Dehydration Essay

Passing out, lethargy, constipation, dry mouth and even dry eyes are very few symptoms In the long list of signs to tell us that we are dehydrated. Being dehydrated Is potentially very bad and If not taken care of a person can end up In the hospital or even dying. Many things can cause dehydration Including drinking too much alcohol or simply not drinking enough water. Without ample amounts of water our bodies cannot function correctly, and being made up of 70% water it is understandable as to why this is the case.All people suffer from dehydration, it does to affect one age group more than another, and likewise it does not affect one race or gender more than the others do. Plainly, put, If enough water Is not drank everyday than a person Is at risk for becoming dehydrated and developing symptoms that can be quite uncomfortable. First, some of the functions of water in the body are to keep everything moist, from our eyes to our mouths, and even our Joints. Imagine trying to eat food without the assistance of the saliva our bodies produce, it would be very difficult to have to swallow dry, chewed up food.Urine becomes dark yellow, with a strong ammonia meal and constipation Is common; the lack of water causes the stool to become more solid and less liquid-y because the body Is pulling water from every available resource. The recommended amount of water that the average person should drink is eight – z cups of water per day. That is a half-gallon of water every day that people are supposed to be drinking, more often than not soda and coffee is being drank instead, which sure they have water in them†¦ Just not the recommended amount that we need.Next, dehydration affects people of all ages, from little children to grown adults, to even the elderly. In children, dehydration causes tiredness and grumpiness, even the sensation of being hungry, or the craving for something unknown. In adults, dehydration can mean different and more serious side effects suc h as passing out or getting dizzy when standing up. In the elderly, dehydration, in my opinion is the worst time to see it. I think that older people need more water in their bodies because they dispel more In the given day.They may not have bladder control, especially If they are hooked up to a urinary bag, and not necessarily know when they have lost all of their water. Nursing homes help the elderly with this a lot of the time cause the people cannot do it on their own. For everyone else however, it is important to make sure we drink the vital amount of water to remain healthy. On another note, when a person is dehydrated they lose important vitamins and nutrients known as electrolytes.When children have a fever or diarrhea, pediatric is a good drink to give them because It Is packed full of electrolytes, It Is k for adults to are sodium, potassium, and chloride. These electrolytes help maintain blood pressure. Body movements require electrical currents to run through the body an d these charged ions make this possible. Sodium and potassium are positive ions that both function to provide nerve transmission, muscle contractions, and fluid balance. Chloride is a negative ion and its main function is to provide fluid balance.Not having enough sodium in your body can cause muscle cramps, but table salt is a quick fix of this deficiency. Not enough potassium can cause fatigue, and once again can be fixed quickly and simply with eating bananas. Finally, a chloride deficiency can cause a potassium or sodium deficiency. When being active and playing sports or Just being outdoors, drinking sports drinks like Storage can help maintain proper electrolyte balances. Yet again, many things cause people to lose water from their bodies at different speeds.Sweating causes us to lose water at significant speeds because our skin seeps water to cool us down on a hot day. If it is scorching hot outside and a person just stops sweating, this is a sign of dehydration and they shou ld seek out a water source fast. Similarly, alcohol makes us lose water quicker on many levels because it heats people up from the inside causing them to sweat and it depletes electrolytes from our system. Drinking water in between alcoholic beverages can help a person avoid a hangover because they are staying hydrated while drinking.Caffeine on the other hand, speeds up our heart rate, causing us to urinate more that in the end is causing us to lose more water than we would without the caffeine. These things can lead to dehydration of the person ingesting them does not know what the symptoms are and how to counteract them. Finally, making sure that a person does not become dehydrated is important, even more so for people less than healthy. A person with a hole in their heart is more susceptible to symptoms of dehydration than a healthy person, and the same with elderly. Everyone is responsible for the amounts of water they drink each day.We need to instill in children at a young ag e that staying dehydrated is important. It is also important to work it into the daily routine, and make it habit to drink 64 ounces of water per day, and keeping an eye on electrolytes as well. Eating lots of fruits or vegetables or water-based foods can help a person increase their water intake without necessarily drinking as many glasses of water. Overall, there is more than enough water on this planet, and foods that contain water for everyone to be able to survive. If someone becomes dehydrated in my opinion, it is because of his or her own personal neglect.Should this be the case that person needs to understand the importance of staying hydrated and how this simple task can solve many ailments. Staying hydrated can make a person feel Just a little bit better in many aspects, maybe their Joints are moving Just a little bit better, or they do not have to use eye drops 10 times a day. If you do not stay hydrated regularly already, you should try it Just to see what kinds of thing s it could do for you. Perhaps a little more energy for those long days would be nice. References: Retrieved from: (2010) Guidelines for a Healthy Diet: Prentice Hall