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The Dangers of Dehydration

The dangers of dehydration are very real, yet not always considered. Although people are always apt to quench their thirst, the habit of reaching for beverages such as coffee, sodas and alcohol can cause more damage than good. The human body craves a large amount of water and, without an average of eight to ten glasses per day, one risks serious illness and possibly even death.

The symptoms of dehydration can be vague enough that one may not even recognize them and, thus, fail to realize that simple fluids can relieve them. With the most obvious symptom being thirst, dehydration may always show itself as fatigue, dry mouth, muscle weakness, headache and dizziness. Symptoms such as extreme thirst, low blood pressure, little or no urination, lack of sweat and fever should be addressed immediately by a medical professional.

The common symptoms of a hangover, which include nausea and/or vomiting as well as headache, are actually caused by dehydration and can possibly be prevented by drinking a glass of water between each alcoholic beverage. Other factors that can lead to dehydration include extreme physical activity on warm days and illnesses such as food poisoning and gastroenteritis.

Whether the dehydration has been caused by illness or exercise, it is important when attempting to rehydrate that fluids are introduced slowly rather than in large amounts. Begin with small sips and gradually increase intake to larger amounts as you are able to keep the fluids down. Never rehydrate yourself with very cold liquids as this can be a shock to the system.

It is also important to rehydrate your skin as well with a cool, wet cloth. Your body cools itself with the natural process of sweating and, in cases of severe dehydration, this process may be temporarily impaired, thus keeping your body in a feverish state.

Water is the best choice to rehydrate with. Although there are sports drinks on the market that can assist in repairing your body by restoring your electrolytes, many of these drinks also contain sugars and salt which can counteract the healing process.