It is summer! Around Rocklin, CA, it has been very hot for quite a while with many days well over 100F. This is a good time for us all to make sure we are drinking enough water. And, it’s important to replace the essential minerals that act as electrolytes in our body that you are sweating out. Electrolytes are critical for regulating heartbeat, blood pressure, fluid balance, and muscle contractions.
Dehydration contributes to the loss of mental focus, short term memory, and can lead to depression and/or afternoon fatigue. Dehydration also affects your ability to get quality restful sleep. In severe cases, dehydration will cause hallucinations and can even increase your risk of stroke. If you have an elderly loved one, keep an eye on their water intake. If you notice they are “slipping” a little, mentally, remember the water. It is easy for them to forget about water intake if they aren’t very active.
During bathroom breaks, sweating, breathing, etc., all of us lose a LOT of water. When we replace only the water, electrolyte minerals quickly get washed out. High fruits and veggie diets provide 20% of our water replenish our electrolytes from the food we eat. Mineral including sodium, potassium and magnesium. If you aren’t “eating healthy”, be sure you to keep up with your electrolytes with a good multivitamin/mineral supplement.
On top of eating well, plan on drinking about 64 ounces. That is 8 cups, 2 quarts or 1/2 gallon) of water every day. And don’t forget to play in it, as well! That is good for you too!