#increasing fluid intake when ill or experiencing fever

[mindbodyhealth-blog]

Stay Hydrated: Essential Tips to Prevent Dehydration for Optimal Health

Hydration to prevent dehydration refers to the process of consuming adequate amounts of fluids, primarily water, to maintain the body’s fluid balance and prevent the physical condition of dehydration. Dehydration occurs when the body loses more fluids than it takes in, leading to an imbalance in the body’s electrolytes, which are essential for normal function of the body. Therefore, regular…

[forever052]

What to Eat (and What to Avoid) When Battling a Fever

Fighting a fever can be a tough battle. Not only do you have to cope with the discomfort and fatigue, but you also need to make sure you're nourishing your body properly to aid in the recovery process.

What you eat can play a significant role in how quickly you bounce back from illness. Here's a guide on what to eat and what to avoid when battling a fever.

What to Eat:

Hydrating Foods: Staying hydrated is crucial when you have a fever. Opt for foods with high water content such as fruits like watermelon, oranges, strawberries, and cucumbers. These not only provide hydration but also deliver essential vitamins and minerals that support your immune system.

Broths and Soups: Warm broths and soups are not only comforting but also help keep you hydrated and provide nourishment. Chicken soup, in particular, is often touted as a remedy for colds and fevers. It contains electrolytes and nutrients that support your body's immune response.

Easy-to-Digest Foods: When you're not feeling well, it's best to stick to easily digestible foods. Opt for simple, bland foods like crackers, toast, rice, or boiled potatoes. These foods are gentle on the stomach and won't exacerbate any digestive discomfort you may be experiencing.

Lean Proteins: Consuming lean proteins like chicken, fish, tofu, or legumes can help support your body's repair process. Protein is essential for building and repairing tissues, which is especially important when your body is fighting off an infection.

Garlic: Garlic contains compounds like allicin, which have antimicrobial properties and may help boost the immune system. Adding garlic to your meals, either raw or cooked, can provide additional support during illness.

Herbal Teas: Herbal teas such as ginger, chamomile, or peppermint can provide soothing relief for a sore throat and help alleviate congestion. They also contribute to your overall fluid intake, keeping you hydrated.

Fruits and Vegetables: Incorporate a variety of fruits and vegetables into your diet to ensure you're getting a range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Berries, leafy greens, bell peppers, and citrus fruits are all excellent choices to support your immune system.

What to Avoid:

Sugary Foods and Beverages: While it may be tempting to reach for sugary treats when you're feeling under the weather, excessive sugar consumption can weaken the immune system and prolong the duration of illness. Avoid sugary drinks, candies, and processed foods.

Fatty and Fried Foods: Heavy, greasy foods like fast food, fried chicken, and pizza can be taxing on the digestive system and may exacerbate symptoms like nausea and bloating. Opt for lighter, more easily digestible options instead.

Alcohol: Alcohol can dehydrate the body and interfere with immune function, so it's best to avoid it when you're battling a fever. Additionally, alcohol can interact with certain medications, so it's essential to check with your healthcare provider before consuming any alcohol while you're sick.

Caffeine: While a cup of coffee or tea might provide a temporary energy boost, caffeine can also contribute to dehydration. Excessive caffeine consumption can exacerbate symptoms like jitteriness and anxiety, so it's best to limit your intake while you're unwell.

Spicy Foods: Spicy foods can irritate the throat and digestive tract, leading to discomfort and exacerbating symptoms like heartburn or acid reflux. Stick to milder flavors until you're feeling better.

Processed Foods: Processed foods like chips, frozen meals, and packaged snacks are often high in sodium, preservatives, and artificial additives, which can compromise immune function and overall health. Opt for whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible.

Dairy Products: Dairy products like milk, cheese, and ice cream can increase mucus production and exacerbate congestion in some individuals. If you notice that dairy worsens your symptoms, consider limiting your intake until you're feeling better.

In conclusion, choosing the right foods can help support your body's immune response and aid in recovery when battling a fever. Focus on hydrating, nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and soups, while avoiding sugary, fatty, and processed options that can compromise your health. Listen to your body, stay hydrated, and give yourself the nourishment you need to bounce back quickly.

[outlookhealthblog]

6 Unusual Signs of Dehydration You Should Know About

The adult human body contains an average of 60% of water. The water content can slightly vary among individuals based on sex, age, and hydration levels. Water is essential for one’s general health and without it, numerous bodily functions can’t happen. These include cellular functions, temperature regulation, and waste removal.

Water is necessary for one’s survival and one can maintain the balance of water in the body by drinking fluids all day long. Sometimes, people have low and insufficient water and other fluids in their bodies to carry out normal bodily functions. That’s when their fluid loss is more than their fluid intake. The loss of fluids usually is caused by sweating, urination, vomiting, or diarrhea, which is why it is important to watch out for fluid intake. In such a case, the body is said to be dehydrated.

Apart from the loss of water and other fluids, dehydration also means the loss of electrolytes such as salt and potassium. These electrolytes are required by the body to move, breath, talk, and perform all other things required to stay up and running. Mild dehydration is tolerable but inconvenient. Severe dehydration can result in potentially fatal complications such as blood clotting and convulsions. It can cause the heart rates to increase which could strain the heart more.

So, when does one get to know that the body is not having enough water and other fluids to function properly? Being thirsty is the most obvious sign, however, there are surprisingly more on the list. To avoid potential complications, it’s important to early detect dehydration by looking out for signs of dehydration and getting treated for it immediately.

Here are six unexpected signs and symptoms of dehydration that one must be aware of.

Bad Breath

Human saliva is known to have antibacterial properties. Saliva acts as a natural aid to prevent the overgrowth of bacteria in the mouth whose one of the side effects is bad-smelling breath. The production of saliva gets affected when the body is dehydrated. Hence, with not enough saliva the significant increase in bacterial growth inside the mouth would result in bad breath and an unpleasant taste. It’s just the same reason humans wake up in the morning with bad breath. Saliva production is insufficient or slows down during sleep. So, anyone whose mouth seems to be dry and whose breath smells weird or not fresh, it’s a sign of getting dehydrated.

Dry or Flushed Skin

Most people think that those who are dehydrated are usually experiencing excessive and continuous sweating. However, that’s not entirely true. Overexertion and hot weather lead to sweating and dehydration because of the loss of fluids. However, the skin can get extremely dry, flaky, itchy, and appear flushed and dull when one goes through multiple stages of dehydration to deprive the skin of its hydration. An unhealthy diet, weather changes, and more intake of alcohol and caffeine can deplete the water content of the skin.

Muscle Cramps

When one is not taking enough water and is continuing to perform any physical activity or is being in hot weather, dehydration and subsequent heating of the muscles will make it more likely for one to experience muscle cramps. The muscles can seize up from heat when they work harder. Also, dehydration results in loss of electrolytes like sodium and potassium which can provoke muscle cramps too. So, when rehydrating the body with drinks after exercises in hot or cold weather or being in hot weather, it’s important to go for electrolyte-filled refreshing drinks to rehydrate the body and reduce the likelihood of developing muscle cramps.

Fever and Chills

Anyone having severe dehydration is likely to experience fever and chills. These are the symptoms of heat illness when one would profusely sweat while the skin is cool to the touch. Fever further worsens dehydration which means with a high fever one would encounter higher dehydration. Unless the body temperature decreases, the skin would lose its cool clamminess and then turn out to be hot, flushed, and dry to the touch. If adults find their body temperature above 104 degree F, they must seek medical care as soon as possible to cool the body down. Dehydration can even be an ailment of pediatric patients (young children) due to various reasons including not drinking plenty of water or having fever, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Cravings for Sweets

When the body is dehydrated, it makes it difficult for the liver to release glycogen- the stored form of glucose, and other components of energy stores into the bloodstream to be used as energy fuel. This can trigger sugar cravings to restore normal blood sugar levels and provide a quick source of energy. Don’t go for a false sense of feeling hungry or having sugar cravings. It’s the time when the body needs water, so drink more water before reaching out for any sweets. Also, aim to drink ample water every day.

Headache

Mild dehydration can result in headaches that can become severe and even trigger migraine headaches. Headaches can be caused by various reasons and it’s hard to figure out the exact reason behind one’s headache. So, it’s always recommended to drink abundant water and maintain optimal hydration levels on daily basis throughout the day. This is the simple and safe approach to alleviate pain or prevent headaches if dehydration is a culprit.

So, how to confirm one is Dehydrated? If one is thirsty, one is already said to be dehydrated. But, that’s not necessarily enough to conclude. Here are two ways to check for dehydration:

Self-Testing of the Skin: It involves applying slight pressure to a small area of the skin using two fingers and letting it go immediately. If the skin stays tented after it’s pinched and takes more than a few seconds to spring back to a normal flat appearance, it’s an indication to drink adequate water and stay hydrated.

Checking Urine: Dark yellow or orange color of urine is the warning sign of dehydration that one must watch out for. If the body is well-hydrated, urine is mostly clear with a tinge of yellow.

source:-6 Unusual Signs of Dehydration You Should Know About

[publiccollectors]

QUARANZINE #14

QUARANZINE #14: Rachel Herman. Rachel was diagnosed as a presumptive positive for COVID-19 after a test for Influenza A and B turned up negative. She's been fighting the virus for just over two weeks. Yesterday she posted this long message on Facebook about her experience so far and I asked her about publishing it in QUARANZINE. She had been thinking about reaching out to me, so we were both on the same page. The text is very long for the format I adhere to so the type is quite small, unfortunately. Here it is in its entirety: Dear friends,

This is the week many of us will get sick. Social distancing is working, but most cities waited too long to declare shelter-in-place orders and many others have yet to. So, we will see spikes in confirmed cases within the next week or so. I want you all to be armed with pragmatic and useful information if this happens to you or someone you care about.

I am on Day 14 of what was diagnosed as a presumptive positive for COVID-19 after a test for Influenza A and B turned up negative. (I am still waiting for my COVID-19 results.) I’ve had a relatively mild case, and I’m on the mend. My congestion is clearing up, I can breathe deeply again, and going up and down the stairs doesn’t make me winded. My energy and appetite are coming back though I still have had a fever of 100+ for 14 straight days. Most of us will get a mild case. 40-70% of us will get it, but so much of the media frenzy right now is focused on things that were important last week and yesterday (every day feels a year these days, though, to be fair). I have seen shockingly few articles or helpful testimonials advising how best to treat ourselves at home, and, trust me, I’ve been looking. So much of the information we’re focused on now is preventing transmission, but there is woefully little on what to do IF and WHEN we get sick.

Being waylaid during the time that so many folks have been still frantically trying to avoid getting sick has offered me a strange bubble of calm and insight. I’m grateful for that because the fear out there is palpable. I would like for this to be an offering to assuage at least some panic. That is my hope anyway.

The CDC and the WHO have labored and lengthy instructions on how to prevent transmission to someone else in the household or orders to quarantine. This creates a new problem for us as caregivers. A potentially critically ill person separated from everyone else drastically reduces a caregiver’s ability to monitor, replenish fluids, and generally take care of the person who is sick. On top of that, these two trusted sources offer only the most basic (honestly, negligible) recommendations for treating symptoms: sleep, keep hydrated, and take Tylenol (or the generic acetaminophen). This kind of bare bones advice is, well, skeletal. We all want to know how best to take care of ourselves and each other so that we can avoid having to go to the hospital. We want to be able to recuperate at home because we want to prevent putting a strain on the system and, face it, the idea of going to the hospital in this scenario is downright daunting. The better we know how to nurse ourselves back to health, the better our odds are healing well in our own beds.

So, I wanted to share what I’ve learned.

Caveat emptors/disclaimers because I’m making this public and shareable: This is based on my own personal, lived experience. I am not a doctor, so this does not replace or supplant solid medical advice from a professional you trust. I have had relatively mild symptoms but still a longish case. I am one of the freakish 5% who has had never-ending nasal congestion that went into my upper respiratory tract, but I somehow avoided the dreaded cough. YMMV (your mileage may vary). I have no underlying health concerns, I’m 52, a non-smoker, and fortunate. I have a comfortable apartment to myself, and I was able to spend $500 to stock up on essentials before the lockdown and before I got sick. (For the love of all that is holy, I swear I did not stockpile anything, especially TP. Stocking up is simply incredibly expensive. I dwindled my account down to almost my last dollar, since I’m adjunct faculty at two local universities and don’t make a whole lot.) Still, that is more than so many of us are able to do, and I am grateful for all that I have. What follows goes a bit beyond common sense, because this virus is unlike anything I’ve experienced before, even though to be clear, this is certainly a far cry from the sickest I’ve ever been. I hope it can be a boon to friends and strangers alike.

Here are the things I did that helped:

WHILE YOU ARE WELL

1) Start taking your temperature in the morning and at night so that you have a baseline.

