Drink Water & Avoid Dehydration

by Gary Mays | Jan 3, 2012 | Cold Water, Consumer Issues, Dehydration, Health Issues, Leaking Pipes, Rain Water Tanks, Water Leaks

Water is not only the essence of life. It is the basis of life, as water is the foundation of the human body. Like any structure, if the foundation is poor, strength and longevity are reduced.

In South East Queensland, the next two months of January and February are traditionally the hottest months of the year. With the hot weather comes the concerns of dehydration. More than 70% of the human body is water, so when the temperatures increase, it cools itself by sweating. If water intake is inadequate, dehydration can become a real danger. This is frequently worse with children if their fluid intake of water is insufficient.

It is all of our responsibility to ensure our intake of water is frequent and adequate. However, it is essential to realise that you can become dehydrated long before the symptoms appear, so prevention is critical, and prevention is simply drinking water. Prevention does not include drinking fruit juices or sugary soft drinks.

Dehydration will impair your normal daily performance and dramatically increase the risk of heat-related illnesses such as cramps, headaches, exhaustion or even heat stroke. Possible signs of dehydration may include:

• extreme thirst

• extreme fatigue

• muscle and joint weakness

• headache and or dizziness

• dry or sticky mouth

• cramping of muscles

• irritability

• decreased performance

If you notice yourself or anyone else with the above symptom, it is essential to find a cool place and cool the body with water. The water should be sipped, not gulped, and the rest should continue until the body returns to normal. Recognising the signs of dehydration and taking measures to prevent it will increase everyone’s overall health.

The carrying of water bottles should be standard before leaving home. There is no need to buy expensive water bottles at the supermarket or service station when you have them on tap at home.

Even if you do not like the taste of water from Allconnex, it is a comparatively simple job for Whywait Plumbing Services to install a good quality filtration system to remove the chemicals, such as chlorine, that create the poor taste many people associate with tap water. Once you have good quality filtered drinking water, purchasing reusable personal drinking bottles will ensure the entire family can be active, healthy and constantly hydrated in our hottest months by simply drinking regularly.