Dehydration Blues in Winter

HEALTH COLUMN

Water is lost in urine, sweat, and bowel movement. This is why drinking water is essential to replenish the body's water supply. Hydration means not only drinking water but also taking in food and beverages that contain sufficient moisture.

Our body is made up of around 70 per cent water. Water is essential for the survival of life. The body needs water for regulating metabolic activities. Water also regulates the body temperature, transportation of nutrients, and removal of toxins from the body. Water hydrates our body by hydrating the organs and tissues of the body.

Water is lost in urine, sweat, and bowel movement. This is why drinking water is essential to replenish the body's water supply. Hydration means not only drinking water but also taking in food and beverages that contain sufficient moisture. An adult man must drink 3.7 litres and an adult woman must drink 2.7 litres of water daily. But the quantity of water depends on certain factors such as activity level, environment, and overall health.

By including green leafy vegetables and fruits, one can stay hydrated. In short, consuming food with life and water content keeps you hydrated. To remain hydrated, one must drink water but not necessarily more than a specific limit. Drinking more water or fluids may cause your kidney to function abnormally.

In summer, we sweat, feel tired, and understand when to hydrate ourselves by just sipping water. But in winter, we do not notice sweat, so our body gets dehydrated.

Skin becomes dry and dull. We do not sweat much in winter because we cover our bodies with extra clothing to protect us from the cold. So, sweating combined with different clothing and the dry air causes dehydration during winter. Drinking more fluids and water in winter is advisable to keep our bodies hydrated.

There are sure signs of dehydration, such as thirst, dry skin, dark-coloured urine, muscle cramps, headache, dizziness, etc.

Ways by which you can remain hydrated

Always carry a refillable water bottle.

Squeeze some fresh fruit juice into the water to enhance the taste of the water.

Avoid soda, alcohol, and energy drinks.

Set a water reminder on your mobile phone for one hour.

Add more fruits and vegetable juice to your diet. You can mix the juice of one or more fruits.

Eat hydrating foods.

These are some easy and efficient steps to stay hydrated in winter.

Besides the ways mentioned, some food items help to keep hydrated. Make sure to include these in your diet to keep yourself hydrated, no matter the season. These food items:

Bananas: Bananas contain potassium and magnesium in adequate amounts. These vitamins and minerals act as electrolytes, keeping our body hydrated. Make sure to consume this wonder fruit and keep dehydration at bay.

Milk: Milk contains water in it. Besides water, it has fats, vitamins, proteins, and carbohydrates. Drinking milk can prevent dehydration.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes have about 94 per cent of water. Include tomatoes in your diet as salad, or mix it with sprouts, and you are good to go. Besides a high percentage of water, it also contains essential antioxidants, which help us keep healthy and maintain hydration.

Coconut Water: Coconut water contains many electrolytes, and drinking coconut water instantly makes you feel hydrated. Also, coconut water helps in detoxification.

Spinach: Spinach contains about 92 per cent of water. It is also low in calories. Spinach contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. So, include this green leafy vegetable in your salads and juice, and keep yourself hydrated.

Bell pepper: Bell peppers of green and yellow colour have high water content. It has around 93 per cent of water. Along with high water content, bell peppers have Vitamin C, B6, beta-carotene, thiamine, and folic acid. Since you know the contents of essential nutrients, ensure that you include these colourful vegetables in your diet and enjoy the health benefits it brings.

Cauliflower: This water-rich vegetable can be included in salads, soups, curries, etc.

Olive Oil: Include this oil in your kitchen and beauty regime to keep yourself hydrated.

Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate contains flavanol, which keeps the body hydrated, and also it helps in blood circulation. It will help in hydration and also retain water in the body.

Sweet potato: A significant part of this vegetable is water. Consumption of sweet potatoes in winter gives hydration to the body instantly. Besides water, sweet potatoes have a good amount of protein, carbohydrates, sugar, fibre, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin E.

Radish: Radish is grown in winter and is considered ideal for the skin. Radish helps to keep skin moisturised, prevents dryness, and boosts immunity. It is regarded as one of the healthiest winter foods containing Vitamin C, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and dietary fibre.

Carrot: Carrots guard the skin against damage. It contains Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and potassium. It helps in hydration and nourishes and repairs the skin from within by removing toxins produced in the body.

Green Tea: It helps to prevent dehydration. Drinking two cups of green tea will surely keep the skin moisturized and healthy.

Yoghurt: Low-fat yoghurt contains about 90 per cent of water. Consuming yoghurt in the form of smoothies, puddings, etc., will help you with hydration.

Cucumber: It contains about 95 per cent of water. Besides water, it also contains vitamins, potassium, and magnesium, which help balance the water intake.

Orange: It contains around 88 per cent of water. This citric fruit includes vitamins C and A, calcium, fibre, and potassium. Eating oranges will keep you hydrated and boost the body's immunity.

Peaches: Peaches have more than 90 per cent of water. So you must include peaches in your diet as well.

These are some of the food items that contain lot of water in them and these help to keep the body hydrated in winter. Including these foods and drinking the right amount of water will help to prevent water loss from the body.

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