One of the first signs of the virus can be a low-grade fever, though this virus does present in different ways. Full disclosure: I was one of those people who had to go to 3 different drugstores on Wed Mar 11 looking for a thermometer amid decimated shelves.

2) Before you get sick, change your diet.

Stop eating and drinking things that will make it harder to fight off the virus. Mellow out on the processed foods, dairy, and sugar (alcohol and gluten are in this category too, sorry).

Increase your intake of immune-boosting foods like green vegetables, fish and other omega-threes, garlic, ginger, and citrus. You don’t have to give in to the whole elderberry craze (though it does taste pretty good). Replace coffee with chaga, a fungal immune booster that you can brew into a strong, soothing tea, for a few weeks.

If you think these dietary recommendations are extreme, consider that you are in a temporary but dire situation where everything else around us is collapsing. Change your eating habits this month, even if it’s just a little for a little while.

3) SLEEP at least 8 hours a night. (I know, I wake up at 4am in a blind panic too. But, still, try.)

4) Make a pot of soup NOW while you are healthy or at the first sign of any symptoms.

This is especially important if you are sheltering in place alone. When/if you get sick, trust me, you won’t have energy to cook. You will barely want to eat anything anyway. But you will force yourself to have two bowls of it every day, and it will help. The pot should be big enough so that you can eat from it for a week. Make your favorite broth-based recipe: chicken, vegetable, or bone. Bone is most healing, obviously. Avoid dairy and noodles because these ingredients increase congestion and inflammation. Freeze it if you don’t have any symptoms at this point, so you will be able to thaw it when you start to feel oogy.

WHEN YOU GET SICK

1) At the first sign of fatigue, a tickle in your throat, aches, or a fever, go to bed and stay there. SLEEP. Don’t try to keep working. Your body needs to heal, and it can do that most effectively when you are sleeping.

Early symptoms reportedly vary. Some have aches and fever, scratchy throat, and chest tightness with a dry cough. Headaches, sneezing + nasal congestion, shortness of breath, nausea, and diarrhea have all been reported. I woke up on Mar 14 with a headache, body aches, congestion, and a fever of 101. My fever spiked to 102.5 on Day 2, and I’ve had a fever of 100+ every day since along with body aches, nasal congestion (my nose opened up like an actual running faucet on day 5), chest tightness and upper respiratory congestion, exhaustion, lack of appetite, and some lower GI distress (though not full-on diarrhea, everything just felt labored and different and, sincere apologies for the vivid image I’m about to put in your head, my poop seemed to be covered in a gauzy cloud). The two aberrations from most commonly reported symptoms: I have only had a negligible cough, and I never had a sore throat. My baseline temp leading up to getting sick was 99, but I am usually a straight-up 98.6 kind of person.

I had a dinner party the Monday before I got sick, and a friend who helped me in the kitchen came down with the same thing at the same time. My friend has asthma and has had a much harder time of things. But we are both on the road to recovery, in large part because we have been sharing what we’ve learned, checking in with each other, and doing some intense jobs taking care of ourselves while in isolation. (No one else from the dinner party has gotten sick to date.)

2) DRINK WATER, every 15 minutes when you are awake. Every time you wake up or roll over, drink. It should be room temperature, not cold. Cold liquids exacerbate the illness.

3) Drink WARM liquids like herbal tea and broth. Hot liquids keep everything in your system moving. Make soothing, healing, and warming remedies out of whatever inexpensive supplies you already have available.

4) In the giant void of an antiviral treatment that works on COVID-19, I have turned/returned to plant medicine, and it has helped me a lot.

My cousin, who is taking a Chinese medicine course in Singapore right now, sent me directions on how to make a ginger and licorice root decoction that was used throughout China during the Hubei lockdown. It’s easy to make. You bake the licorice in molasses, and then you boil the licorice root and the ginger for an hour. The ginger licorice decoction has really helped my friend who also got sick at the same time I did.

Making tea from Chaga – an Alaskan mushroom – has been so incredibly helpful. I’ve made a large pot of it every day, reserving the chaga and re-steeping over and over again for the past two weeks. Was it the chaga or the fact that I was drinking a gallon of warm soothing liquid daily, ladling out a mugful every couple of hours, that helped me get better? I’ll go with a little of both.

Other natural antiviral immune boosters that might help include vitamin C, C60, and olive leaf extract, oregano oil, and Manuka honey. Since stores are closed and Amazon has stopped shipping, we have to make do with what we already have. Make a tea with citrus peels and cloves and sliced ginger, if that’s is in your fridge.

5) The word on the street is to manage fever with Tylenol or acetaminophen or paracetamol, which are supposed to be more suited to treating respiratory illness than other alternatives. Frankly, I have been taking acetaminophen as sparingly as possible to avoid putting strain on my other organs. Cool compresses work too.

Some people are saying NOT to take Advil and its generic ibuprofen, as they have anecdotally said to propel otherwise healthy people to hospitals for oxygen. There is a lot of noise and confusion in this debate, and I’m going to sidestep this thorny conversation for our purposes.

6) Zinc lozenges and elderberry syrup help with a scratchy throat and cough. A friend of mine prone to bronchitis recommended Myrtol, a German cough syrup made from natural ingredients, including elderberry. If you have a pharma protocol in place for managing a persistent, chronic cough, you are probably already on it.

7) The fatigue is real. It also becomes really hard to think clearly. That’s why it’s so important to have soup and tea and other supportive supplies ready ahead of time.8) When you think you are getting better the first three or four times, STAY IN BED.

The arc of this virus is really rollercoaster-y: up and down and up and down. After the initial alarm passes, (and it is alarming at first because you don’t know which way it’s going to go and that seizing up can make everything feel worse), I was able to focus on getting better, calmly. I made it through the first scary fever spikes, but right when I thought I was feeling better, I would get knocked down again. There were critical junctures around days 3, 5, and 7 where I was certain I’d turned a corner, and, well, yesterday.

I’d get up and do dishes, take out the trash, take my dog for a walk around the neighborhood (face covered), and try to get some work done (end of quarter grades were due at both my schools and my departments have been preparing like mad to take our classes online in the spring). Then I would feel hot and light-headed again, taking my temp only to see it had sprung back up to 101.5. You will feel better and want to get back up and do things only to get knocked right back down. The moment I ease up on drinking water and tea constantly, I start to feel horrible again.

Remember: YOU ARE ESSENTIALLY PREVENTING YOURSELF FROM DEVELOPING FULL-BLOWN VIRAL PNEUMONIA. I would say the new mantra needs to be SLEEP + DRINK WATER. Start now, to the extent that you can. Please resist the urge to get up and do things. Rest. Do your Zoom meetings from bed with a virtual office background, if you absolutely have to be on a call. But, truly, you shouldn’t because this is the time to sleep sleep sleep and binge watch The Good Place (my choice for existential dystopian laughs/insert whatever makes your socks go up and down). For the past few days, my temp has been normal in the morning only to spring back up to 100+ if I try to do too much (e.g. read: ANYTHING). When I let myself sleep, my temp goes back down.

9) A humidifier has helped. Some recommend running a hot shower and sitting in your own makeshift bathroom sauna. Steam eucalyptus or rosemary, if you have any, and inhale deeply. I just made a homemade vaporub with a base of coconut oil and a few drops each of clove, thyme, rosemary, and peppermint oil. It is wonderful.

10) My breathing never got dangerously shallow. But this virus can potentially fill your upper and lower respiratory tracts with mucous until you feel like you are drowning. A physical therapist wrote with life-saving advice about the importance of Postural Draining, a method of draining mucous from the lungs using gravity and percussion. It involves physically moving your body so that you tilt your lungs and bronchial tubes upside down and then firmly clap the back or chest. This allows the mucous to flow up out of the lungs along with deep, prolonged exhales. Then you can cough it the rest of the way out. You can do postural draining alone or have someone perform it on you. Google postural draining diagrams – there are different for positions for each of the five lobes of your lungs. Do these exercises for 3-5 minutes a day before you get too sick. You can get into position in a chair or laying over a yoga ball, bean bag, or pillows for support.

Failing steps 1-10, if you have difficulty breathing or your temperature spikes beyond what you and your doctor are comfortable with (I’ve heard different numbers), please go to the ER immediately. Some of you will develop dramatic and dangerous symptoms quickly. Please do not wait to seek care if your lungs are struggling beyond what you can manage at home. My advice is geared to keeping as many of us comfortable for as long as it takes to heal, but that obviously is only going to go so far for those who suffer from chronic conditions, are older, or are immunosuppressed. If you have a finger oximeter, and are able to monitor your oxygen levels numerically, then you will know when you have to go to the hospital. But very few of us have those, and they are way sold out.

THE OTHER SIDE

Healing from even a mild case (and mine IS mild) takes about two weeks to a month.

As my dad would day, take it easy. It is unclear how immunity works with COVID-19. Some have said that there was a patient in Japan who tested positive a second time. There is speculation that this, in fact, was a relapse and not re-infection. We need more time to learn about the virus. In the meantime, please give yourselves time to heal.

We don’t know how long immunity lasts, and we don’t know about immunity to slightly different mutated strains even if we have recovered from one of them. I do hope that we get to develop a fair amount of herd immunity in the next year, but, again, there is a lot to learn. We will obviously still need to protect our vulnerable populations, and our society will continue to bend and contort itself around the virus.

But I hope to be in a position to assist when others get sick. I will happily help you to the best of my abilities. Looking to a future I can hardly conceive at the moment, I anticipate learning more about plant medicine. Scientists will develop new antivirals, retrovirals, and vaccines. I look forward to donating plasma as part of a treatment for those who get sick in the future, whenever that near-distant moment may be.

And thank you, friends. I am good. I have everything I need. My inner circle is incredible (I love you, mom!). I have been quarantined since developing symptoms and went out for a half hour only to get tested (thank you, Howard Brown for your invaluable service). No one else I spent time with beforehand has gotten sick (except my one friend whose illness coincided with mine, and they are also struggling a bit today with the ups and downs. Please hold them in your thoughts).

May you and your loved ones stay healthy. Or, more to the point, may we all get well and stay well. Sending love to all corners.– Rachel Herman

[americannewsweb]

What food should I eat if I get COVID-19?

Unfortunately, despite all the precautionary practices, you may still come down with a case of COVID-19. Dealing with an illness can be very stressful. Although most cases of COVID-19 are mild, symptoms such as fever, dry cough, fatigue, nasal congestion, headache, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting can be extremely disruptive to your daily life. In addition to taking medications that can help relieve these symptoms, you should try to eat healthy because good nutrition is the key to recovery.

It should be noted that dietary supplements or specific foods will NOT treat COVID-19. According to WHO and CDC, there is no evidence that any sort of supplement or food will prevent COVID-19 either. What is important is that a COVID-19 patient should have a healthy and diverse diet that contains a range of vitamins and minerals. Having a well-balanced intake of micronutrients will speed up the recovery process because they are critical for a well-functioning immune system to help fight off the offending virus.

Clean water is on the top of the list of your diet especially if you are experiencing fever, coughing, nasal congestion, vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting can make you lose bodily fluids and contribute to dehydration. If your body is losing water, you will feel weak, dizzy, and may develop headaches. A state of dehydration will also increase the risk of irritation of the mucous membrane in your nose, throat, and mouth, which leads to more tissue inflammation. You will experience more coughing, sneezing, and even difficulty breathing. That is why it is crucial to stay drink plenty of water for better recovery. It is a good idea to keep your water supply nearby. Adequate daily fluid intake should be about 3.7 litres for women and 2.7 litres for men. As 20% of this fluid intake comes from food, you should be aiming for about 3 litres (women) or 2.2 litres (men).

There are specific nutrients that play critical roles in your immune system. If you lack these nutrients, it would be more difficult to recover from COVID-19. The best way to obtain these micronutrients is through food instead of dietary supplements. This is because, in some cases, dietary supplements may cause undesirable effects if taken in too large amounts, if they interact with your medications or if they are contraindicated in your medical condition. Here are some important nutrients that can strengthen your immune system and a list of foods where they can be found:

Vitamin C: This water-soluble vitamin is naturally present in many foods, especially in fruits and vegetables. It contributes to immune defence by supporting white blood cell functions. Vitamin C deficiency results in higher susceptibility to infections. Food products rich in Vitamin C include:

Oranges

Lemons

Broccoli

Potatoes

Strawberries

Chilli

Peppers

Vitamin D: This fat-soluble vitamin is mainly present in dairy products. It modulates immune function and cell metabolism. Another well-known benefit of Vitamin D is for maintaining bone health. It promotes the absorption of calcium in your digestive system. Low vitamin D leads to low calcium, resulting in fatigue, muscle weakness, and bone pain. Vitamin D synthesis requires a trigger from ultraviolet rays from the sun. Since you are expected to stay at home during the pandemic, it is likely you will receive less sunlight exposure during the year. In this case, you may need to consume more food product rich in Vitamin D. These include:

Milk

Yogurt

Cheese

Soy

Fish (trout, salmon)

Zinc: This mineral is naturally present in many different types of foods such as meat and seafood. It is important for cell growth, wound healing, and a healthy immune system. A deficiency in zinc, even to a mild degree, can impair immune function. This is why you should consume more of these foods listed below:

Beef

Pork

Oysters

Crabs

Beans

Yogurt

When preparing a well-balanced meal, good food safety practices are also important. Although there is no evidence that the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted through food handling or the consumption of food, it is always a good idea to take precautionary measures. The article Food and COVID-19: How should we protect ourselves goes into more detail explaining what you should do to protect yourself from catching illnesses through food. It also mentions microwaving your food whenever possible to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 viruses that may have contaminated your foods will NOT treat COVID-19.

