Most people simply don’t take enough water. This may be because of hectic days or not having it at hand when they would want to take it. Instead, people tend to reach for coffee, soda, processed juices, tea and alcohol. The result is that the body becomes dehydrated which is unhealthy.
Effects of dehydration
The common assumption about dehydration is that it afflicts people traveling through a desert when they go without water for a long time. The fact is that there is a chronic form of dehydration that is not sudden or intense which is quite common today among those who don’t take enough clean water daily. It afflicts anybody including traveling, stomach flu patients and those with malabsorption problems such as IBS, Candida, celiac and colitis.
Dehydration is also caused by:
- Frequent urination in diabetes patients
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Long time medication including diuretics, anti-psychotics or medication for blood pressure
- Developing insensitivity to water deprivation which leads to chronic dehydration
Fast and easy remedies for dehydration
Up to 70% of the body is made up of liquid. This is in the form of cerebral-spinal fluid, interstitial fluids, intra-cellular fluids and other forms of body fluids. It is these fluids that unite body organs to physiological systems so that they function as one coordinated system performing many critical body functions.
The following are 7 easy ways to remedy dehydration:
- Chamomile tea and other types of decaffeinated tea work very well to replace body fluids. Chamomile has the added advantage of being a natural pain reliever so it will also relieve the stomach cramps that tend to accompany dehydration.
- Bananas restore fluids and also replenish the body with potassium which is lost with dehydration. Fruits and vegetables with high water levels such as melons, strawberries and cucumbers are also ideal.
- A cup of buttermilk mixed with half a teaspoon of dry ginger is another excellent remedy. Taken three to four times a day, it soon resolves chronic dehydration.
- A teaspoon of lime juice, another of sugar and a small pinch of salt added to a pint of water sipped throughout the day will also correct chronic dehydration.
- Coconut water which has a high quotient of electrolytes is an excellent rehydrator. It is indeed nature’s version of a sports drink. Its consistency is the same as that of blood plasma. It has in fact been used as a saline solution in blood transfusions in emergency situations. With its high mineral content especially of potassium and iron, it works even better than plain water to combat chronic dehydration. It is also low in calories and sugar. Note that these are properties of coconut water and not of coconut milk.
- Another effective dehydration solution is yogurt and cottage cheese which restore the body’s levels of sodium and potassium. A cup of yogurt mixed with a teaspoon of fenugreek powder is one of the best home remedies for dehydration.
- A last effective way to beat dehydration is not with a type of food or drink but a topical one of bathing with Epsom salts. The magnesium in the salts is absorbed through the skin which reduces inflammation and soothes the fatigue and sore muscles that often accompany chronic dehydration. The sulfates in the salts also enhance the body’s ability to absorb nutrients which hastens the restoration of nutritional balance in the body.
How much?
Health experts agree that the ideal amount of water to consume everyday in ounces is about half of the body weight. Also, drinking water should be clean and free of contaminants such as bacteria, harmful chemicals and heavy metals.
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