How to Tell if You’re Dehydrated

We all reach for something to drink when we are feeling thirsty, but did you know that by the time you’re thirsty you are already dehydrated? I will go over with you today how you can tell if you’re dehydrated and how you can remedy the situation most effectively.

Signs of Dehydration

Here are some common signs of being mildly dehydrated:

      1.      Dry, sticky mouth 

      2.      Dry skin

      3.      Headache

      4.      Constipation

      5.      Thirst

      6.      Decreased urine output

      7.      Tiredness

      8.      Dizziness/lightheaded

Here are some more serious signs of being dehydrated:

      1.      Extreme thirst

      2.      Excessively dry mouth and mucus membranes

      3.      Fever

      4.      Rapid breathing

      5.      Low blood pressure

      6.      Sunken eyes

      7.      Little to no urine output. Urine that is passed is very dark.

      8.      Delirium and unconsciousness

Children, the elderly, very active individuals and those who live in high altitudes are more susceptible to suffering from dehydration.

Did you know you can go 3 weeks without food, but only 3 days without water? That’s true! Water is essential to all life. Reaching for coffee, tea, soda or fruit juice is no replacement for water. In fact, coffee, tea (with caffeine) and soda actually cause dehydration. The caffeine is a natural diuretic and pulls water out of your cells. And most fruit juices contain very little fruit and excess amounts of sugars. These, too, can contribute to dehydration.

Avoid the Effects of Dehydration

By drinking plenty of water you will replenish the water that you expel from your body by sweating, urinating and breathing. You also lose large amounts of water when vomiting, suffering from diarrhea, excessive sweating and when you have a fever.  

One good sign that you are getting enough water is the color of your urine. If your urine is dark in color or bright yellow, drink more water. If it is pale yellow or nearly clear, you are probably getting enough water.

Drinking alkaline ionized water is the best way to stay hydrated. When your water comes out of the tap it comes out in clusters of 11-16 H2O molecules. When the water is put through your water ionizer it comes out in clusters of 5-8 water molecules. This makes it easier for your cells to absorb the water leading to better hydration. Read more about that in my article about ionized water. 

In another article I wrote about the importance of water, I pointed out that water makes up most of the organs and fluids of the body. Here are the percentages of water make-up in each area:

Bones 22%

Muscles 75%

Tissues 75%

Blood 92%

Brain 75%

The kind of water and the quality of that water affects your entire body and how it operates. If you are depleted of the amount of water each system needs in order to do its job properly, you will deal with a myriad of negative results, such as the ones listed above.

I cannot stress how important it is to drink plenty of alkaline ionized water. Most people don’t even realize they are dehydrated and, according to doctors, 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. With the popularity of cokes and coffees skyrocketing, not nearly enough of us are getting an adequate supply of water.

I urge you to visit my website, Alkaline Water Plus, and further educate yourself on the power of water and especially the power of alkaline ionized water. I have spent years compiling information, writing articles, doing research and comparisons to help enlighten others on this subject. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, either below, via phone or email.