During your 14-day self-isolation period at home, make sure to keep eating healthy. A combination of good rest, adequate nutrition, and appropriate medications will speed up the process to full recovery. However, you should continuously monitor your health and watch for warning signs. If you notice symptoms including trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, inability to stay awake, pale or blue-coloured skin, you should call 911 or visit the local emergency department immediately. Note that this is not a list of all possible symptoms, you should contact your healthcare provider if any new symptoms are concerning to you.

[keiithmingo]

4 Herbs to Help Immune Response

The immune system is very complex, yet traditional peoples have manages to develop practices which modern science now confirms as powerful interventions to improve immunity. For example, in traditional cultures around the world sweat lodges were built to engage in ritual purifications amongst both sexes. Now we know that heat shock protein is released during these saunas which stimulates innate immunity.

  In modern traditional Native American cultures I've experienced a sweat with a group of men, some of which have fasted for the day. In the sweat we would speak our hearts with humility, pray, perhaps drink some herbal tea. One could write a book in great detail on all the ways science has confirmed the benefits of these acts. Brought together in unison, they are very powerful. Here, I'd like to talk about some of the herbs that can help initiate our various immune responses as well as integrate with our natural Vitalist practices which we may draw upon.

  4 Herbs to Enhance Immune Response

  Red Root (Ceanothus species)

Yerba Mansa (Anemopsis californica)

Dan Shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza)

Baical Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis)

  Moving the lymph system is something that we can conceptualize in the modern world due to the identification of the lymphatic system just a few hundred years ago. However, I believe it's very likely that peoples previously had an awareness of this delicate system which regularly cleanses the system of wastes and transports key nutrients as well. A stagnant lymph system is often part and parcel of a chronic lingering infection, or the consequence of a poor diet, or excessive intake of medications. Even a sedentary lifestyle has clear negative impacts on the proper functioning of our lymph systems.

  Two of the herbs I often look to when needing to boost lymphatic movement are red root (Ceanothus species) and yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica). Each of these herbs work on the lymph system in unique ways but both are very useful in this regard.

  Red root may be considered more specific to the lymph system, and, frankly, it is my all-time favorite lymphatic herb. It is very useful in acute and chronic infections given the burden placed on the lymph in cleaning up from heightened immune activity. This pours over into the spleen, and can be witnessed as a sluggish feeling overall, lack of appetite, brain fog, and perhaps holding onto excess moisture, especially in the extremities. Red root also has a beneficial effect on the blood by improving its charge and thereby enhancing the flow of the blood. It is a subtle and gentle detoxifying agent and can be used daily for a long period of time by a wide range of folks without any concern for toxicity (aka, side effects).

        Taking red root on a daily basis is a wonderful way to keep the blood from getting too sticky (improving tendency to clot). Although the herb was used for its coagulating effects in the early 20th century, that was instead for topical application. Internally, it behaves quite differently on the blood and is not a coagulant. 

    Although yerba mansa has served as a virtual cure-all amongst the peoples of the American desert regions, I'm going to focus on its usefulness in moving the fluids in the body, as well as protecting the mucous membranes. The mucous membranes are our primary line of defense (aside from the skin). The mucous membranes line the respiratory tract, digestive tract, and genito-urinary tract.

      Thus, yerba mansa has so many applications in this way including bacterial, fungal, and viral infections, chronic inflammation, and accumulated toxicity in the tissue resulting in boils, etc. Its ability to promote fluid movement is similar to the effects of red root, but transcends the lymph over into blood, mucus, and even extracellular fluid (what exists between the cells). Perhaps yerba mansa even helps promote the movement of cerebrospinal fluid. 

  Look to yerba mansa for infections of the lymph, respiratory, and digestive systems, as well as the skin. Here you can use it both topically and internally. Further, yerba mansa contains endophytic fungi growing within its tissue lending more complexity to its antimicrobial qualities. 

  Yerba mansa is a classic remedy for any sinus condition and has been relied upon by many during acute respiratory infections. We feature it in our Hay Fever Formula, Anti-fungal Formula, and our Cold & Flu Formula. 

  Dan shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) is a Chinese herb which has been used extensively for millennia for systemic illnesses with a particular focus on the heart. Today, it is applied in a modern hospital setting, for example, as a primary therapeutic for cardiac arrest, or stroke patients upon admission due to its powerful recuperative effects on the heart. It promotes blood circulation and is also a primary remedy to help prevent blood clotting. Dan shen also upregulates ACE-2 which supports cardiovascular and respiratory health. Similar to red root, above, dan shen will support lymph movement by toning the spleen. It is also neuroprotective. 

    Outcomes of respiratory viruses are improved due to dan shen's strengthening of the lungs. Dan shen is profoundly anti-inflammatory and, thus, is a profound immune regulator, and can inhibit cytokines as well. Additionally, it can reduce pathogenic priming (an effect which allows a virus to become more virulent).

  Dan shen is a powerfully healing herb with a wide array of significant applications. I feel that it is an important herb for a great many people at this for the protection it provides the nervous system, the blood, and cardiovascular system as a whole.

  Relatedly, I have found our native Salvia columbariae, chia, to be an appropriate substitution for dan shen and it is featured in our Cardiovascular Support formula and our CV3 Cell Protection Formula.

    Baical skullcap is a perennial herb naturally occurring throughout northern Asia (Mongola, Russia, China) which is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. Amongst its many applications includes antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective.

  We are in an era of rampant nervous system dysregulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as blood toxicity. To an extent, Baical skullcap can address each of these through the effects of its flavonoids. In part, its beneficial effects on the liver help renew and strengthen the blood. Hepatitis, fibrosis of the liver, and fatty liver are all improved with the tea or tincture of Baical skullcap. When liver function can be normalized, the immune system function is greatly enhanced.

    Baicalein, a compound found in Baical skullcap, has been found effective at reducing reverse transcriptase in HIV-1 hinting that the herb may prove beneficial against other retroviruses. It is also great at inhibiting blood clotting as well as block attachment to ACE-2 receptors, and has various ways of protecting and repairing the tissue of the heart (eg. prevents the increase of cardiac troponin) while helping with any circulatory issues.

  In common with the above mentioned herbs, Baical skullcap tones the endothelial lining of the lymphatic system improving integrity and the flow of waste products out of the organs. Additionally, immunomodulatory effects by this herb improve the outcome of bacterial and acute viral infections.

  Importantly, Baical skullcap works against oxidative stress including reactive oxygen species (ROS) and its neuroprotective effects may be of great benefit against neurodegenerative disease. Also, consider Baical skullcap for any brain inflammation or central nervous system injuries.

  All of the above places Baical skullcap at the front of a natural protocol to enhance and recover adequate immune function in the face of today's environmental threats and communicable illnesses. Whether looking to simply boost immunity, reduce inflammation and improve tissue integrity, protect the brain, heart, and nervous system, or simply help fight an acute illness, Baical skullcap is an important herb to have on hand.

    References 

Scutellaria baicalensis, the golden herb from the garden of Chinese medicinal plants. https://ift.tt/3xVHAFx

Scutellaria baicalensis, the golden herb from the garden of Chinese medicinal plants. https://ift.tt/3xVHAFx

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19): Herbal Protocols for the Treatment of Infection and Post-Coronavirus Syndrome.  https://ift.tt/3kLNV2i

Southwest Medicinal Plants, John Slattery. 2020. 

4 Herbs to Help Immune Response published first on https://nutriherbsstore.tumblr.com/

[solarflaresrp]

Below the cut, you will find the preview for some new Illnesses and Disorders that have emerged since humanity has spread across the Solar System. As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to shoot us an ask or join our Discord server to ask your questions there!

ILLNESSES & DISORDERS

Black Vein

Black vein (as it’s called by citizens, official name in progress) is an illness that primarily attacks the brain, specifically its control over movement and emotion- however, this illness is constantly evolving. The exact origins of this sickness are not known, but there are theories that it was brought by rovers as a rover was the first person to be documented with the virus. While the main characteristics of this virus are the most well known, there’s less known and less looked for symptoms such as:

Fever

Drastic increase or decrease in appetite

Nausea

Dizziness

Numbness

Temporary loss of motion in hands

The most common symptoms and the ones most look for are:

Darkening of veins on skin

Sudden and erratic mood changes, aggression

Sudden and drastic personality changes

Loss of peripheral vision

Tremors

Seizures

Coughing up or vomiting of a black and oily substance

Delusions

Currently, there is no known cure for black vein, however there are treatments to help try and lessen the more severe symptoms and even rid a patient of the lesser known symptoms. If gone untreated, this illness can be deadly and it’s recommended you see a doctor if you begin to experience any symptoms. Usually, the illness will work quickly, and if not treated it can kill within months of contracting it- with treatment, the patient may be able to live years with the illness. The illness is not contagious through means of touch or physical contact, fluids (saliva, blood, ect) must be directly exchanged in order to contract this illness. It is not thought to be airborne, but this is greatly debated as there are people who have not exchanged fluids who have contracted black vein.

Scientists have started turning their attention to other possible causes, such as foods that are widely distributed and cheap such bread, rice, and potatoes.

The most common and widely known symptom of this illness, and it’s name sake, will slowly start to darken the color of your veins and arteries. Sometimes, this symptom doesn’t appear until the patient is on their deathbed, though this is exceptionally rare. Other common symptoms usually appear in later stages when the patient is far beyond help, but there are doctors who are working to help those in the later stages when others might find the patient a lost cause and turn them away so as to not risk their staff.

Explanation of common symptoms

DARKENING OF VEINS — The darkening of the veins is an odd process, but the most common symptom of all of them. Doctors don’t know why this happens, but they believe it may be caused by not enough oxygen getting into the blood and the blood itself thickening. It’s unclear how people survive as long as they do with the darkening of veins to the point they’re black, but it can be combated with blood thinners. It is thought that this is why the illness is so deadly.

SEIZURES — As the illness attacks the brain, it attacks different parts of the brain, particularly the focal frontal lobe. This lobe controls multiple things, and continued prolonged seizures in the capacity that black vein causes, in turn, causes damage to that lobe. Oftentimes these seizures are grand-mal.

ERRATIC MOOD SWINGS, AGGRESSION — Those with black veins may be prone to mood swings as a side effect to the damage the seizures cause, and can be minor or major changes in mood. Most experience the more major mood swings are more prone to anger, and more prone to aggression.

PERSONALITY SHIFTS — A side effect of prolonged seizures, it’s not uncommon for patients to have complete personality shifts almost overnight. One day they may be kind and caring, and the next they may be more prone to violence, anger, and rage- or vice versa.

TREMORS AND RANGE OF MOTION LOSS — The final side effect of prolonged seizures, patients may experience tremors and/or loss of motion in their hands, arms, and legs. Tremors are temporary more often than not. However, depending on the severity of the loss of motion, depending on if the patient’s motion is limited or completely unable to move said limbs, can be temporary or permanent.

PERIPHERAL VISION LOSS — Most patients describe the vision loss as tunnel vision, or like someone has put a white glaze over our peripheral. This loss is often slow, and you don’t notice it until it’s far too late to be corrected. This is caused by the virus attacking the Occipital lobe.

COUGHING OR VOMITING OF BLACK OILY LIQUID — Testing done on patients has found that those with these symptoms are, in fact, coughing up their blood. How the blood gets to this consistency, or how it has become so black is unknown, but doctors are racing to find the cause.

DELUSIONS — Patients experiencing delusions are not quite common, but are common enough in patients with black vein that it has become a main symptom. Patients experiencing black vein delusions often claim that they have already died. Sadly, not much research has been done into what causes this, as delusions are one of the final symptoms brought on by black vein, resulting in the patient dying usually within 1-4 days of experiencing these delusions. Doctors believe that these delusions may also be a side effect of the prolonged seizures, but have found no evidence to support this claim.

Acclimation Deficiency

Those born on stations that rely on artificial gravity, or settlements that are low gravity and use partial artificial gravity systems to compensate, must go through what is called the Acclimation Process in order to go down onto a planet or settlement with natural gravity similar to Earth’s. This is due to a difference in bone density between Dwellers and Stationers.

