How to stay hydrated when you are sick?

When we are sick, our bodies are very susceptible to dehydration, so drinking enough water is an important step to help prevent the condition from getting worse. In fact, there are many ways to help you stay hydrated when you're sick. The right and appropriate water for the body will help you recover and recover from the disease.

Almost every cell, tissue and vital organ in the body needs water to function properly. Water is responsible for regulating body temperature, transporting nutrients, eliminating waste, lubricating joints and circulating blood. When the body is dehydrated, it will be difficult for the organs to perform their normal roles.
Dehydration usually occurs when you sweat a lot, have diarrhea, vomit continuously, use diuretics or are sick. According to experts, those at high risk of becoming dehydrated include children, the elderly and people with chronic conditions such as kidney disease or diabetes.
When the body is dehydrated, the patient will have the following typical signs and symptoms:
Constantly feeling thirsty. Urinate frequently. Dry mouth and skin. Tired. Headache . Dizzy . Besides, the color of urine is also an important indicator to help you recognize dehydration when sick or due to other problems. If your urine is clear and light in color, this indicates that your body is well hydrated and holds fluids very well. However, when the color of urine changes, such as turning dark yellow, it may be a warning sign of dehydration.
A change in urine color due to dehydration can also be caused by other factors such as diet, illness or use of certain medications.

Dehydration is a noticeable health sign, which can lead to dangerous complications for the patient if not detected and treated promptly. If you are experiencing dehydration when you are sick, please refer to some of the following methods to stay fully hydrated:
2.1 Drink plenty of water One of the first principles to help your body always stay hydrated. Keeping the necessary amount of fluid is drinking enough water. The reason why water is very pure, does not contain sugar or any additional calories. Therefore, water is an ideal top drink for you when you are sick.
As recommended by health care professionals, you need to drink from 7 to 8 glasses of water per day, or even more during illness. Furthermore, drinking enough water can also help ease unpleasant symptoms, such as a stuffy nose, sore throat, or cough.
2.2 Coffee and tea Usually, coffee and tea are caffeinated beverages, which can cause temporary dehydration if consumed in excess, as they act like diuretics. However, if you drink coffee and tea in moderation, it can provide the same benefits of watering the body as regular drinking water, and also help increase energy, especially in cases where you are experiencing problems. dehydration when sick.
According to experts, caffeinated drinks only dehydrate when you consume them in dosages of about 250-300 mg, equivalent to 2-3 cups of 240 ml coffee or 5-8 cups of 240 ml tea. On the other hand, in a study of 50 regular coffee drinkers, when they drank about 4 cups (800 ml) of coffee containing 1.8 mg of caffeine/pound (4 mg/kg) of body weight per day, showed no significant difference in body's ability to retain water between coffee and regular drinking water.
Thus, you can completely consume tea or coffee as an alternative to drinking water to prevent the body from becoming dehydrated when sick. If you want to spice up these drinks, try adding unsweetened almond milk to your coffee, or some spices and herbs like nutmeg, cinnamon or lemongrass to your cup of tea. wake up every day.

2.3. Skimmed and low-fat milk Not only is a drink that provides many nutritional values, milk also has excellent hydrating properties, making it an ideal choice for you on sick days or when your body is dehydrated and tired.
Milk contains a high concentration of natural electrolytes, which have the effect of balancing the amount of water in the body. A new study shows that skim and low-fat milk has the ability to rehydrate the body similar to other popular sports drinks after you exercise intensely; while helping to provide protein and other essential nutrients for the body when tired or sick.
In addition, the high-quality protein source in milk also helps your body recover quickly and minimize unpleasant symptoms when sick. However, people who are intolerant to lactose or some milk proteins need to be cautious or not use milk to rehydrate the body.
On the other hand, full-fat dairy products should also not be used in cases where you are sick with diarrhea and vomiting, as milk can aggravate these problems.
2.4.Fruits and vegetables Fruits and vegetables are foods that contain up to 80-99% water, helping to replenish the amount of fluid needed when the body is dehydrated, especially in case you are sick. Some of the fruits and vegetables with the highest water content that you should choose include:
Berries. Oranges. Melon. Carrot . Grape. Cabbage. Lettuce. Spinach. You should store a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator so they can be easily used when needed. According to research, frozen vegetables and fruits are just as nutritious as fresh ones, and in some cases even help increase the nutritional value of vegetables.
Every day, you can drink a smoothie from fruits and vegetables to replenish water for the body. Alternatively, you can drink them along with milk or Greek yogurt to give your body extra energy during the days of dealing with unpleasant symptoms of illness.
2.5. Using an oral hydration solution An oral hydration solution is a special formulation, commonly used to help prevent and treat dehydration caused by diarrhea or vomiting. Moreover, they are also recommended by many experts to speed up the body's recovery from exercise and help prevent and treat nausea when sick.

Oral hydration solutions typically include electrolytes such as potassium, sodium, chloride, and sugar in the form of dextrose. Some other oral hydration solutions may also contain ingredients such as zinc and prebiotics. While this rehydration drink can help you replenish the fluids and electrolytes your body loses when you're sick, however they are quite expensive for regular use. So you can completely make your own hydrating drink using common ingredients right in your kitchen, including:
1 liter (38 ounces) of water. 1/2 teaspoon salt. 6 teaspoons of sugar. When you have all the ingredients ready, put them in a large bowl or pot, then stir until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved in the water. You can also use flavor enhancers to improve the taste of your rehydration drinks, but be careful as they may contain artificial flavors or sweeteners.
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Reference source: healthline.com