Dr Erin: Addicted to Dehydration?
In the summer months, many of us start to feel fatigued, light headed and lethargic from our chronic dehyrdration. With the heat, our body finally screams out “Give me water!” Sometimes it’s easy to blame are parched state on the warm weather, our sweating and working outside. At other times, I think it’s simply our bad water drinking habits that get us into trouble.
For instance, let’s say you normally drink 2 cups of coffee, a diet coke and 2 cups of water each day. Since coffee and diet coke are both diuretics (make you urinate!), we really can’t count them as a hydration source. That means your body is operating on 2 cups of water and whatever water content there is in your food. This may just barely get you by in the winter, but as soon as you start to sweat, your body can’t handle it any more.
Most experts suggest drinking about 8 servings of 8 oz of water per day. That 64 oz or approximately 2 quarts. If you drink caffinated or alcoholic beverages, they do not count towards this total. Also if you are exercising or working in the heat, you should drink even more water than this – about 4 oz every 15 minutes.
When you first start drinking more water, you will go to the bathroom more often. That’s normal. After a few days, your body will begin to adapt and you’ll be able to go back to your urination levels. So don’t let tha keep you from giving your body the water it needs!