 It’s a beautiful weekend, and you spend a full day outside in the fresh air.

The sun and

activity feel great after a week spent cooped up inside. But as evening falls, you start to
feel deeply fatigued, even dizzy, and slightly nauseous. It might be a virus. But after a
day of yard work or playing sports, it’s more likely to be dehydration.

The long, sunny days and breezy nights of summer beckon us to enjoy the outdoors. Biking,
swimming, and water sports headline the top of the “to-do” list. Watching the surf while
strolling along the beach or exploring hiking trails become the national past time. But summer
also brings heat waves, and the dash of extreme weather this past June was a sobering
reminder of the importance of staying hydrated during the summer months. Extreme
heat caused 7,415 deaths between 1999 and 2010, according to the Centers for Disease
ControlAlthough fluid loss occurs during hard physical work, even simple
tasks like gardening, walking or riding a bike can result in a significant
loss of fluid within a very short period. We can also lose a lot of fluid in
hot or humid conditions
 Whether you’re pedaling uphill in a spin class or going for a trail run, any
activity that makes you break a sweat means you need to bump up the
water intake. Why? Sweat is made almost completely of water, and it’s
important to replace any of the fluids you are losing during your workout
Water. It’s one of the most important elements for all living things. Up to 60 percent of the human adult
body is made of water.It is important in removing waste, and maintaining blood circulation and body
temperature. It aids in digestion, prevents constipation, cushions joints, stabilizes the heartbeat, and
protects vital organs and tissues.
without enough of it, we can become dehydrated.
Dehydration might show itself in the form of muscle cramps, fatigue, thirst, and other unpleasant
symptoms. Our thinking and cognition can suffer. We might lose appetite, experience mild constipation
and lightheadedness, or kidney stones.

How much water should you drink each day?

According to doctors, there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for daily water intake. The amount of water you
should drink daily depends on your body, your health conditions, your medications, and other factors.

Factors that influence water needs

You might need to modify your total fluid intake based on several factors:

 Exercise. If you do any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water
to cover the fluid loss. It's important to drink water before, during and after a workout.
If exercise is intense and lasts more than an hour, a sports drink can replace
minerals in your blood (electrolytes) lost through sweat.
 Environment. Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional
fluid intake. Dehydration also can occur at high altitudes.
 Overall health. Your body loses fluids when you have a fever, vomiting or diarrhea.
Drink more water or follow a doctor's recommendation to drink oral rehydration
solutions. Other conditions that might require increased fluid intake include bladder
infections and urinary tract stones.
 Pregnancy or breast-feeding. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding need
additional fluids to stay hydrated. The Office on Women's Health recommends that
pregnant women drink about 10 cups (2.4 liters) of fluids daily and women who
breast-feed consume about 13 cups (3.1 liters) of fluids a day.

Schedule regular beverage breaks and keep a water bottle handy so you can take frequent sips of
water while you work or exercise

Check your urine

A good measurement of hydration is the color of your urine. Pale urine, similar to the color of straw,
indicates proper hydration while darker urine is a sign that you need more water. A dark yellow or
amber color means you may have mild to severe dehydration. Of course, other medications and
health conditions could affect this

 Avoid alcohol, sugary drinks, and/or caffeine.

 Tricky fact—some liquids work against hydration! Drinks like coffee, sugary sodas, beer,
wine and hard liquor, lemonade, sweet tea, energy drinks, smoothies, and flavored milk are
all culprits. They are loaded with sugar, sodium, and other ingredients that remove water
from your tissues. Consider swapping some of these out daily or rehydrating with more water
for each dehydrating drink you consume.
 Eat foods with high water content.
 Did you know that approximately 80 percent of our water intake comes from drinking water?
The other 20 percent comes from food. All whole fruits and vegetables contain some water,
but snack on these for maximum benefit: cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, radishes, peppers,
cauliflower, watermelon, spinach, strawberries, broccoli, and grapefruit. They all contain 90
percent water or higher.

salads are a great way to give you a hydrating boost. Most lettuce greens
contain at least 94 percent water, and that’s before you add any other
vegetables. Next time you whip up a salad, include celery, tomatoes, bell
peppers, and carrots
Bring back this classic treat as a delicious way to rehydrate. Blend a hydrating
ingredient like watermelon and fill Popsicle molds and freeze for 1 hour

 Not a frequent water drinker? Try sprucing up your water by adding a few simple ingredients.
Limes, lemons, mint, oranges, berries, cucumbers, and other fruits improve the taste without
artificial sweeteners or preservatives. This can help you drink more water than you usually
do, too. You can also give coconut water a try. This mineral-rich liquid is packed with
potassium, magnesium, sodium, and calcium, so it replenishes lost fluids and electrolytes
from exercise and hot climates quickly.
 For short-duration (less than 60 minutes), low-to-moderate-intensity activity,
water is a good choice to drink before, during and after exercise.