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The heat has just been brutal lately. It was about a year ago that I landed myself in the hospital with a panic attack, that was seemingly brought on by dehydration. This was odd to me. I FEEL like I drink plenty of water. But, it was the second time in my adult life that I had ended up in the ER with a racing heart, feeling nauseous, and was unknowingly dehydrated.

While I was wanting to take a run outdoors the other evening, I remembered that night and opted for the treadmill instead 🙂 Probably not a wise idea to jog in 93-degree temps with very high humidity.

So, what can we do to be sure to stay hydrated!? Sounds to me like such a silly thing to ponder, but dehydration can come on and cause lots of weird side effects, and it’s not silly to consider when you’re in the middle of it!!

• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drink lots of water. Even more, if you are outside and sweating, or if you get a workout indoors. Also, consider a sports drink with electrolytes.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol, both of which tend to dehydrate you further. If you have those drinks, drink water with every alcohol or caffeine drink to stay ahead of the game.
• Watch for dry lips (I notice this in my younger kids sometimes) and if your mouth feels dry, know that you’re already dehydrated. Start replenishing immediately.
• If you’re going to be outside, wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothes.
• If you don’t have air conditioning in your home, consider heading to a mall, library, or other public space to keep cool when it’s especially hot and humid.
• Make sure your ceiling fans are rotating counter-clockwise to blow the air down
• Salty foods and protein rev up your body temperature while digesting the food. Stick with fruits and vegetables to keep your internal temperature a little more steady.

Signs of dehydration include feeling dizzy, rapid heartbeat, lack of energy, irritability, dark urine, headache, and muscle cramps, along with others. Pay attention to your body. Drink fluids, even if you feel like you aren’t thirsty. Trust me, this can be a scary situation, and your body can react in ways that you didn’t realize, which then turns into a panicked situation!!

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