As the temperatures soar and summer turns up the heat across India, dehydration becomes a major concern for everyone.
When your body loses more fluids than it takes in, dehydration kicks in, and if not tackled quickly, it can cause some serious health issues, such as:
- Fatigue
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Headaches
- Dry Skin
- Constipation
- Kidney Stones
- Muscle Cramps
- Low Blood Pressure
- Rapid Heartbeat
- Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
- Heat Stroke
Whether you're soaking up the sun, breaking a sweat during physical activity, or simply going about your day, staying hydrated is important for keeping your health and energy levels in check. This is especially true in summers when fluid loss due to sweating increases.
In this blog, we’ll dive into the symptoms, causes, and simple natural remedies for dehydration so you can stay safe and healthy through this scorching summer. We will first take a look at the symptoms of dehydration that will help you spot this problem, underlining the importance of the home remedies for dehydration in adults that we will share next. So, are you ready to beat the heat? Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
- What Are The Warning Signs of Dehydration?
- Quick Fight Against Dehydration: What Are The Best Home Remedies For Dehydration?
- Dietitian’s Recommendation
- The Final Say
- FAQs
- References
What Are The Warning Signs of Dehydration?
The two main warning symptoms of dehydration are thirst and dark coloured urine:
- Thirst: This is a way to tell you that you have to drink water and/or other fluids. However, thirst is not always a reliable early indicator of dehydration.
- Dark urine: Getting little to no urine output, or getting urine that looks darker than usual (almost amber-to-brown coloured) is a sign of dehydration.
The signs and symptoms of dehydration may vary depending on the severity of fluid loss. Some other indicators of dehydration generally include:
- Dryness in the mouth and throat
- Dried skin and mucous membranes
- Reduced urine output and dark yellow urine
- Headache
- Muscle cramps
- Dizziness or lightheadedness, could lead to fainting
- Fatigue
- Extreme thirst
- Rapid heartbeats and heavy breathing
- Low blood pressure
- Confusion or irritability
Recognition of symptoms and signs of dehydration in time and addressing basic causes is essential to prevent serious health complications. If dehydration symptoms persist or worsen, it is essential to seek medical attention quickly.
What Are The Best Home Remedies For Dehydration? 12 Best Remedies For Adults
The fastest way to cure dehydration is:
1. Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS)
ORS is the quickest and most effective way of curing dehydration, which is why it’s the first thing given to people who have fainted due to dehydration or heatstroke. It contains a specific balance of salts, glucose and minerals that can quickly restore liquids and electrolytes lost in your body.
These solutions are easily available in pharmacies and general stores in liquid forms (pre-made solution) and powder forms (that can be added to 1 litre of water to make the solution), and are easy to use.
You can also prepare ORS at home by adding 5-6 teaspoons of sugar & half a teaspoon of salt to one litre of water. Make sure the solution is unsaturated, and drink it several times a day. This is one of the simplest and most popular home remedies for dehydration that can even be used in severe cases.
Also Read: Summer Survival: 20 Foods & Drinks To Reduce Body Heat & Keep You Hydrated
2. Drink Suffecient Water
Drinking water is the most common way of rehydrating your body and essential to maintain hydration levels on a daily basis. When dehydrated, you should drink water slowly and steadily to help absorb it. However, if you are strictly dehydrated, you may need to consume ORS to restore the electrolyte balance instead.
Women should aim for 2.7 litres of water per day while men should consume 3.7 litres of water per day.
3. Sports Drinks
Sports drinks are effective in combating dehydration by replenishing essential electrolytes like sodium and potassium. These electrolytes help regulate fluid balance in the body, which is crucial during intense physical activities. Sports drinks are particularly beneficial for athletes who lose significant amounts of sweat during prolonged exercise. They provide quick hydration and help maintain optimal performance levels.
4. Watermelon
Being 90% water, watermelon is an excellent food for hydration. Its high water content replenishes lost fluids in your body and keeps you from being dehydrated when you don’t feel like drinking a ton of water. Besides, it’s an excellent source of electrolytes, particularly potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium.
5. Aloe Vera Juice
Another popular home remedy for dehydration is Aloe Vera juice. It is known for its soothing and moisturising properties, making it a fantastic drink with or without dehydration. Aloe vera juice contains vitamins, minerals and electrolytes (potassium & magnesium), which help maintain the balance of body fluids and promote overall hydration.
6. Buttermilk
One of the proven home remedies of treating dehydration is buttermilk. It’s not only high in water content, but also charged with nutrients such as magnesium. It acts as a probiotic in the stomach that helps solve digestion and diarrhea, which contributes to dehydration. To enhance the taste of buttermilk, add black salt, ginger, cumin powder or mint leaves!