It took several generations to fully grasp the severity of the lighter bone density of Stationers and Low Gravs. At first, the issue presented itself with mild symptoms, as many Stationers and Low Gravs visited Earth or Mars during their life, giving them natural acclimation over time.

But as settlements became more independent, the less often those living off Earth or Mars went planetside. Scientists were thrown money from the richest Stationers and Low Gravs to research ways to combat this deficiency and allow them to go down to planets without issue.

Nearly a decade later, a treatment plan was developed with a 50% success rate. Many pushed back, saying this wasn’t good enough, but as this was a new medical issue there was no point of reference they could rely on to increase the odds of the treatment working. Still, many more were willing to throw money at doctors certified to oversee the treatment plan.

A 50% chance is better than no chance at all.

The treatment is incredibly painful and use of medication to ease the pain during the process is heavily advised against. Many scientists claim the use of other medications, such as pain killers, can decrease the odds of the treatment being successful.

Treatment Process

Day 1:

Two injections into the hip to infuse bone marrow with a serum to improve bone density

One injection at the base of the skull to improve blood circulation in the brain

Day 2:

One injection into the sternum to strengthen the heart’s muscles

Two injections, one into each lung, to increase oxygen intake

Day 3:

Two final injections into thighs to fully infuse bone marrow with a serum to improve bone density

Each injection is incredibly painful and carries the risk of damaging the targeted organs, around 10% experience a failure at this stage and have permanent damage to one or several of their organs. However, as medical technology has advanced, this number has begun to decline with the majority recovering from the treatment process.

However, there is no way to predict if the Acclimation Process has been successful until one goes planetside and experiences natural gravity first hand.

Of the 50% whose Acclimation is successful, the majority will experience some of the mild symptoms of the deficiency for the first forty-eight hours planetside. However, they will alleviate on their own once their bodies fully adjust to the new environment.

However, if severe symptoms begin to manifest after the forty-eight hour period, it is largely assumed by medical staff across Sol that the Acclimation has failed and thus recommend the patient is transported back to a Station or low-gravity settlement. Very rarely does one who experiences severe symptoms fully adjust to being planetside with no long-term effects on their body or health.

If someone who experiences severe symptoms ignores medical advice, critical symptoms begin to appear a week after they land planetside. Once these symptoms manifest certain death is around the corner.

At this point, medical professionals make the decision to transport the patient off-planet if they do not have a next of kin that can make the decision for them. When they are safely back on a station or low-gravity settlement, it is a fifty/fifty shot that their symptoms will reverse themselves and their bodies will recover from the trauma experienced planetside.

Most who recover from critical symptoms will have long-term health problems as a result, most damage to their lungs which prevents them from performing tasks as they once used to.

Mild symptoms:

Difficulty breathing/shortness of breath after menial tasks

Increased heart rate

Increased blood pressure

Elevated temperature

Severe symptoms:

Fainting

Tremors

Breathing difficulties while at rest

Ringing in ears

Blurred vision

Chest pains

Critical symptoms:

Unable to breathe without assistance

Vomiting blood

Swelling of the brain

Seizures

Space Sickness

Most common in those who were born and raised on planets or moon settlements and have moved to a station, space sickness is exactly what it sounds like. In a way, it’s like sea sickness or pressure sickness, and is usually not fatal, but there have been cases of it being so in the most extreme cases. This can easily be treated by docking on a planet for a week or two, and doctors are usually not needed but it is a very case-by-case basis.

Symptoms may include:

Dizziness

Joint pain

Headache

Fatigue

Nausea

Sweating

[healthandwellnessblog-blog2]

COVID-19 And Diabetes: Effective Ways To Manage The Condition

COVID 19(corona virus Diseases-2019) is cause by corona virus SARS-CoV-2(serve acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2). It is highly infectious respiratory track diseases , virus enters through mucus membrane and primarily affect the lung. Corona virus spread through droplet of saliva or discharge from the nose when an inflected person coughs or sneezes.

 In most cases it shows only mild symptoms or illness like common cold or flu. But More rarely, the disease can be fatal. Older people, children below age of 10 and those with pre- existing medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes appear to be more vulnerable. So here, 3Meds best online pharmacy in India explains about impact of covid-19 on diabetic patients and effective ways to manage both.

Impact of covid-19 on diabetic patients:-

The people who have diabetes have high risk of serious infection of COVID-19. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that occurs when pancreas doesn't secrete enough insulin. Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose is your main source of energy and comes from the food you eat. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food get into your cells to be used for energy. A bunch of other disease are also associated such as cardiovascular disease, eye damage, foot damage, kidney damage, etc.

–According to American Diabetes Association, a person with diabetes is not more likely to get COVID-19 than general population. 

–The COVID-19 infection is a double challenge for people with diabetes. Diabetes has been reported to be a risk factor for the severity of the disease.

–The problem gets worse if diabetic person comes in contact with corona virus and get infected. It become more severe and increases the risk of mortality rate by 7%.

–It becomes harder to treat diabetic patients with corona virus due to fluctuation in blood glucose level.

–The immune system is compromised, so it become harder to fight against virus and results in low recovery rate. Virus may thrive in an environment of elevated blood glucose.

–Diabetes also keeps the body in a low-level state of inflammation, which makes its healing response to any infection slower.

–The viral infection in diabetes person increase risk of DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) commonly experienced by type 1 diabetes person.

–If blood sugar is high (greater than 240mg/dl) check for ketones to avoid DKA. Prevention is the only way by which we can manage both the diseases.

–It becomes difficult to manage the fluid intake and electrolyte level. This is one of the serious complications which are reported in COVID 19 cases.

Effective ways to manage the condition:-

In this case, first of all, no need to panic a person who has diabetes. It can be prevented by following some simple steps. That you can easily follow at your home and prevent spread of disease.

1. One of the best ways to prevent the spread of corona virus disease is to practice social distancing and stay home as much as possible. Don't go outside until necessary. Don't allow visitors at your home.

2. Monitoring of Ketone and glucose level is very important for diabetic patients. So, it is important to keep the reserve of glucose and ketone monitoring strips handy in these situations. Buy dietary supplements and strips for diabetes online at 3Meds- top pharmacy in India to keep a check on your sugar levels. With good blood sugar control, people with diabetes can reduce the risk of getting severely sick from COVID-19.

3. Wash your hands properly or use alcohol based sanitizer with minimum 60-70% alcohol when you are outside or orders something from outside.

4. Avoid direct contact with ill person because it will cause infection. Don't visit your neighbors or family members if they are sick. Maintain contact via phone calls, video calls or SMS.

5. Drink water because water help to rehydrate the blood when body tries to remove excess glucose through urine. If water is in limited amount body remove water from saliva and tears and glucose may not be passed out through urine, this leads to further dehydration.

6. Physical activity- indoor exercise and walking, minimize sitting time, regular active break to keep yourself fit and active.

7. It is very important to eat to healthy food, limit refined sugars and carbohydrates. Consume adequate vegetables fruits, green leaves and nuts to boost your immunity.

8. Check for symptoms regularly. Fever is one of the common symptoms of corona virus. It becomes more important to check the body temperature.

9. Don't take stress, take at least 7 hours of sleep per night.

10. If you think you have symptoms contact a doctor or health care providers as soon as possible and get immediate medical attention.

Conclusion:- Though it is a risk for diabetic patients, but you can always prevent the disease by following certain measures at your home or outside. And can avoid the risk of getting infected by covid-19. Maintain good hygiene and social distancing.

[babyconnectingworld]

Constipation in breastfeeding babies: What to know

Constipation in breastfeeding babies: What to know

  Constipation is uncommon in infancy, particularly in breastfed babies, but it can happen. Breastfed babies tend to have fewer episodes of constipation and diarrhea than formula-fed babies because breast milk is easier than formula to digest. In older children, constipation is common and accounts for about 3% of visits to pediatric outpatient clinics and up to 25% of visits to pediatric Gastroenterology. A baby might be constipated if they are passing hard pebble-like stools or have a distended belly. As every baby poops on their own schedule, the frequency of bowel movements is not always an accurate indicator of constipation. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || ).push({}); In this article breastfeeding constipation, we examine the possible causes of constipation in breastfed babies. We also look at the symptoms of constipation in babies and the treatments and home remedies.   Share on InterestConstipation in breastfed babies is uncommon. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that babies exclusively have breast milk until 6 months after birth. During this time, they advise not giving any additional foods or fluids to the baby unless a doctor recommends it. After the first 6 months, parents or caregivers can then introduce solid foods to the baby's diet. A parent or caregiver may notice changes in the baby's bowel habits and the color and consistency of their stools if they decide to switch to infant formula or when they begin introducing solid foods. A 2018 study examined the bowel habits of 83,019 newborn babies in Japan. According to the authors, most instances of coincided with the transition from to infant formula, regardless of whether the woman gave birth vaginally or by cesarean delivery. A baby may develop harder stools and constipation after starting solid foods. Certain foods, such as rice cereal and dairy milk, may cause constipation in babies younger than 1 year. Other possible causes of constipation in breastfed babies include: Not having enough liquids. Liquids help stool pass through the bowels smoothly. Illness. Infections can cause a decrease in a baby's appetite or lead to vomiting and diarrhea, which may result in dehydration and constipation. Medical conditions that affect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, such as Hertzsprung disease, can cause constipation and other digestive symptoms. Withholding stool. Babies may purposefully avoid passing hard or painful stools —a behavior that doctors refer to as withholding. Babies who have diaper rash may also withhold to avoid pain. Stress. Exposure to new environments, traveling, or weather changes may be stressful for a baby. Stress can affect their physical health and may result in a change in stool frequency and possibly constipation. A woman who is breastfeeding may wonder how her diet affects her breast milk and whether her choice of foods can influence the baby's digestive health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), women do not need to avoid specific foods while breastfeeding. However, babies may appear to avoid feeding after a woman eats a particular food. In this case, the woman may wish to refrain from eating that food for a while and reintroduce it later. Women may also want to limit or avoid caffeine while breastfeeding because small amounts of caffeine pass from the woman to the baby through breast milk. Experts suggest that most women who breastfeed can safely ingest 300–500 milligrams of caffeine per day. Excessive amounts of coffee may lower the iron concentrations in breast milk, which may cause mild iron deficiency anemia in some babies. Although most women do not need to restrict their diets while breastfeeding, they should aim to eat a nutritious and diverse diet. breastfeeding constipation Although changes in the frequency of a person's bowel movements may indicate constipation in older children and adults, this is not necessarily the case for babies. Newborn babies may have multiple bowel movements each day. According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, from 3–6 weeks of age onward, breastfed babies may have only one bowel movement per week because breast milk leaves minimal solid waste to pass through the digestive tract. Breastfed babies older than 6 weeks can go several days to a week between bowel movements. Babies often show signs of straining, such as crying or getting red in the face, while having a bowel movement. However, straining does not necessarily mean that a baby has constipation. Babies may take a while to learn how to have bowel movements. Symptoms of constipation in breastfed babies may include: being excessively fussy crying for prolonged periods refusing to feed having a hard, distended belly having rectal bleeding passing hard or bloody stools crying during a bowel movement experiencing weight loss or poor weight gain Normal bowel habits vary from baby to baby. Parents and caregivers should monitor their baby's bowel habits and take note of any changes. Doing this may help them decide when they need to take the baby to a doctor. breastfeeding constipation It is possible to treat constipation in breastfed babies at home using various remedies. However, constipation in exclusively breastfed babies is so uncommon that parents and caregivers may wish to speak to a pediatrician before trying home remedies. Dietary changes Dietary changes for a baby who is taking formula or foods other than breast milk may help relieve constipation. women can also try eliminating foods that have an association with infant, such as dairy, from their diet. However, changes to the woman's diet may not affect the baby's digestion. Babies who eat solids may have difficulty digesting high fiber foods or dairy products if parents or caregivers introduce them too early. High fiber foods may also help relieve constipation in babies who can tolerate most solid foods. These foods include: whole grains, such as oatmeal or barley cereal skinless fruits broccoli peas pureed prunes Liquids help move stools through the digestive tract. Increasing a baby's fluid intake may also help relieve constipation. Exercise Exercise can stimulate a baby's bowels and help them pass stools. However, babies who cannot walk or crawl will require a parent or caregiver to help them exercise. Parents and caregivers can help relieve constipation by gently moving the baby's legs in a bicycling motion with the baby lying on their back. Putting a baby on its stomach to squirm, reach, and play with toys can also stimulate a bowel movement. Massage Parents and caregivers can gently massage a baby's stomach to help try to relieve constipation. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || ).push({}); Massage techniques to consider include: using the fingertips to make circular motions on the stomach gently bending the baby's knees and pushing the feet toward the belly gently sweeping an open palm from the top of the baby's rib cage down their stomach Warm bath A warm bath may help relax a baby's abdominal muscles, which might make stools pass through the digestive tract more easily. Parents and caregivers should speak with a doctor or pediatrician if their baby: appears distressed or in pain has a hard, distended belly passes bloody stools has rectal bleeding refuses to eat has a fever vomits loses weight or is unable to gain weight frequently struggles passing stools A doctor can diagnose constipation in babies by reviewing their medical history and performing a physical exam. Rarely, a doctor may order additional laboratory tests, such as a stomach X-ray, to diagnose or rule out other conditions. If home remedies and dietary changes do not relieve a baby's constipation, a doctor might prescribe a mild laxative or suppository. Parents and caregivers should never give these treatments to a baby without speaking to a trained healthcare professional first. Constipation is not a common occurrence in breastfed babies. It usually happens as a result of changing to formula or starting solid foods. Having infrequent bowel movements is not always an indication that a baby is constipated. Constipated babies are likely to pass hard, pebble-like stools. Home remedies may help relieve constipation in breastfed babies. If a parent or caregiver is concerned about their baby's bowel movements and accompanying symptoms, they should take them to see a doctor. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || ).push({});   breastfeeding constipation   Read the full article

[torixus]

6 Unusual Signs of Dehydration You Should Know About

Your breath, skin, and body temperature may be telling you you’re running low on water.

