You may be shocked to discover that many common daily ailments are easy to cure – with water! Is your body showing signs of dehydration?

The human body is around 60% water. That figure goes up when it comes to your brain, heart, lungs and kidneys. So, it‘s no surprise we need large amounts to ‘restock’ our tissues, and ensure basic functions like circulation and urination run smoothly. 

You may be thinking you’ve got this covered, as you drink water after exercise and you’re rarely thirsty. The problem is your body could be giving you signs of dehydration that get overlooked. This can lead to severe health problems, including heart disease!

Keep in mind it’s not just about getting enough water to stay healthy. Taking in the right amount of fluid each day regulates electrolytes to your system – things like salt and potassium – which keep everything ticking along properly.

Signs of dehydration you need to look for

Headaches

Anything from a minor ache to a full-blown migraine can be triggered if you don’t drink enough water regularly during the day.

Muscle cramps

When your body uses fluids up especially exercising – muscles start to struggle to cool down properly and process a build-up of electrolytes such as salt. So, they seize up or cramp.

Bad breath

Saliva serves important functions including killing off bacteria in your mouth. Dehydration means you don’t make enough saliva. Before you even get to a dry mouth effect, you’re storing up some nasty bacteria, creating bad smells and an unpleasant taste.

Dry skin

The tendency when you have dry skin is to look at your environment and buy hydrating products. In fact, your skin could be telling you to drink more water during the day. If you do, you may visibly have smoother skin too.

Food cravings

It’s common to get your signals mixed up. You could be reaching for your favourite snack or treat because you’re ‘peckish’ when in fact the message was you need more fluid. Next time you feel hungry between meals, try drinking water and this may satisfy your craving.

Poor digestion

This links to the above, as fluids help to break down food and release the essential components. You could find you are less hungry AND healthier if you drink water with your meals.

Discoloured or smelly pee

One of the signs of imbalance in your fluid levels is dark or overly smelly urine. This shouldn’t be ignored, as it could also indicate an infection or some other health problem.

Value of clear fluids

There are good reasons why doctors advise you to drink plenty of clear fluids when suffering from a range of illness. It’s a brilliant way to flush out things your body is struggling with and to keep organs working efficiently.

If the problems mentioned above continue after you up your fluids, contact Oval Medical Centre for advice.

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