In Dorothea Mackellar’s iconic poem ‘My Country’, she writes of Australia being a land “of droughts and flooding rains”. Anyone who’s experienced this country over a number of years knows just how true Dorothea’s words are. There’s not much we can do about our land getting enough – or too much – water. However, we certainly can when it comes to our own bodies, and it’s important we do. Dehydration has its consequences.
What happens if we don’t get enough water? And how do we go about ensuring that doesn’t happen?
Water, dehydration and your body
Have you ever noticed a drop in your weight when you’ve been sick for a week or two? I can remember a fortnight back in the early ’90s when I had a stomach bug I couldn’t shake. By the end of the second week of my illness I’d lost six kilograms. As I was gradually getting better, I thought, “Wow, at least I’ve found a way to lose some weight!”
The only problem was, a couple of weeks later I’d regained all six kilograms. There was a simple reason for my fortnightly fluctuation – I’d lost a lot of water.
It’s common knowledge that water makes up a fair bit of our body weight, but did you know that it’s actually more than half? In adults, the ratio is around 60 per cent. In kids it’s higher still, around the 65 per cent mark.
When you have a stomach bug, diarrhoea is a common symptom. There’s not much solid stuff coming out when you’re on the toilet. That’s because your bowel is absorbing water at a lower rate than normal, and it’s getting passed straight through you. That’s how I achieved my ‘miracle’ loss of six kilograms in two weeks. Not ideal.
When you’re sick the common advice is to keep your fluids up, and that’s why.
Hopefully you do not experience stomach bugs or other illnesses very often. But even when you’re fit and healthy, it’s important to keep your water levels up. While the effects of mild dehydration aren’t life-threatening, they’re ones you’d probably prefer to avoid. They can include fatigue, dizziness, confusion and even crankiness. Nobody wants you to be cranky!
In serious cases, dehydration can lead to kidney damage, brain damage and even death, although that’s extremely unlikely in normal day-to-day life.
Reading the (water) signs and avoiding dehydration
If you’re in good health, you won’t be losing excess water through your bowel movements. But a combination of sweat, tears and urination will get rid of water as part of your body’s general business. If you’re in the habit of drinking water a few times a day, that should replenish your H₂O reserves.
I was always taught that dark urine is a sign of dehydration. In general this is true, so if your pee is very yellow – or even brownish – have a glass of water. Other signs include a dry mouth, tongue and/or lips, dizziness, headaches and – wait for it – feeling thirsty. Your body does a pretty good job of giving you basic health advice. If you’re thirsty, grab another glass of water.
Another thing I was taught is that you should drink eight glasses of water a day. A quick look at the science behind this reveals… nothing. There is no scientific evidence to support this figure. Still, it’s probably not a bad guide, although your own body is likely a better one.
Too much of a good thing?
What about Dorothea Mackellar’s ‘flooding rains’? Is it possible to consume too much water? In theory, yes. In practice, it would be very difficult to achieve. That’s not to say it’s impossible, and it can have deadly consequences, but it’s the sort of thing only seen very rarely, such as in intense long distance running.
What about so-called sports drinks? Not necessary, unless you’re an elite athlete. The best advice? A few glasses of water a day and you’ll likely be fine. Cheers!
Do you keep track of your water intake? Do you think you get enough? Let us know via the comments section below.
Also read: Bottled water not as pure as we thought
Health disclaimer: This article contains general information about health issues and is not advice. For health advice, consult your medical practitioner.