Every living thing needs water to survive! Sweating, peeling, vomiting, or diarrhea may cause fluid loss, according to MedlinePlus, further increasing your fluid needs, threatening your survival and making you thirsty.

If you are thirsty, this is the most obvious sign that you are dehydrated, and this happens when your body does not have enough fluid to reach its peak. According to MedlinePlus, dehydration does not mean that you lose water, it does mean that you lose electrolytes, such as salt and potassium, which help your body breathe, move, talk and do all the other things. He will do it to stay and run.

According to Medline Plus, certain health conditions, including diabetes, can put you at risk for dehydration. If you're sweating profusely due to heat or stress, flu or other acute illnesses, diarrhea, or frequent urination, it's important to watch your fluid intake. People who are particularly vulnerable to fluid loss include those who are unable to quench their thirst due to disability or illness, those who are athletes, or those who are just too young or too old to replace it on their own. is the NHS.

Excessive dehydration, as prescribed by the World Health Organization, as fluid loss of more than 10 percent of body weight can lead to injury or fatal complications, requires a visit to the EC. Seizures, arrhythmias, or hypovolemic seizures may occur because your blood volume is too low.

However, this is rare. Most of the time, you can easily replenish your liquid stores to avoid dehydration. The trick to Truth is that you can lose 3 to 4 percent of your body weight through dehydration without experiencing any real symptoms, says Dr. Alp Arkun, head of emergency medical services at Kaiser Permanente Fontana in Southern California and Ontario Medical Center. After losing 5 to 6 percent, according to Medline Plus, you will begin to experience mild dehydration symptoms. Thirst, fatigue, dizziness, or constipation are all signs that it's time to get water or a sports drink that is low in sugar and high in electrolytes.

But the signs of dehydration are not always obvious. Here are six amazing signs and symptoms of dehydration.

1. Bad breath is a possible warning sign of dehydration

Saliva has antibacterial properties, but dehydration can prevent your body from making enough saliva.

"If you don't produce enough saliva, you can grow bacteria in your mouth, and one of the side effects is bad breath," said Hig von Higgins, a professor of medicine at Houston University and a professor of cardiology at Johnson University in London.

2. Dry or liquid skin can be a sign of dehydration

"A lot of people think that people who are dehydrated are really sweaty, but in fact, when you go through different stages of dehydration, you get very dry skin," says Dr. Higgins, adding that the skin can also look fragile. :

In the case of manicure, the skin of the dehydrated person may remain "tangled" and require some time to return to its normal, smooth appearance.

3. Muscle cramps are a symptom of dehydration, probably from heat illness

When your body loses enough fluid, it is unable to cool itself enough to cause heat illness, according to OrthoInfo. You need to look for a symptom of muscle soreness that can occur during exercise, especially in hot weather.

"The hotter you get, the more likely you are to have muscle aches and pains, and that's because of the pure heat effect on mice. As the muscles work harder and harder, they can absorb heat on their own. Changes in electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, can also lead to muscle soreness, ”says Higgins.

Even in colder weather, dehydration is possible if you do not drink enough fluids during processing. Higgins says the symptoms may be milder or slower, but dehydration carries the same risks regardless of the outside temperature.

4. Fever and cold are more symptoms of heat illness, which causes dehydration

Other symptoms of Heat Disease include fever and bitterness. You can sweat profusely while your skin is touching.

Dehydration can be exacerbated by fever. The higher the temperature, the more dehydrated you can become. As long as your body temperature doesn't drop, your skin will lose its cool mess, then it will become hot, pimple-like and dry to the touch. At this point, it's important that you get a cold immediately and see a health care professional, as recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Applying ice and cold, damp wipes and moving to a cool area are short-term strategies until you can see a medical professional.

According to the Mayo Clinic, children and infants are more likely to lose body fluid due to heat, and they are more likely to experience acute diarrhea and vomiting. Any fever in babies or toddlers is a cause for concern. Ask your pediatrician for instructions on when to call for help.

5. Eating cravings, especially sweets, can mean you're thirsty

"When you're dehydrated, it can be difficult for the liver, which uses water, to get rid of glycogen [glucose] and other ingredients in your energy stores, so you can actually get cravings for food," says Higgins.

He says that before you want anything from chocolate to a snack, craving sweets is more common, as your body can have a hard time breaking down glycogen to release glucose into the bloodstream to use as fuel.

6. Headaches can be a sign that you need to drink more water

According to Medline Plus, even mild dehydration can cause dehydration headaches and headaches. Although various factors besides dehydration can cause headaches, drinking a full glass of water during the day and shedding more fluids during the day is an easy way to relieve your pain if dehydration is actually to blame.

How do you tell if you're dehydrated or not?

If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. But lack of thirst does not mean that you are well hydrated. Here are two other ways to check if your body is dehydrated.

Try this skin test. Use two fingers to glue a few skins on the back of the hand, then leave the skin. The skin should return to its normal position in no less than a few seconds. Higgins says that if the skin returns to normal more slowly, you may become dehydrated.

Check your urine count. If you moisturize well, the amount of your urine will be mostly clear with a yellow tinge (light lemon color before putting it in a bowl). Darker yellow or orange colors are "warning" colors that should be considered according to San Diego's health. If you see these colors, start drinking liquids.

Tips for moisturizing

When it comes to daily water intake, it's hard to follow fast-paced rules, as it depends on so many variables, including your age, gender, whether you're pregnant or breastfeeding, and whether you have any underlying medical conditions. :

2004 2004 National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine The guidelines recommend that women drink 2.7 liters և 3.7 liters of food and fluid per day for women.

Here are some tips to get all the fluids you need to avoid dehydration.

Always keep your water bottle

"If it's next to you, you're probably going to lose the habit without even realizing it," says Johanna Sakimura, a rheumatologist at Summit in RD, New Jersey, and an oncologist at the Onlook Medical Center.

Try to taste plain water

"If you don't like plain water, add jazz to it, adding pieces of fruit juice or fresh or frozen fruit," says Sakimura. "Or try naturally flavored calorie waiters. Their fur and fruit juice make them more attractive than plain, plain water. ”

Related LaCroix's lawsuit. Is sparkling water good or bad for you?

Apply sugar to herbal tea

Sakimura recommends drinking raw teas that are available with different spices. “Drink sweetened fruit juices during the day (with lots of ice if it's hot) or hot tea with mint tea or chamomile tea at night. They all count on your daily fluid intake. ”

Swap your packaged snacks for fresh options

"Change dry snacks such as chips, pies and crackers, which are very low in water, with refreshing munchies, such as fresh or frozen fruit, yogurt, healthy smilies, celery with peanut butter, and cut vegetables.

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Symptoms of Dehydration (What Are the Signs & Stages)

Dehydration takes place when your body loses more fluids than it ingests making it unable to execute its normal functions. Having enough water and healthy beverages in your survival food kit can be a lifesaver. In this post, we shall discuss the signs and symptoms of dehydration.

How can you tell if you are dehydrated?

Thirst can be the first sign of dehydration; but it’s not a reliable symptom. For instance, adults can become dehydrated without feeling thirsty. This is why you should drink sufficient amount of water throughout the day. Other indications of fluid loss include a decrease in urine production and unusually dark urine.

A change in urine color is one of the best dehydration signs. Clear urine indicates that you’re well hydrated.

But, dehydration signs and symptoms vary depending on age as seen below.

Free Bonus: I’ve included an infographic on the Signs of Dehydration at the bottom of the article. Feel free to download or share it – just please mention where it came from.

Dehydration symptoms in young kids and infants

The symptoms of dehydration include:

A dry mouth and tongue

Failure to wet their diapers within three hours

Lack of tears when they cry

Sunken cheeks and eyes

Irritability or listlessness

What are the symptoms of dehydration in adults?

They include:

Extreme thirst

Dark-colored urine

Less frequent urination

Fatigue

Confusion

Dizziness

Signs of severe dehydration

How does dehydration affect the body? Severe dehydration can be defined as the loss of approximately 15% of the body’s water. The symptoms of dehydration include:

Sunken eyes

Lack of sweating

Dark shriveled skin

An increase in the heart rate or rapid heartbeat

Low blood pressure

Fever

Unconsciousness

Delirium

At what point should you call your doctor?

Contact your general practitioner or call 911 in a medical emergency if you or your loved one experiences the following symptoms dehydration:

Diarrhea for 24 or more hours

Is unable to keep any fluids down

Is irritable, overly sleepy, disoriented, and unusually inactive

Has black or blood-stained stool

What are the stages of dehydration?

Doctors classify dehydration in three stages. These are:

Mild

Moderate and

Severe

Balancing or reversing mild or moderate dehydration can be done by drinking fluids containing electrolytes, also known as salts. Prolonged dehydration adversely affects your health and can cause death.

Skin turgor definition

Skin turgor is the elasticity of skin. For instance, when you pinch the skin on your arm, it should return in place within one or two seconds. Decreased skin turgor means that your skin takes longer to return to its normal position. The skin turgor test is often used to determine the level of dehydration. Poor skin turgor can occur in severe or moderate fluid loss.

What causes dehydration?

The primary cause of dehydration is the failure to take sufficient water or other beverages and losing excess amounts of fluids. Various factors in today’s fast-paced world make it challenging to keep up with the 8 -glass rule. These include:

Being in an area that lacks clean drinking water

Being too occupied to drink much water

Lacking the strength or even the facilities to take much water

Being in hot weather

It can also be caused by:

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is an example of one of the most common causes of dehydration and, in severe cases, death. Usually, the large intestine absorbs water from food and diarrhea can inhibit this process. When you suffer from diarrhea your body causes you to lose water in excess amounts which causes increased dehydration.

Vomiting

Vomiting excessively leads to loss of fluids in the body and to continue replacing them can be a tough.

Diabetes

High levels of blood sugar trigger frequent urination which leads to excess loss of body fluids. Recurrent urination can also be caused by alcohol and medications such as antihistamines, diuretics, antipsychotics, and blood pressure medicine.

Sweating

Sweating is the body’s cooling technique where it discharges some amount of water. Engaging in intense physical activity can trigger excessive sweating which increases the amount of fluids your body loses. Suffering from fever can also increase sweat which can make you become dehydrated. This can be worse if you are vomiting and experiencing diarrhea at the same time.

Burns

Burns can cause damage to the blood vessels resulting in fluid leaks in the surrounding tissues.

Who’s more at risk of dehydration?

It can happen to anybody, but it’s important to note that some people are at a higher risk. They include:

People living in areas with high altitudes

People with chronic illnesses such as kidney disease, cystic fibrosis, adrenal gland disorders, and diabetes

Athletes who participate in endurance events such as cycling, triathlon, and marathon tournaments

Infants and children due to vomiting and diarrhea

Dehydration in older adults and the elderly is common and can be caused by failure to drink enough water in a bid to avoid frequent visits to the toilet at home.

Uncontrolled dehydration can cause severe complications such as:

Low blood volume

Insufficient blood in the body lowers blood pressure and reduces the amount of oxygen penetrating through tissues. This can be risky and should be controlled immediately to prevent a medical emergency.

Seizures

Seizures can occur due to electrolyte imbalance.

Heat injury

Prolonged exposure to extremely high temperatures can trigger various types of heat injury such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and mild cramps.

How to diagnose dehydration

To establish whether or not a patient is dehydrated, the doctor may need to perform a mental and physical examination. If they present the symptoms indicated above, the doctor may treat them for dehydration. Often, blood tests are conducted to check for kidney function, potassium, sodium, and levels of other electrolytes.

