Preventing Dehydration and IV Therapies
Warmer weather is on its way and whether you are exercising outside daily, stuck indoors, on your balcony, back yard, front porch or on the front lines due to Covid-19, an important thing to keep in mind is hydration.
Dehydration occurs when more water leaves your body than you take in. Considering that the human body is made up of 60% water, staying hydrated will allow you to sustain a proper body temperature, keep your joints lubricated and your organs to working properly, help with sleep, bowel movements and cognition as well and most importantly assist with a healthy immune system. Without proper hydration our kidneys and liver cannot work to clear toxins from our system.
When dehydrated, there is less blood volume and therefore less lymphatic volume to remove waste. As dehydration increases, cells begin to shrink which send two messages to the brain; one is to drink (thirst) and the other is to conserve water through the kidneys by holding water and not urinating or urinating as frequently (therefore, your urine is very dark when you are dehydrated). Unfortunately, when this happens it puts stress on the kidneys, which can later cause damage including stones and possibly failure. (1)
Thirst is not always the first sign of dehydration. As we age, we lose the sensation of thirst and do not realize that we need fluids. Symptoms of dehydration may include:
- Infants or young children; Dry mouth and tongue, no tears when crying, No wet diapers for three hours, Sunken eyes, cheeks, Sunken soft spot on top of skull, listlessness, or irritability.
- Adult; Extreme thirst, Less frequent urination, Dark-colored urine, Fatigue, Dizziness, Confusion, headache (2)
How do we lose water?
Water from our bodies is lost in a sensible way such as through urination and defecation, but there is also an insensible loss through the skin (both sweat and evaporation), breathing and through stool. As we age the insensible loss becomes worse and we become more unaware of this phenomenon.
Hydration can occur by taking in fluid or food. Foods higher in liquid content are watermelon, cucumber, cauliflower, berries, peppers, and celery. Some people are not fond of drinking plain water. Adding lemon or lime to your water can help add both flavor and vitamin C (a good immune-boosting source).
How much fluid should you take in daily?
There seems to be some argument in the literature about how much is proper. While 8, eight-ounce glasses are a good start, it may not be appropriate based on your weight, sex, and physical activity. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends men 19 or older to get 131 ounces and women 95 ounces a day.
Children 4-8 years old should get 40 ounces, ages 9-13, 56-64 ounces and 14-18, 64-88 ounces (3). Another way to figure out how much fluid you should take in is to take your weight, multiply by 2/3. That number is the number of ounces you should take in based on your weight.
Remember, if you are exercising, you should add another 12 ounces of water for every 30 minutes that you work out. So if you are working out for 45 minutes, add 18 more ounces to your daily intake. (4)
Take the time one day to count the cups of water you are taking in. There are apps such as Daily Water Drink Reminder which is free and can help you keep track of your intake.
If you are not staying well hydrated and feel you need a little extra help, a good way to do so is through IV infusion.
Being properly hydrated can also help boost your immune system which is very important during the Coronavirus pandemic. For an extra added boost, you may want to think about getting an IV infusion at Rezilir. While we offer multiple IV therapies, our Myers Infusions include Vitamin C, B vitamins and Magnesium.
Vitamin C is a well-known antioxidant that can help to contribute to a well-functioning immune system. It helps to support both the innate and adaptive immune systems and supports the epithelium (the outer covering of skin, body surfaces and body cavities). Vitamin C is known to protect against oxidative stress and can accumulate in phagocyte cells which act like little Pac Men to ingesting bacteria or other materials in the body. (5)
In addition to our Myers Infusions, feel free to inquire about our other IV therapies used to hydrate and boost your immune system.
Quench
Rehydrate your body and combat fatigue caused by dehydration. Benefits might include:
- Rehydrates your body
- Detoxes your system
- Restores essential vitamins
- Reduces inflammation
- Improves circulation
- Fights fatigue
Immunity IV
Designed to help your immune system, prevent illnesses and make you feel better faster after getting sick . Benefits might include:
- Protects against infection
- Improves healing time
- Builds up your immune system
- Reduces duration of illnesses
Recovery & Performance
Designed to help shorten the time of recovery after an injury and potentially improve athletic ability. Benefits might include:
- Decreases recovery time
- Enhances athletic performance
- Replenishes essential nutrients
- Reduces inflammation
Rezilir has taken all precautions necessary to ensure you and our staff remain safe during the current outbreak. Call Rezilir Health to make an appointment today with our Nurse Practitioner Denise Nonelle to see which IV infusion is right for you.
We will listen to your story.
Call 786.780.1188
For more Healthy Updates, please visit our website frequently. New information from all of our clinicians at Rezilir Health is constantly updated as well as important updates on COVID-19 from Dr. Tanio.
1. Popkin, B.M., D’Anci, K. E., Rosenberg, I. H., (2010). Water, hydration and health. Nutrition, 68(8), 439–458. doi: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20646222/
2. Mayo Clinic. Dehydration. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/symptoms-causes/syc-20354086
3. National Academies of Science and Engineering. (2005). Dietary reference intakes for water potassium, sodium, chloride and sulfate. Institute of Medicine.
4. Marcin, A. (2008, November 2). How much water you need to drink. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-water-should-I-drink
5. Carr, A. C., Maggini, S. (2017) Vitamin C and immune function. Nutrients. 3;9(11). pii: E1211. doi: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/11/1211