7. Coconut Water
No summer is complete without drinking coconut water, a popular drink served to people fighting moderate cases of dehydration. Coconut water is isotonic, which means that the electrolyte level present in this beverage is similar to that of the human body. It also contains potassium, sodium, chloride and glucose, which are essential for diarrhoea and dehydration.
Also Read: 6 Benefits of Having Coconut Oil In The Morning On An Empty Stomach
8. Cranberry Juice
Cranberry is known for its high water content. In addition, cranberries provide natural salts (electrolytes) and sugars, which help maintain the body’s balance during dehydration. The electrolytes present in cranberry juice help regulate fluid levels in your body, and its natural sugars provide a quick source of energy. However, it is important to choose a cranberry juice that has little to no added sugar content to prevent excessive sugar intake.
9. Lemon Water
Another immediate remedy for dehydration is lemon water. It is full of magnesium, sodium and potassium, making it one of the most refreshing drinks for the summer. It not only prevents dehydration, but also increases water intake for your day. It also increases the minerals and vitamins in your body and helps restore fluids and electrolytes. For a glucose boost, add a spoonful of sugar to make lemon water even more energising.
10. Orange Juice
Another known home remedy for dehydration is simple orange juice. Oranges are full of water and basic nutrients. They contain vitamin C that wash away toxins from the body. In addition, potassium and sodium in orange juice help supplement the electrolytes in the body. Lastly, oranges also contain natural sugar, which provides immediate energy to treat dehydration. For dehydration, you can also dilute the drink with water.
11. Apple Juice
Apple juice can be a helpful drink for fighting dehydration, mainly because of its high water content, which helps replenish lost fluids. Additionally, it contains natural sugars such as fructose, provides rapid energy, and a small amount of electrolytes such as potassium.
12. Barley Water
When we talk about hydrating drinks, barley water is perhaps not what would come to your mind. However, it’s a popular home remedy for dehydration, usually consumed in summer. Made by boiling barley and then straining the water, barley water helps to fight dehydration by replenishing the body with electrolytes and liquids. It is full of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants that help restore basic nutrients in the body. If you want to enhance its taste, add lemon juice and salt, or sugar.
Dietitian’s Recommendation
Dehydration can be a serious condition and is easily preventable and treatable, but there are a few simple things that you can do to prevent it or treat it. As a nutritionist, I propose consuming more fruits and vegetables with a high water content such as cucumbers, melon, and oranges. Also, do not forget to drink fluids (mainly water) regularly, especially when you are active or the weather is hot. Try limiting your caffeine and alcohol intake, both of which can increase urine production and cause fluid loss.
Dt. Lavina Chauhan
The Final Say
Dehydration is common, but can be easily prevented or treated at home using the right hydration tools. By drinking ORS, orange juice, aloe vera juice, etc., you can make up for the lost electrolytes in your body and bring your fluid levels back to normal.
Drinking enough fluids throughout the day, consuming water-rich foods and avoiding dehydrating drinks is the key to maintaining optimal fluid levels and avoiding dehydration.
FAQs
1. Can dehydration be prevented?
Yes, dehydration can often be prevented by maintaining fluid intake on a regular basis, especially when doing physical activity or in hot weathers that increase the risk of fluid loss.
2. What is the fastest way to cure dehydration?
The fastest way to cure dehydration is by drinking oral rehydration solutions (ORS) or coconut water, which replenish lost fluids and electrolytes. In severe cases, intravenous (IV) fluids may be necessary for rapid rehydration.
3. What’s the best drink for dehydration in adults?
The best drink for dehydration in adults is water, but oral rehydration solutions (ORS) or coconut water are also excellent options as they replenish both fluids and electrolytes.
References
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/symptoms-causes/syc-20354086
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-rehydrate
- https://www.medicinenet.com/dehydration_pictures_slideshow/article.htm
- https://www.hdfcergo.com/health-insurance/wellness-corner/home-remedies-for-dehydration
- https://www.maxhealthcare.in/blogs/are-you-drinking-enough-water
- https://www.tataaig.com/knowledge-center/health-insurance/home-remedies-for-dehydration
- https://www.lybrate.com/topic/home-remedies-for-dehydration
- https://www.afcurgentcare.com/elizabeth/blog/what-is-the-fastest-way-to-cure-dehydration/
- https://tryskymd.com/blogs/news/what-is-the-fastest-way-to-cure-dehydration-at-home?srsltid=AfmBOoqG8kpl4aZ0wsAf6GNAdK2gyDeeVWQM2EWw7QfTWwqeIcjr3U20
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