Video

Understanding electrolytes

Electrolytes are chemicals that control hydration in the human body. They are critical for muscle and nerve function. Doctors usually rely on urinalysis to determine dehydration. As we have seen above, dehydrated people will have overly concentrated and darker urine and high levels of ketones.

Diagnosing dehydration in infants is done through checking for a sunken soft spot on the skull. Doctors can also check for specific muscle tone.

Treating dehydration

What is the fastest way to cure dehydration? It can be treated by drinking water or any beverage that’s within room temperature.

What is the best thing to drink when you are dehydrated? Drink lots of clear fluids such as broths, water, sports drinks, and ice pops. Keep away from caffeinated beverages such as coffee, soda, or tea because they increase bladder activity which can dehydrate you.

Any underlying conditions that could be triggering dehydration, like with older adults, should also be treated using the correct medication depending on the doctor’s advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Some of these medications are available online and over the counter. They include anti-fever medications, anti-emetics that help control vomiting or diarrhea.

What should you do in the case of heat exposure?

Here are some tips to help you or your loved one cool down from heat exposure.

Loosen or remove excess clothing

Move to an air-conditioned area to regulate body temperature

In case air conditioning is unavailable, place the affected person outside under the shade or near a fan. You can also wrap a wet towel around the patient’s forehead.

Don’t expose the patient to extremely cold conditions such as ice water or ice packs. This can cause constriction and a decrease in blood vessels to worsen the symptoms of dehydration

Spray lukewarm water on the patient using a spray bottle

How to prevent diarrhea

Prevention is key when it comes to treating dehydration and eating foods and fruits with high water content and drinking lots of fluids will help prevent dehydration. You should also avoid engaging in strenuous activities during the hottest part of the day.

If you work out regularly or are an athlete, you should replenish fluids regularly. Remember, young children and older adults / elderly are at a higher risk of suffering from dehydration. You want to monitor them and ensure they get enough fluids.

How to take care of dehydrated patients

If you or your loved one is recovering from this, make sure they:

Take prescription medication as directed by the doctor

Attend hospital appointments as directed

Take lots of fluids to remain well hydrated and replenish lost fluids

Be on the lookout for signs of dehydration

How do dehydrated patients recover?

Once it is treated and any underlying causes determined, many people recover normally. Managing mild to moderate dehydration resulting from extreme exercise, heat exposure, or low water intake is easy. Still, the recovery process can slow down in severe cases, or when any underlying causes aren’t well managed.

What food is ideal for dehydrated people?

Many vegetables and fruits as we’ve seen above contain high water content. Some dairy products also come with a hydrating effect. Broths and soups are ideal for your health and keeping dehydration at bay. Whether you don’t like the taste of water or are looking for ways of staying hydrated, you should include water dense foods in your diet. Here are some of the top foods that can help with rehydration or keeping you hydrated.

Watermelon 

Watermelon is not only hydrating, but it’s also quite juicy. It contains up to 92% of water and is low on calories. This fruit is also delicious, will enhance your heart health, keep you hydrated, and reduce inflammation.

Celery

Celery is also known as a water-dense vegetable. It contains up to 95% of water and has fewer calories to help with weight loss. This vegetable not only boosts water retention in the body, but it also reduces inflammation. If you are looking for a healthy snack, celery is the way to go.

Cucumbers

95% of cucumber is water. These vegetables not only give you an ideal way of staying hydrated, but they also contain minerals and vitamins to keep your body nourished with essential nutrients. Did you know that cucumbers can boost your weight loss strategy and enhance bowel movements?

Blackberries 

88% of blackberry is made of water. These fruits are not only hydrating, but they are also fiber dense and rich in vitamins K and C.

Iceberg lettuce

Iceberg lettuce contains up to 96% of water making it a great candidate for keeping you hydrated. Many people love this vegetable due to its neutral and refreshing taste. You’ll also get a good share of vitamins and other nutrients from consuming iceberg lettuce.

Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is commonly used by health and fitness enthusiasts across the world due to its filling properties. 80% of cottage cheese is water making it ideal for keeping your well hydrated. This product also nourishes your body with proteins and calcium.

Broths and soups

Broths and clear soups are good sources of various nutrients such as proteins and vitamins. Further, they also contain approximately 92% of water which is enough fluids to keep you hydrated. They can also help you in your weight loss journey.

Radishes

Radishes are crunchy and delicious vegetables that contain high water content. They also come with antifungal properties and can help boost healthy digestion. 95% percent of this vegetable is water and it can be a good salad topping or snack to help you stay hydrated.

Yogurt

Did you know that approximately 88% of yogurt is water? It’s also calcium and protein-dense. Opt for unflavored yogurt if you’re looking to achieve hydrating benefits while consuming low amounts of sugar. You can flavor your natural yogurt with fresh berries to make it the ideal energizing and hydrating snack which you can take after your workout.

Finally

While dehydration is a life-threatening condition, you can easily manage it by staying hydrated. Numerous foods and fruits can help you keep it at bay as we’ve seen above. If you don’t like the taste of water you can prepare drinking water infused with vegetables and fruits of your choice. Seek medical attention from someone who can provide medical advice diagnosis in case of severe dehydration related complications.

FAQ

How long can symptoms of dehydration last?

Often, you can reverse the signs of mild and moderate dehydration by increasing your fluid intake. In case of severe dehydration, however, seek immediate medical attention.

Can severe dehydration cause kidney failure?

Water helps flush out waste from your system in the form of urine. It also facilitates open blood vessels to enable nutrient-dense blood to penetrate to your kidneys with ease. So, you need to drink water. When dehydration occurs, the execution of this process becomes difficult. Mild dehydration not only inhibits normal body operations, but it can also cause excess fatigue. Severe dehydration can lead to kidney failure.

This is why you should be drinking fluids after strenuous exercises or if you live in overly humid or warm weather areas. Some studies suggest that prolonged exposure to dehydration may cause permanent kidney damage.

Dehydration causes the accumulation of acids and waste in the body. As a result, your kidneys get blocked by muscle proteins, also known as myoglobin. It’s worth mentioning that dehydration can cause urinary tract infections and trigger the formation of kidney stones.

If action is not taken to control the condition early enough, it can eventually cause kidney damage. When you’re well-hydrated, you’re unlikely to suffer kidney stones.

Can severe dehydration cause seizures?

Yes. Electrolytes such as sodium and potassium enhance transportation of electrical signals between cells. When electrolytes are imbalanced as a result of dehydration, normal electrical messages are likely to get mixed up. This can cause unintended muscle contractions and unconsciousness in severe cases.

Can severe dehydration cause stroke?

People who are well hydrated before suffering stroke have a high chance of recovering as opposed to dehydrated people. Research conducted on 168 ischemic stroke patients found that:

Approximately half of them were dehydrated by the time of their admission to the hospital.

The condition of the dehydrated patients was highly likely to get worse compared to the hydrated patients

The stroke condition was constant in approximately 42% of the dehydrated patients compared to 17% of hydrated patients.

Signs of Dehydration Infographic

Feel free to share or download the infographic below for your home or office!

More helpful reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dehydration

The post Symptoms of Dehydration (What Are the Signs & Stages) appeared first on .

source https://survivalistgear.co/symptoms-of-dehydration/ source https://survivalistgear1.tumblr.com/post/190413713172

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Symptoms of Dehydration (What Are the Signs & Stages)

Dehydration takes place when your body loses more fluids than it ingests making it unable to execute its normal functions. Having enough water and healthy beverages in your survival food kit can be a lifesaver. In this post, we shall discuss the signs and symptoms of dehydration.

How can you tell if you are dehydrated?

Thirst can be the first sign of dehydration; but it’s not a reliable symptom. For instance, adults can become dehydrated without feeling thirsty. This is why you should drink sufficient amount of water throughout the day. Other indications of fluid loss include a decrease in urine production and unusually dark urine.

A change in urine color is one of the best dehydration signs. Clear urine indicates that you’re well hydrated.

But, dehydration signs and symptoms vary depending on age as seen below.

Free Bonus: I’ve included an infographic on the Signs of Dehydration at the bottom of the article. Feel free to download or share it – just please mention where it came from.

Dehydration symptoms in young kids and infants

The symptoms of dehydration include:

A dry mouth and tongue

Failure to wet their diapers within three hours

Lack of tears when they cry

Sunken cheeks and eyes

Irritability or listlessness

What are the symptoms of dehydration in adults?

They include:

Extreme thirst

Dark-colored urine

Less frequent urination

Fatigue

Confusion

Dizziness

Signs of severe dehydration

How does dehydration affect the body? Severe dehydration can be defined as the loss of approximately 15% of the body’s water. The symptoms of dehydration include:

Sunken eyes

Lack of sweating

Dark shriveled skin

An increase in the heart rate or rapid heartbeat

Low blood pressure

Fever

Unconsciousness

Delirium

At what point should you call your doctor?

Contact your general practitioner or call 911 in a medical emergency if you or your loved one experiences the following symptoms dehydration:

Diarrhea for 24 or more hours

Is unable to keep any fluids down

Is irritable, overly sleepy, disoriented, and unusually inactive

Has black or blood-stained stool

What are the stages of dehydration?

Doctors classify dehydration in three stages. These are:

Mild

Moderate and

Severe

Balancing or reversing mild or moderate dehydration can be done by drinking fluids containing electrolytes, also known as salts. Prolonged dehydration adversely affects your health and can cause death.

Skin turgor definition

Skin turgor is the elasticity of skin. For instance, when you pinch the skin on your arm, it should return in place within one or two seconds. Decreased skin turgor means that your skin takes longer to return to its normal position. The skin turgor test is often used to determine the level of dehydration. Poor skin turgor can occur in severe or moderate fluid loss.

What causes dehydration?

The primary cause of dehydration is the failure to take sufficient water or other beverages and losing excess amounts of fluids. Various factors in today’s fast-paced world make it challenging to keep up with the 8 -glass rule. These include:

Being in an area that lacks clean drinking water

Being too occupied to drink much water

Lacking the strength or even the facilities to take much water

Being in hot weather

It can also be caused by:

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is an example of one of the most common causes of dehydration and, in severe cases, death. Usually, the large intestine absorbs water from food and diarrhea can inhibit this process. When you suffer from diarrhea your body causes you to lose water in excess amounts which causes increased dehydration.

Vomiting

Vomiting excessively leads to loss of fluids in the body and to continue replacing them can be a tough.

Diabetes

High levels of blood sugar trigger frequent urination which leads to excess loss of body fluids. Recurrent urination can also be caused by alcohol and medications such as antihistamines, diuretics, antipsychotics, and blood pressure medicine.

Sweating

Sweating is the body’s cooling technique where it discharges some amount of water. Engaging in intense physical activity can trigger excessive sweating which increases the amount of fluids your body loses. Suffering from fever can also increase sweat which can make you become dehydrated. This can be worse if you are vomiting and experiencing diarrhea at the same time.

Burns

Burns can cause damage to the blood vessels resulting in fluid leaks in the surrounding tissues.

Who’s more at risk of dehydration?

It can happen to anybody, but it’s important to note that some people are at a higher risk. They include:

People living in areas with high altitudes

People with chronic illnesses such as kidney disease, cystic fibrosis, adrenal gland disorders, and diabetes

Athletes who participate in endurance events such as cycling, triathlon, and marathon tournaments

Infants and children due to vomiting and diarrhea

Dehydration in older adults and the elderly is common and can be caused by failure to drink enough water in a bid to avoid frequent visits to the toilet at home.

Uncontrolled dehydration can cause severe complications such as:

Low blood volume

Insufficient blood in the body lowers blood pressure and reduces the amount of oxygen penetrating through tissues. This can be risky and should be controlled immediately to prevent a medical emergency.

Seizures

Seizures can occur due to electrolyte imbalance.

Heat injury

Prolonged exposure to extremely high temperatures can trigger various types of heat injury such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and mild cramps.

How to diagnose dehydration

To establish whether or not a patient is dehydrated, the doctor may need to perform a mental and physical examination. If they present the symptoms indicated above, the doctor may treat them for dehydration. Often, blood tests are conducted to check for kidney function, potassium, sodium, and levels of other electrolytes.

Video

Understanding electrolytes

Electrolytes are chemicals that control hydration in the human body. They are critical for muscle and nerve function. Doctors usually rely on urinalysis to determine dehydration. As we have seen above, dehydrated people will have overly concentrated and darker urine and high levels of ketones.

Diagnosing dehydration in infants is done through checking for a sunken soft spot on the skull. Doctors can also check for specific muscle tone.

Treating dehydration

What is the fastest way to cure dehydration? It can be treated by drinking water or any beverage that’s within room temperature.

What is the best thing to drink when you are dehydrated? Drink lots of clear fluids such as broths, water, sports drinks, and ice pops. Keep away from caffeinated beverages such as coffee, soda, or tea because they increase bladder activity which can dehydrate you.

