Your breath, skin, and muscles may be telling you that your body is running low on water.
Here are six surprising indicators that you might be dehydrated.
1. Bad breath.
Saliva has antibacterial properties in it, but dehydration can prevent your body from making enough saliva. “If you’re not producing enough saliva in the mouth, bacteria can overgrow and can create bad breath.says John Higgins, MD, associate professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Texas in Houston, and chief of cardiology at Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital.
2. Dry skin.
“A lot of people think that people who get dehydrated are really sweaty; but as you go through various stages of dehydration, you become very dizzy and you don’t have enough blood volume so you get very dry skin,” Dr. Higgins says. He adds that because the skin is dry and not evaporating as well, you can also experience flushing of the skin. Think you can’t get dehydrated in cooler seasons or climates? Think again. Higgins says symptoms may be milder or come on slower, but it’s still possible to be dehydrated in cooler weather.
3. Muscle cramps.
“The hotter you get, the more likely you are to get muscle cramps, and that’s from a pure heat effect on the muscles. As the muscles work harder and harder, they can seize up from the heat itself. Changes in the electrolytes, changes in the sodium and potassium can lead to muscle cramping as well,” according to Higgins.
4. Fever and chills.
It might sound counter-intuitive, but if your body is severely dehydrated you may experience symptoms like fever or even chills. Fever can be especially dangerous when your dehydrated, so be sure to seek immediate medical help if your fever rises over 102°F and you haven’t been drinking enough water.
5. Food cravings,
Sweets. “When you’re dehydrated, it can be difficult for some nutrients and organs like the liver which use water to release some glycogens and other components of your energy stores, so you can actually get cravings for food,” Higgins says. While you can crave anything from chocolate to a salty snack, cravings for sweets are more common because your body may be experiencing difficulty with glycogen production, he says.
Craving something sweet? Reach for a snack that has high water content. Most fruits and vegetables have high water content and will help you stay hydrated, explains nutrition expert and Everyday Health columnist, Johannah Sakimura. “In fact, some fruits and vegetables are more than 90% water — including cantaloupe, strawberries, watermelon (of course), cucumber, celery, lettuce and leafy greens, zucchini, tomatoes, and bell peppers,” Sakimura says.
6. Headaches.
The brain sits inside a fluid sack that keeps it from bumping against the skull, explains Higgins. If that fluid sack is depleted or running low because of dehydration, the brain can push up against parts of the skull, causing headaches. Some drinks that can cause dehydration include alcohol, energy drinks, and even caffeine as it has a slight diuretic effect.
How to Check If You’re Dehydrated
Here are two other ways to check if your body is dehydrated.
Try this skin test. First, use two fingers to grab a roll of skin on the back of your hand (between where your watch sits and where your fingers start), advises Higgins. Pull the skin up about ½ to one centimeter high and then let the skin go. The skin should spring back to its normal position in less than a couple of seconds. Higgins says that if the skin bounces back slowly, you might be dehydrated.
Check your urine. If you’re well-hydrated your urine will be mostly clear with a tinge of yellow, Higgins explains. Yellow, chardonnay, and orange are the “warning” colors to watch for. When your body is about three percent dehydrated your urine will be noticeably yellow. When your body is about five percent dehydrated, your urine will appear chardonnay-colored. When your body is more than five percent dehydrated – which is considered severely dehydrated – your urine will appear orange.
Tips for Staying Hydrated
Keep your water bottle handy! “If it’s right next to you, you’ll likely get into the habit of sipping it without even realizing it,” says Sakimura.
Spice up plain water! “If you don’t love plain water, jazz it up by adding a splash of fruit juice or chunks of fresh or frozen fruit,” says Sakimura. “Or, try naturally flavored, calorie-free seltzers (my personal favorite) — their fizz and fruit flavor makes them more appealing than plain, flat water.”
Makeover your snacks! “Swap dry, carby snacks like chips, pretzels, and crackers — which have a very low water content — with refreshing munchies like fresh or frozen fruit, yogurt, healthy smoothies, celery with peanut butter, and cut veggies with hummus,” recommends Sakimura.
Pile on the produce! “Aim to make half your plate produce at meals. All those vegetable and fruit servings will supply water as well as a hearty dose of vitamins, minerals, and fiber,” says Sakimura.
Sip more during meals! “Sipping water with meals will help you eat more slowly, pace your eating, and of course stay hydrated,” Sakimura adds.
Opt for room temperature water. When it comes to fluids, steer clear of extreme temperatures. When ice water comes into the stomach it constricts the arteries surrounding the stomach, explains Higgins. “Ice water will just sit in your stomach until it warms up.
Yours In Health,
Dr. Jack Belitz
PS Summer is getting closer. You are probably doing lots of activities you haven’t done in a while lately. That can bring on all kinds of muscle and joint pains for you or a loved on or friend. Instead of reaching for the pain killers – which all have side effects – call the office at 402-333-4848 and schedule yourself an exam. If you mention this newsletter, I’ll do all of that for free (even the computerized exams) Lets get your body working at it’s full potential. If you have a little pain now, it could mean that your body isn’t doing the daily healing things as well as it should. Now is the time to do something about it so your body is healing itself at full speed for summer and you can enjoy the best season of the year!
Recent Comments