More water issues

[Guest guest]

It is true that the thirst reflex is impaired in older adults, and

that dehydration can contribute to what looks like

disorientation/dementia. Dehydration also contributes to headaches -

if you get one in hot weather, consider that you may be dehydrated.

Any drink that adds significantly to water reduces its effects in

combating dehydration. Thus fruit juices, because of the high sugar

content, actually reduce hydration by drawing water from the

circulatory system in the body to reduce the sugar content. Caffeine

is also a dehydrator, although I believe the current thinking is that

it is not as bad as they thought it was. Alcohol is definitely a

dehydrator. Which is why a pre-hangover remedy is to take two

aspirin and drink a couple of glasses of water before going to bed.

Someone suggested a lemonade type drink. Unless this is really

dilute, it may not be contributing as much as you think it is to

hydration. Floating a lemon slice in water won't hurt it any.

The constant drinking of non-water beverages also tends to blunt the

thirst reflex, so that otherwise healthy adults that don't drink

enough water may have vague symptoms that are dehydration related.

This is at least partly why so many diet programs push drinking

WATER - not just fluids. The body has to deal with the other things

in the drinks, and will use water to lower levels of ingredients it

thinks should be lowered. It also appears to be true that your

thirst reflex being weak will let you believe you are hungry when you

are thirsty. Again, this is why the diet programs want you to drink

more water, and promote drinking a glass of water before eating

snacks.

I personally find that when I'm consciously trying to drink more

water I initially feel even MORE thirsty, and then that subsides as I

become more hydrated.

Iris