During hot summer days there is a risk of dehydration. This danger especially threatens people who perform heavy physical work, especially if they work outdoors and if they are not sufficiently protected from overheating. Children, people suffering from certain diseases, and elderly people can also be at risk. Apart from these special categories, any person, under certain conditions, can be exposed to dehydration.
It is very important to do everything necessary to prevent overheating of the body. This implies several important things:
- If you don’t have to, don’t go outside during periods of high heat. From approximately 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., stay in darkened rooms. If the nature of your work does not require it, settle down in darkened rooms during this period, and go out and work early in the morning and before evening.
- If you go outside during hot weather, dress appropriately, protect your head, eyes and skin as much as possible, wear breathable clothes made of natural materials.
- Cool down by showering with lukewarm water (not cold, not hot), if necessary several times a day.
- Carry liquid with you (preferably plain water or a drink with electrolytes) and sip often.
What every person can do to prevent dehydration is proper nutrition and oral hydration. Nutrition during the summer heat should be designed to ensure hydration, refreshment and easily digestible nutrients.
These few tips can help you with that:
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Avoid sugary drinks, coffee and alcohol, as they can dehydrate the body. Natural fruit juices, iced teas, herbal and fruit teas, and coconut water are good choices. Plain water is generally sufficient for hydration, but when it is hot, it needs to be additionally enriched with minerals.
- Consume a sufficient amount of fresh fruits and vegetables that contain a high proportion of water, such as watermelon, cucumbers, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, cantaloupe, cherries, oranges and grapes. These fruits and vegetables not only hydrate, but also provide vitamins and minerals.
- Eat smaller but more frequent meals to maintain energy throughout the day and avoid feeling heavy after eating.
- Fish, chicken, turkey and vegetable proteins from legumes are light and rich in protein, which should be included regularly.
- Avoid heavy, fatty and spicy meals as they can burden the digestive system. Instead, eat light meals like salads, lean soups and fish. Grilled vegetables and chicken are also good choices.
- Yogurts and kefirs are refreshing and easily digestible and can help maintain a healthy intestinal flora.
- Excessive salt intake can lead to water retention in the body, which does not mean good hydration. The cells need water to use it for normal functioning, and not to be deposited between the cells, which makes it a burden for the organism. Therefore, a certain amount of salt is needed to maintain good hydration, but it must not be an excessive intake.
- Refreshing herbal teas, such as mint or chamomile, can be a good way to get fluids without adding calories.
If you cannot find protection in the shade on hot days, work outdoors, sweat excessively, do hard physical work in non-cooled rooms, have diarrhea or vomiting, or for any reason lose a large amount of fluid, do not forget that you must replace that fluid. The best way is to sip often and eat a balanced light diet.
What can additionally help hydration is the consumption of isotonic drinks. They help the body’s hydration by compensating for minerals that are excessively lost through heavy sweating.
How can you make an isotonic drink yourself?
In 1 l of mineral or regular water (carbonated or non-carbonated), add:
– 1/2 teaspoon of salt
– citrus juice as desired
– fresh mint
-for flavor and additional minerals, you can add pieces of fruit; raspberries, blueberries, apple, cucumber, grated ginger, etc.
If you are exposed to heavy physical work with intense sweating, and especially if you have diarrhea and vomiting, you can add a fluid replacement solution to this liquid (these are the solutions that your doctor or pharmacist will recommend for diarrhea and vomiting).
If you play sports intensively, especially during hot weather, you can also use isotonic solutions that can be bought in stores. However, these solutions often have an unsatisfactory composition, and the price can be unaffordable, so it is not bad to prepare isotonic drinks yourself when you have the opportunity.
Do not forget that plain water has no substitute, and that it is the best liquid for hydration. Ordinary water already contains certain minerals in very small quantities. However, during high heat, we can additionally enrich it as stated.
Prepared by: Dr. Safija Softić-Namas
