What is dehydration? How dangerous is it?

Summer has started. Day by day the effect of heat is increasing. Also, summer diseases like heat strokes (heat strokes, sunburns, food poisoning) can also affect us.

More important than all these and yet we don't pay much attention is dehydration called dehydration. We need to pay extra attention because dehydration can cause effects like fainting, fatigue and kidney failure.

What is dehydration?

Our body has a lot of fluid. Water is also essential for the body. That is why we are urged to drink more water. Loss of water in the body is called dehydration, says Meenakshi Bajaj, a nutritionist at Omanturar Government Hospital.

"Simply put, dehydration occurs when we consume less water than our body needs, or when we lose more water from our body. We lose more water in the gastrointestinal tract, skin, kidneys, and lungs. Diarrhea, vomiting, excessive urination , causing dehydration through frequent urination, etc.,” he explained.

He continued, "Dehydration is common in people of all ages, but children and the elderly are more likely to suffer from it. Therefore, they may need immediate medical attention. Similarly, some people overeat to maintain a healthy weight and then starve themselves to reduce calories from the body." People who indulge in activities such as finger-vomiting and pill-popping are known as bulimia nervosa. People who engage in such activities are also prone to dehydration," he said.

Similarly, when a person drinks too much alcohol he urinates more than normal. He mentioned that this is also a part of dehydration due to excessive water loss from the body, and drinking coffee and carbonated soft drinks can also lead to excess water loss.

What are the symptoms of dehydration?

According to Meenakshi, the symptoms of dehydration vary depending on the weather, the food we eat and the exercise we do. "If you are dehydrated, your tongue and mouth will look dry, you will be very thirsty. You will feel tired, you will have a headache, you will feel dizzy, you will pass urine that is very dark in color and less than normal, you will have pain in your muscles, your heart rate will be high, and your blood pressure will be very low," he said.

Noting that the elderly are more vulnerable to dehydration, he warned that if the elderly suffer from diabetes and become dehydrated, there is a greater chance of stroke. Severe dehydration can also lead to kidney failure, he said.

Causes of dehydration

Not drinking enough water is the main cause. Apart from this, dehydration can also occur due to diarrhoea, vomiting etc. During diarrhea, large amounts of water and electrolytes are flushed out of our body in a short amount of time. Vomiting is also accompanied by excessive water and salt loss from the body, resulting in dehydration. During exercise, more water leaves the body as sweat due to increased sweating. Doctors say that this can also cause dehydration.

When Dr. Meenakshi Bajaj was asked about the relationship between summer and dehydration, she said, "Summer is usually the annual vacation for children. During that time, they spend a lot of time outside playing, so they are more likely to get dehydrated. If sodium is reduced from the body, water is also reduced. To correct it, you need to drink buttermilk, lemon juice, etc. .People who are forced to work in the sun, such as construction workers, are also more prone to dehydration,” he said.

Eating unhealthy foods cooked in shops can cause indigestion. Warning that this can lead to dehydration, Meenakshi Bajaj said, "Vegetarian food should be cooked at home as much as possible or eaten at quality restaurants. Eating unhealthily cooked food can cause vomiting and diarrhoea."

What can be done to prevent dehydration?

It is better to cook food at home as much as possible. Adding vegetables like carrot, cucumber, onion, tomato, cabbage and pumpkin to the food will control dehydration, he says.

"Some people take carbonated soft drinks, ice cream etc. to keep the body cool in summer. However, this does not cool the body but causes dehydration. So, instead of drinking carbonated soft drinks, drink buttermilk, lemon juice, gooseberry juice, fresh water, lemon green tea etc. Watermelon, mango etc. "Fruits can be eaten in the appropriate season. There is a possibility of typhoid, jaundice and amoebiasis if you consume uncooked food and clean water," he said.

At the same time, Meenakshi Bajaj also recommends that people with co-morbidities should follow a doctor's diet when they are dehydrated. We cannot recommend a person with diabetes to drink fresh water every day in hot weather. Doing so will increase the amount of sugar in the body. If you are mildly dehydrated, you can correct it at home by drinking buttermilk, porridge, juice, water etc. But, if this is severe dehydration, it would be right to go to the hospital and get treatment, he said.