The summer heat has made its arrival, and we need to be prepared to stay hydrated. The body depends on water to live because water makes up more than half of a person's weight, and this is why it's so important to drink enough water. How can you tell if you need to drink more? You need to drink more water if you have:
- Little or no urine, or urine that is darker than usual
- Dry mouth
- Sleepiness or fatigue
- Extreme thirst
- Headache
- Confusion
- Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
- No tears when crying
One way to make sure that you are drinking enough water is if your urine is usually colorless or light yellow. If it is colorless or light yellow, y
ou are probably staying well hydrated. When you exercise or go outside during hot weather, you need to make sure you drink more water.
Besides water, what else can you drink to stay well hydrated? Even though water is the best way to stay hydrated, other drinks and foods can help give you the water you need, but they may add extra calories to your diet. There is water in vegetables and fruits like watermelon, tomatoes and lettuce, and in soup broths. You also can drink fruit and vegetable juices, milk and herbal teas as a part of the amount of water you should get each day. Caffeinated drinks, like coffee, tea and soda, can count toward your daily water intake as well, but they should not be more than half of what you drink every day.