Any underlying conditions that could be triggering dehydration, like with older adults, should also be treated using the correct medication depending on the doctor’s advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Some of these medications are available online and over the counter. They include anti-fever medications, anti-emetics that help control vomiting or diarrhea.

What should you do in the case of heat exposure?

Here are some tips to help you or your loved one cool down from heat exposure.

Loosen or remove excess clothing

Move to an air-conditioned area to regulate body temperature

In case air conditioning is unavailable, place the affected person outside under the shade or near a fan. You can also wrap a wet towel around the patient’s forehead.

Don’t expose the patient to extremely cold conditions such as ice water or ice packs. This can cause constriction and a decrease in blood vessels to worsen the symptoms of dehydration

Spray lukewarm water on the patient using a spray bottle

How to prevent diarrhea

Prevention is key when it comes to treating dehydration and eating foods and fruits with high water content and drinking lots of fluids will help prevent dehydration. You should also avoid engaging in strenuous activities during the hottest part of the day.

If you work out regularly or are an athlete, you should replenish fluids regularly. Remember, young children and older adults / elderly are at a higher risk of suffering from dehydration. You want to monitor them and ensure they get enough fluids.

How to take care of dehydrated patients

If you or your loved one is recovering from this, make sure they:

Take prescription medication as directed by the doctor

Attend hospital appointments as directed

Take lots of fluids to remain well hydrated and replenish lost fluids

Be on the lookout for signs of dehydration

How do dehydrated patients recover?

Once it is treated and any underlying causes determined, many people recover normally. Managing mild to moderate dehydration resulting from extreme exercise, heat exposure, or low water intake is easy. Still, the recovery process can slow down in severe cases, or when any underlying causes aren’t well managed.

What food is ideal for dehydrated people?

Many vegetables and fruits as we’ve seen above contain high water content. Some dairy products also come with a hydrating effect. Broths and soups are ideal for your health and keeping dehydration at bay. Whether you don’t like the taste of water or are looking for ways of staying hydrated, you should include water dense foods in your diet. Here are some of the top foods that can help with rehydration or keeping you hydrated.

Watermelon 

Watermelon is not only hydrating, but it’s also quite juicy. It contains up to 92% of water and is low on calories. This fruit is also delicious, will enhance your heart health, keep you hydrated, and reduce inflammation.

Celery

Celery is also known as a water-dense vegetable. It contains up to 95% of water and has fewer calories to help with weight loss. This vegetable not only boosts water retention in the body, but it also reduces inflammation. If you are looking for a healthy snack, celery is the way to go.

Cucumbers

95% of cucumber is water. These vegetables not only give you an ideal way of staying hydrated, but they also contain minerals and vitamins to keep your body nourished with essential nutrients. Did you know that cucumbers can boost your weight loss strategy and enhance bowel movements?

Blackberries 

88% of blackberry is made of water. These fruits are not only hydrating, but they are also fiber dense and rich in vitamins K and C.

Iceberg lettuce

Iceberg lettuce contains up to 96% of water making it a great candidate for keeping you hydrated. Many people love this vegetable due to its neutral and refreshing taste. You’ll also get a good share of vitamins and other nutrients from consuming iceberg lettuce.

Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is commonly used by health and fitness enthusiasts across the world due to its filling properties. 80% of cottage cheese is water making it ideal for keeping your well hydrated. This product also nourishes your body with proteins and calcium.

Broths and soups

Broths and clear soups are good sources of various nutrients such as proteins and vitamins. Further, they also contain approximately 92% of water which is enough fluids to keep you hydrated. They can also help you in your weight loss journey.

Radishes

Radishes are crunchy and delicious vegetables that contain high water content. They also come with antifungal properties and can help boost healthy digestion. 95% percent of this vegetable is water and it can be a good salad topping or snack to help you stay hydrated.

Yogurt

Did you know that approximately 88% of yogurt is water? It’s also calcium and protein-dense. Opt for unflavored yogurt if you’re looking to achieve hydrating benefits while consuming low amounts of sugar. You can flavor your natural yogurt with fresh berries to make it the ideal energizing and hydrating snack which you can take after your workout.

Finally

While dehydration is a life-threatening condition, you can easily manage it by staying hydrated. Numerous foods and fruits can help you keep it at bay as we’ve seen above. If you don’t like the taste of water you can prepare drinking water infused with vegetables and fruits of your choice. Seek medical attention from someone who can provide medical advice diagnosis in case of severe dehydration related complications.

FAQ

How long can symptoms of dehydration last?

Often, you can reverse the signs of mild and moderate dehydration by increasing your fluid intake. In case of severe dehydration, however, seek immediate medical attention.

Can severe dehydration cause kidney failure?

Water helps flush out waste from your system in the form of urine. It also facilitates open blood vessels to enable nutrient-dense blood to penetrate to your kidneys with ease. So, you need to drink water. When dehydration occurs, the execution of this process becomes difficult. Mild dehydration not only inhibits normal body operations, but it can also cause excess fatigue. Severe dehydration can lead to kidney failure.

This is why you should be drinking fluids after strenuous exercises or if you live in overly humid or warm weather areas. Some studies suggest that prolonged exposure to dehydration may cause permanent kidney damage.

Dehydration causes the accumulation of acids and waste in the body. As a result, your kidneys get blocked by muscle proteins, also known as myoglobin. It’s worth mentioning that dehydration can cause urinary tract infections and trigger the formation of kidney stones.

If action is not taken to control the condition early enough, it can eventually cause kidney damage. When you’re well-hydrated, you’re unlikely to suffer kidney stones.

Can severe dehydration cause seizures?

Yes. Electrolytes such as sodium and potassium enhance transportation of electrical signals between cells. When electrolytes are imbalanced as a result of dehydration, normal electrical messages are likely to get mixed up. This can cause unintended muscle contractions and unconsciousness in severe cases.

Can severe dehydration cause stroke?

People who are well hydrated before suffering stroke have a high chance of recovering as opposed to dehydrated people. Research conducted on 168 ischemic stroke patients found that:

Approximately half of them were dehydrated by the time of their admission to the hospital.

The condition of the dehydrated patients was highly likely to get worse compared to the hydrated patients

The stroke condition was constant in approximately 42% of the dehydrated patients compared to 17% of hydrated patients.

Signs of Dehydration Infographic

Feel free to share or download the infographic below for your home or office!

More helpful reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dehydration

The post Symptoms of Dehydration (What Are the Signs & Stages) appeared first on .

source https://survivalistgear.co/symptoms-of-dehydration/

[dwaynedesroe]

How To Prevent The Flu This Season

The Seasonal flu is here, and a lot of us are getting sick experiencing the typical flu symptoms. That include fever, headaches, muscle and body aches, cough, sneezing, congestion, runny nose, stuffy nose, sore throat, and sometimes stomach symptoms. But many don’t realize that the flu can also cause serious complications such as pneumonia, worsening of existing health conditions, like heart disease and lung disease, hospitalization, and even death. Here are some essential tips for you to know now how to protect yourself and your loved ones:

How Is The Flu Spread?

The flu can be contagious one day before you feel sick until five days after getting sick, but this can vary. “According to a University of Michigan study, in some cases, only half of the people get infected will have symptoms.” “That means you can totally be unaware that you have the flu, but still have the virus in your body and be able to transmit it to others.” The virus is spread through bodily fluids, which someone may come into close contact with through coughs, sneezes, or by touching contaminated surfaces.

The Flu Shot

The most important thing you can do to fight the flu and to protect yourself and your loved ones is to get the flu shot. The flu shot is the only precaution that creates an immune response that is specific to the flu virus itself. “The CDC recommends the flu shot for everyone age six months and over,” “The vaccine is particularly important for populations at higher risk of severe infection, such as young children under the age of 5, adults over 50, pregnant women, and those with chronic conditions.”

How To Prevent The Flu Virus?

There are other measures besides the flu shot you can take to prevent the flu. Stay home while sick. Staying away from other people won’t do much for your illness, but it’s hugely important for flu prevention.

Wash your hands. “Wash your hands, more than you think you need to, scrub for 20 seconds (try singing “Happy Birthday”—twice) and dry your hands.

Cover coughs and sneezing. Coughs and sneezing can cause droplets to travel over 20 feet, and the droplets can stay suspended in the air for up to 10 minutes.

No touching your face. You can’t wash your hands every five seconds, so prevent any germs you may have on your hands from getting inside your body by keeping your hands away from your face. It’s a hard habit to break, but worth it!

Disinfect surfaces. Make sure to disinfect all the surfaces you touch. Keeping things clean will kill flu viruses. Use a solution that specifies on the label that it kills influenza viruses. Some places to pay close attention to include:

door knobs

light switches

handles

cellphones

toys

tabletops

counters

chair backs

any other surfaces people frequently touch

Medications To Flight The Flu

Some medicines may help you feel better, like Tamiflu and other decongestants. But unfortunately, they won’t fight off the flu virus.

Ventilation Helps Reduce Flu Transmission

During the winter months, when the flu season is in full effect, it is not very practical to have windows open.  A way to increase the ventilation in a home without compromising security and thermal comfort is to have an outdoor air intake tied to the HVAC system. Like our Solatube whole house fan that provides fresh air into your home. Cleaning the air and eliminating the unwanted dust and dog hair that compress your sinus. Here at Byers, we can install a whole house fan at your residence with an absolute minimum of disruption to your home, often in as little as a single afternoon.

The post How To Prevent The Flu This Season appeared first on Byers Enterprises, inc..

How To Prevent The Flu This Season published first on https://wallsg.weebly.com/

[gethealthy18-blog]

Top 8 Effective Home Remedies For Fever

New Post has been published on https://healingawerness.com/getting-healthy/getting-healthy-women/top-8-effective-home-remedies-for-fever/

Top 8 Effective Home Remedies For Fever

Atulya Satishkumar Hyderabd040-395603080 September 24, 2019

It is a bright sunny day. Everyone seems perfectly fine doing their own thing. But wait, why don’t you feel the same? Your throat feels itchy, your body feels like it’s been carrying the weight of a thousand worlds on your shoulders, and you feel unusually cold, but your body feels warm. This is your body’s wake up call to you to tuck into bed with some hot soup and call it a day.

While you are waiting for an appointment with your doctor, you can also follow the home remedies discussed in this article to take care of your fever. Read on to know more.

Fever Vs. Viral Fever

If you have fever, in most cases, it is nothing but the result of a mild infection. Fever is mainly caused due to any foreign bacteria that may have entered your body. It lasts for about three to four days, depending on the treatment process and medication.

Viral fever, on the other hand, is caused by a virus. A person who has viral fever experiences cough, body aches, joint and muscle pain, among other symptoms. It lasts for as long as seven to eight days or more.

Let us now look at some of the main differences between fever and viral fever.

Fever usually lasts for less than seven days. Your body’s temperature may fluctuate between 98–99 °F, in case of a low-grade or mild fever.

Some of the common causes of fever are:

Flu

A weak immune system

Sinus infection

Headaches

Viral Fever

Viral fever, as the term suggests, is a viral infection that is contracted through direct contact from person to person. Your body temperature shoots up to 104 °F, causing you to feel extremely cold.

Some of the causes are:

Bites

Body fluids

Indigestion

Common cold

The following are some of the main symptoms associated with fever in general.

Symptoms Of Fever

Headache

Body pain

Throat pain

Dehydration

Feeling cold and body shivers

Muscle and joint pain

Lethargy

Vivid dreams and hallucinations

You may show signs of fever that could be a combination of one or more of the above symptoms.

In the next section, we will discuss how to determine if you are running a temperature.

Fever Temperature Chart

The following is a temperature chart that can help you determine if you have fever. If the temperature reads above any of the below-mentioned readings, it indicates that you have fever.

Infants: In infants, the temperature of the mouth is around 96-98.5°F, and the armpit reads roughly around 97-99°F.

Children: Most children have a standard fever temperature chart. In the underarm, it measures about 98.6 °F. In the ear, it is about 99.6 °F, while the forehead reads a temperature of 99.6 °F.

Adults: The average oral readings of an adult would be 97-99.5°F. Their armpits have a temperature of about 95-98.4°F.

If the temperature has risen beyond usual and is persistent, it is time for you to visit your doctor.

When To Visit Your Doctor

Most of us have had fever or viral fever at more than one point in our lives. Usually, the borderline temperature is about 98°F. Following mild medication and home remedies, such as staying hydrated, drinking fresh fruit juices, and use of hot and cold compresses, should bring the fever down.

In case there is no sign of improvement, it is strongly advised to visit a doctor during this period. Here are a few symptoms that you need to keep an eye for during which you should visit your doctor:

Chest pain

Severe headaches

Frequent vomiting

Abdominal pains

Now let us see how fever may be diagnosed.

