Summer is fast approaching — this means we can indulge in sorbets, take cold showers, and enjoy the cooling effects of ACs. Typically, winter has been seen as a season of gloom and sickness. But it is important to note that letting go of your health this summer can cause something awfully serious — dehydration. With this in mind, the Healing Foundation held a workshop called ‘Decoding Dehydration: Silent and Diarrheal’. After the session, Dr B Ravinder Reddy, senior consultant and gastrointestinal surgeon, spoke to CE about silent dehydration.
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Tell us about the workshop. How are you planning to create awareness on dehydration?
The main objective is to circulate knowledge on silent dehydration among both people and health professionals. In medical terms, it is called subclinical dehydration. In this illness, there is a suboptimal level of fluids, electrolytes, and to a certain extent, energy. This results in lethargy. In fact, this illness is quite common, and more so in individuals with diabetes and hypertension. People who are on medication for high BP have increased urine output, which is basically high water loss. The kidneys are bound to have some defects, so they function rather suboptimally. People lose more water without their knowledge.
What are the symptoms of silent dehydration?
Unfortunately, there are no fixed signs for this, unlike obvious dehydration, where there is an increase in heart rate, pulse rate, slight reduction in blood pressure, changes in skin colour, and so on. So, we need to be mindful, especially more so because we live in a part of the world where the average temperatures will soon hit 40°C. Even if a person is indoors, there is the possibility of falling prey to silent dehydration. The two age groups most prone to silent dehydration are children and the elderly, aged 65 and above.
What are the precautions one has to take for this?
It is important to hydrate oneself well — don’t wait until you feel thirsty to have water. An adult in a temperate region should have eight glasses of water, while those in a tropical region should have more. If they have any illness, they should increase their water intake. In other words, at least take three to four water breaks and make sure you drink plenty of water.
The other aspect of this silent dehydration is that pure water may not be sufficient. Some individuals also need electrolytes because when they sweat, they lose electrolytes subclinically. This can happen even without sweating. The solution here is to eat fruits, which contain adequate amounts of calories and fluids. Most vegetables have water, calories, and electrolytes too. ORS is good for severe dehydration.
What are the other things one should be aware of this summer?
In light of global warming and extreme temperatures, it is important to be mindful of your fluid intake. A marker for hydration levels is the colour of your urine; light yellow implies a good level of hydration while a darker one hints at dehydration. Clear urine means overhydration. Fruits, vegetables, and adequate water — these are ways to protect yourself.