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Dehydration
About this symptom
The following tips may help you prevent dehydration.
- Prompt home treatment for illnesses that cause diarrhea, vomiting, or fever will help prevent dehydration. Review the home treatment recommendations for other symptoms you may have. Go to the following topics:
- Drink plenty of water before, while, and after you
are active. This is very important when it’s hot out and when you do intense
exercise. You can drink water or
rehydration drinks.
- Drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise.
- Take a container of water or sports drink with you when you exercise, and try to drink at least every 15 to 20 minutes.
- Use a sports drink if you will be exercising for longer than 1 hour.
- Encourage your child to drink extra fluids or suck on Popsicles. Children ages 4 to 10 should drink at least 6 to 10 glasses of liquids to replace lost fluids.
- Do not drink coffee, colas, or other drinks that contain caffeine. They increase urine output and make you dehydrate faster.
- Avoid high-protein diets. If you are on a high-protein diet, make sure that you drink at least 8 to 12 glasses of water each day.
- Avoid alcohol, including beer and wine. They increase dehydration and make it hard to make good decisions.
- Do not take salt tablets. Most people get plenty of salt in their diets. Use a sports drink if you are worried about replacing minerals lost through sweating.
- Stop working outdoors or exercising if you feel dizzy, lightheaded, or very tired.
- Wear one layer of lightweight, light-colored clothing when you are working or exercising outdoors. Change into dry clothing as soon as you can if your clothes get soaked with sweat. Never exercise in a rubber suit.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: May 2, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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