Diagnosis

Your doctor may begin by asking you a few questions based on the symptoms you have been experiencing. They may suggest a chest examination accompanied by a blood test to rule out other life-threatening causes.

Depending on the severity of your illness, you will be prescribed medication by your doctor.

Over-The-Counter Medications

If your fever lasts long and you need to take medicines, listed below are a few options:

Acetaminophen, also known as Tylenol

Ibuprofen

Aspirin

We recommend that you only buy medicines that are prescribed by your doctor. You need to be aware of your medication and what it is for. Make sure you read the directions of use and precautions before consuming them.

Home remedies are also a great way to subdue any mild illness, not just fever. Most of these home remedies use natural products that contain active compounds that exhibit medicinal properties. Let us now take a look at a few easy home remedies to manage and treat fever.

Home Remedies For Fever

1. Moringa

Shutterstock

Moringa has been widely used in traditional medicine to treat symptoms of fever and flu. It is known to exhibit anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that can help reduce symptoms of inflammation and fight the microbes responsible for causing fever (1).

You Will Need

Moringa tea bags

A cup of boiled water

What You Have To Do

Take a cup of boiled water.

Steep a moringa tea bag in it for about 15 minutes.

Consume while warm.

How Often Should You Do This

You can do this two times a day.

2. Kudzu Root

Shutterstock

Kudzu root is derived from the roots of pueraria after it is dried completely. It possesses antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce fever (2).

What You Will Need

Kudzu root powder

Boiled water

What You Have To Do

Mix one teaspoon of kudzu root powder in a glass of warm water or milk.

Consume while warm.

How Often Should You Do This

You can take this mixture once a day.

3. Ginger

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Ginger possesses anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties that can help alleviate the symptoms of fever. The bioactive compounds of ginger may also help fight infection and reduce inflammation if you have throat pain (3), (4).

You Will Need

Ginger

One glass of warm water

What You Have To Do

Chop ginger into small pieces.

Boil the slices of ginger in a pan with water.

Drink this decoction when it is lukewarm.

How Often Should You Do This

You can have two cups per day.

4. Black Pepper

Shutterstock

Black pepper contains bioactive compounds that possess anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that may reduce symptoms like body aches, joint aches, and headaches associated with fever (5).

You Will Need

1/2 teaspoon of crushed black pepper kernel

1 tablespoon of honey

1 glass of water

What You Should Do

Boil a glass of water in a pan.

Add half a teaspoon of crushed black pepper kernel and honey to it.

Drink when it is lukewarm.

How Often Should You Do This

Have a cup of this every day until the fever subsides.

5. Turmeric Milk

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Curcumin is a major component of turmeric. Research shows that it possesses properties that can mitigate any inflammation that may surface with fever or flu. It possesses antipyretic properties that decrease body temperature during fever (6).

You Will Need

1 teaspoon of turmeric powder

1 glass of warm milk

What You Should Do

Boil a glass of milk.

Add a teaspoon of turmeric and mix well.

Drink while it is warm.

How Often Should You Do This

Have one cup two times a day.

In addition to these home remedies, making certain simple changes to your everyday lifestyle can help relieve symptoms of fever.

6. Increase Your Fluid Intake

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When you have fever, your body tends to get extremely dehydrated. It uses up all the fluids to flush out bacteria from your system. Staying hydrated is necessary, but to feel stronger and less lethargic, having other healthy fluids like fruit juices helps a great deal (7).

Fruit juices and fruits are a great way to boost your energy and fluid intake. You can take about two glasses of fresh fruit juice each day until the fever subsides.

7. Get Plenty Of Rest

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Stress could also lead to fever. Fever could also be a wake-up call to get sufficient rest. Adults are constantly on the go, and what they need is adequate rest. This is an easy, yet promising home remedy for fever. Getting adequate rest cures a majority of illnesses, including fever (8).

8. Stay Cool

Since your body runs a high temperature during fever, placing a cold wet cloth over your forehead can help. It brings your body temperature down instantly and alleviate the discomfort that accompanies fever (9), (10).

A cold compress can be used as and when your body temperature rises during the day due to fever. It will bring down your body temperature instantly.

These are a few tried and tested remedies that you can follow from the comfort of your home. You could try either one or a combination of these remedies to obtain the best results. You may now want to know how to prevent yourself from falling sick in the first place. Read on to find out more.

How Can You Prevent Fever?

It does not take much to prevent yourself from catching fever or cold. If good personal hygiene is followed, you can save yourself the trouble and pain of falling sick. Listed below are some of the tips to keep fever at bay:

Drink plenty of water and other fluids. This keeps you hydrated and aids in flushing out harmful bacteria.

Sufficient rest is another key factor that prevents fever. A good night’s sleep and a healthy diet do more good to the body than you can imagine.

We suggest over-the-counter medication if the fever persists. Do remember to consult your doctor.

We hope that you benefit from these remedies and recover soon. However, if you think that your fever has lasted too long, you must consult your doctor and seek medical treatment.

Try these remedies and share your feedback by leaving a comment in the box below.

Adding question and answers for articles

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have tea when I am down with fever?

Green tea and ginger tea are two of the most efficient remedies to reduce fever (or even a cold). They can help promote faster recovery.

Is it good to sweat when you’re down with fever?

When you have fever, your body temperature fluctuates. In order to regulate body temperature, your brain sends a message to the sweat glands to release body heat in the form of sweat. Therefore, it is good to sweat when you have fever.

Can allergies cause fever?

It is easy to mistake symptoms of allergy for fever. Allergies may cause flu, rashes, or other skin conditions, but they most likely do not cause fever.

Can a sinus infection cause fever?

Sinus is a bacterial infection that causes flu, headaches, and a runny nose. It is possible to experience a low-grade fever during this period.

10 sources

Stylecraze has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Bioactive Components in Moringa Oleifera Leaves Protect against Chronic Disease, MDPI, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5745501/

Kudzu root: traditional uses and potential medicinal benefits in diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21315814

Anti-Oxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Ginger in Health and Physical Activity, International Journal of Preventive Medicine, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3665023/

Active ingredients of ginger as potential candidates in the prevention and treatment of diseases via modulation of biological activities, International Journal of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Pharmacology, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4106649/

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25312168

Preventive Effects of Curcumin, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3700082/

Water, Hydration and Health, Nutrition Reviews, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908954/

Sleep and immune function, Pflügers Archiv: European Journal of Physiology, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3256323/

Physical methods for the treatment of fever in critically ill patients, Journal of School of Nursing USP, ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311504985_Physical_methods_for_the_treatment_of_fever_in_critically_ill_patients_A_randomized_controlled_trial

Comparison of Cold Water Sponging and Acetaminophen in Control of Fever, Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3894045/

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How Much Water Should You Drink Each Day? Experts Weigh In

Drinking water is kind of non-negotiable when it comes to, you know, living. But while we all pretty much know we have to drink water to keep our bodies functioning, we can't seem to agree on just how much water we need.

The truth? Water intake isn't exactly a one-size fits all prescription. Instead, how much water you need to drink each day is dependent on a bunch of different factors: your weight, how your metabolism works, how much food you eat (and what you eat), what your body temperature is, and how active you are, among other things, according to Baruch Fertel, MD, an emergency medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic.

So what's the deal? How much water should you really be drinking each day—and how do you know if you're hydrated enough? Here's what experts have to say about your sipping habits (or lack thereof). 

Okay, how much water do you officially need each day?

So, the "8 x 8" rule—drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day—is pretty solid advice as a starting point, says Cynthia Sass, RD, Health contributing editor. But "you need to consume more fluid if you’re losing more, through exercise or from being in hot, humid weather," Sass explains. "You may also need more if you’ve been ill and have a fever, are sweating, or are experiencing vomiting and diarrhea."

The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies takes it a step further and suggests women consume an average of 2.7 liters (about 11 cups) of water each day. Note, however, the institute says "consume"—that's because you can get your water intake from both beverages and food. "We don't offer any rule of thumb based on how many glasses of water people should drink each day because our hydration needs can be met through a variety of sources in addition to drinking water," Lawrence Appel, director of the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research at Johns Hopkins University, said in a press release for the institute. 

As far as those different sources of water go, the institute says "people also get water from juice, milk, coffee, tea, soda, fruits, vegetables, and other foods and beverages as well." Dr. Fertel explains, however, that "not all liquids are created equal." Alcohol, for example, is a diuretic—that means it can have a "paradoxical effect" and cause water loss, says Dr. Fertel. Liquids that contain salts and electrolytes, however (think: sports drinks) can help you retain fluid and hydrate better.

One beverage that doctors and nutritionists are on the fence about, though? Coffee. In the past, your fave cup of Joe was thought to be dehydrating, but Sass says that the caffeinated beverage actually can hydrate you, depending on how you consume it. "Newer research shows that our bodies can adjust to caffeine, which negates its diuretic effect—as long as [intake is] consistent and not excessive. On the other hand, if your caffeine intake is erratic, you may experience a diuretic effect.”

RELATED: What Causes Dehydration? Here’s What You Need to Know

How can you tell if you're drinking enough water?

Take a look in the toilet—no, really. Dr. Fertel says that the color of your pee can tell you a ton about your drinking habits. "Urine should be the color of lemonade: a touch of yellow." If you're peeing infrequently and your urine looks bright or dark yellow, that could be a warning sign that you're not getting enough H2O.

Additionally, confusion, the inability to drink liquids, and severe weakness are signs of dehydration. If you experience any of these, or if you have no urine output, you should seek medical attention, according to Dr. Fertel. And definitely don't let your thirst guide you: "By the time you feel thirsty you're already slightly dehydrated," says Sass. (Though, to be clear: You should always drink when you're thirsty—but the best route is to drink before you feel thirsty.)

Something else to keep in mind: Dehydration isn't something to be taken lightly. One myth about water intake, says Sass, is that dehydration is no big deal, but "just a 2% loss of body fluid can negatively impact physical performance, and a 1-3% loss has been shown to impair mood, reduce concentration, increase headaches, impair working memory, and increase anxiety and fatigue," Sass says.

Basically, staying hydrated is important—but there's no quick answer to exactly how much water your body needs each day. Your best bet? Starting off with the "8 x 8" rule and then paying attention to your body from there and supplementing with a few more glasses when needed. 

To get more nutrition and diet tips delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Balanced Bites newsletter.

source https://www.health.com/mind-body/how-much-water-should-i-drink-a-day

[tndidd]

Clinical Services Health Tips: Dehydration

With the summer heat upon us, it is important to remember the need for good hydration.  When our bodies, or the bodies of the people we support, do not get enough fluids, they run the risk of dehydration. Dehydration is a common health problem for people with IDD. A printable version of this Health Tip is attached to the Open Line email for sharing.

Causes of Dehydration

Anything that causes a person to lose extra fluid, or to take in less fluid, can cause dehydration. Sometimes dehydration occurs simply because you don't drink enough when you're busy or don’t have access to adequate fluids while out in the community.  Other causes include:

·         Fever

·         Vomiting

·         Excessive sweating

·         Diarrhea

·         Difficulty swallowing

·         Warm/Hot weather

·         Increased urination

 Caregivers and support staff should always be aware of the person’s need for adequate fluid intake.  Do not restrict fluids to prevent incontinence or frequent urination; this can lead to dehydration and other conditions such as urinary tract infections and constipation.  

 Signs and Symptoms

Thirst isn't always a reliable early indicator of the body's need for water. Many people, particularly older adults, don't feel thirsty until they're already dehydrated. That's why it's important to increase water intake during hot weather or when you're ill.  Other symptoms can include:

 ·         Dry skin or chapped lips

·         Dry mouth

·         Decreased urinary output

·         Concentrated, dark urine

·         Constipation/Dry, hard stools

·         Muscle cramps

·         Headache

 Signs of severe dehydration require immediate medical attention may include lethargy, confusion, increased heartrate or breathing, low blood pressure and seizures.  

 Prevention

Adequate hydration is the key prevention for dehydration.  Average fluid intake should be 8 glasses (8 ounces each) per day.  All types of fluid such as water, tea, juices and even soda can be hydrating.  

Additional prevention strategies include:

 ·         Regularly offer fluids throughout the day, not just at mealtimes

·         If you’re thirsty, offer a drink to the person you support

·         People who are very active, work hard, or sweat heavily need more fluids

·         Encourage increased fluid intake whenever someone is experiencing vomiting, fever, diarrhea, urinary tract infections or constipation.  

·         Food items such as soups, popsicles, gelatin, smoothies, melons, oranges and cucumbers are also hydrating.  

 Medications and medical conditions can affect a person’s risk for dehydration

 ·         Consider intake and output monitoring    

·         People with cardiac or kidney disease may have fluid restrictions.  Consult a health care professional for signs and symptoms of dehydration

·         Polydipsia (excessive thirst) can be a symptom of diabetes