How to Avoid Dehydration in Hot Weather

It is a little known fact that most people today are chronically dehydrated. For example, 75% of people living in the United States do not get enough water, especially in the hot summer months. This can lead to a plethora of health problems, the most common of which is heat stroke.It can be difficult to stay properly hydrated, especially since the body loses so much water on a continual basis via the pores, lungs, bladder and bowels. But with practice and a firm knowledge of what water can do for you, you can become one of the few who drink enough water today.Water is the most basic way in which you can achieve optimal health.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Sports drinks containing electrolytes
• Vitamin C supplements

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Instructions

• 1

  Drink a tall glass of water right now. If the weather is hot and you are not exercising, you could be losing up to a liter of water every hour. You need to replenish it. If you are exercising, that figure jumps to three liters an hour.

• 2

  Always keep a bottle of water on your person when you go out of the house. It doesn't need to be fancy bottled water; chances are, your city tap water is clean enough for you to drink. Refill that bottle at every opportunity.

• 3

  Keep a keg of water filled up if you will be doing any hard exercise or labor for an extended period of time in one place. First fill it with ice, then top it off with cold water. Sip from it continually, at least every hour. If you are sweating, however, you should be visiting the water keg every 15 to 30 minutes.

• 4

  Do not try to hold your urine or movements in an attempt to conserve water. Once the water is in one of these waste removal organs, the water is no longer available for use by your body. Holding it will only put you at risk for infections and other health conditions. A rule of thumb: drink a glass of water after a trip to the bathroom.

• 5

  Drink sport drinks that contain electrolytes. These help to optimize the use of water in your system, making sure all your organs run smoothly. Vitamin C is also a good one for maximizing water distribution.

• 6

  Don't wait until you are thirsty to drink water. If you are thirsty, you are already mildly dehydrated. Get in the habit, and stick with it. If you do not like having to urinate very often, tough. The fact is you need more water than you are probably getting.