should not happen if you drink the right amounts of water.
Solution: Applying cocoa butter is always helpful, but it is not the solution to this problem. The solution is to increase the amount of water you consume on a daily basis.
7) Your head spins when you stand up: This can really be a problem and is one of the most undervalued symptoms of all. You usually think that maybe you stood up too fast and, therefore, you suddenly felt dizzy. But be aware that the lack of water in the body slows blood flow. Blood is what supplies nutrients and oxygen to the rest of the body. So if you're not getting enough oxygen, then this could be a big problem.
Solution: If you feel constantly in this state, it means that you are dehydrated every day. Do not drink all your daily consumption of water at once, it could be counterproductive. Drink 1 or 2 glasses of water immediately and try not to make your kidneys work too hard during the day by drinking excessively (i.e. more than one quart [one liter] every hour!).
8) You always feel tired: Your blood cannot flow fast enough and this can cause a drop in blood pressure; likewise, not drinking enough water can similarly cause the opposite effect and therefore hypertension.
Solution: Carry a bottle of water with you during the day and try to drink regularly to replenish your body with liquids.
