As the summer months progress and the mercury level rises, the increasing heat is taking its toll on the young and old. The power outages and load shedding add to our woes. Staying indoors due to the COVID-19 outbreak and not having the opportunity to swim at a club or gym pool adds to the misery. It becomes more important than ever to make sure that we beware of dehydration in these circumstances. 

Dehydration, if left untreated, can lead to heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke which requires immediate medical attention. You certainly don’t want to rush to the hospital in the current scenario, so it’s better to follow a regime that would avoid you falling prey to dehydration.

What are the signs of dehydration?:

You might be dehydrated if you:

1. Feel thirsty
2. Have a dry mouth
3. Have dark coloured urine
4. Are not urinating enough
5. Have dry skin
6. Experience muscle cramps
7. Have a headache
8. Feel dizzy

 

Three Simple Steps to Avoid Dehydration:

Precaution is surely better and easier than cure, thus before you experience any of the above symptoms, here are three simple things all of us should be doing to prevent dehydration:

1. Drink a lot of fluids: It’s essential that we are drinking atleast eight glasses of water every day. Remember that you are losing body fluids due to excessive sweating in this summer heat so keep a bottle of cool water handy. Don’t wait until your mouth is parched—keeping sipping on water consistently. The loss of body fluids means a loss of electrolytes—minerals that affect the function of your muscles and nerves. Preparing fresh fruit juices is a great way to stay energized and hydrated. It might also be wise to cut down on the tea and coffee as coffee saps the moisture from your system. 

2. Wear the right clothes: With most of us staying home and working from home, its best that we wear light cotton clothing. If you do need to venture out make sure you wear sunglasses which prevent harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from affecting your corneas. Cover you head with a hat or scarf to avoid a sunburn or headache due to the blazing heat and put on some sunscreen. 

3. Eat the right food: There is a definite aversion to the greasy stews and fried food in the summer days. Instead in this heat, is refreshing and preferable to have freshly cut vegetable and fruit salads which are high in water content. It might also be a good idea to eat food low in fat as fat takes longer for your body to digest and carries a higher salt content. 

Apart from following these simple steps we should all make an effort to stay out of the direct sun from noon to 3 pm when the sun’s heat is at its peak.  Try to stay indoors or in the shade. 

Bolstering your immune system is also one effective way to make your body strong enough to ward of dehydration. Zindigi and YesToZinc are Zinc supplements manufactured by the health experts at Zafa Pharmaceutical, Pakistan, one of the top pharmaceutical companies in the country. Research has proved that Zinc helps the immune system in fight off invading bacteria and viruses and helps in making proteins and DNA in the body.

Consult your family physician and make Zindigi and YesToZinc, by the top pharmaceutical company in Pakistan, a part of your health regime this summer and be equipped to fight off the heat and any type of ailment.