It's hot! If the heat is difficult to bear, it is even more so for children and seniors. During heat waves, the risk of dehydration is greater. To beat the heat and stay cool all summer, here are our tips for staying hydrated.
Dehydration, what is it exactly?
We speak of dehydration when the quantity of water contained in the tissues is insufficient to ensure the proper functioning of the vital organs. This phenomenon particularly affects fragile people, children and especially seniors, especially during hot weather. Why ? The answer is simple:with age, one loses the feeling of thirst and, therefore, the reflex to drink. In addition, the proportion of water in the body decreases over the years, going from 60% on average in adults to 45-55% after 50 years.[1]Conclusion:the older we get, the more vigilance is required !
Everyone has their own water needs.
To your calculators, everyone! To calculate your daily water needs, there is a very simple method:For those under 60:weight x 30; For those over 60:weight x 25. A senior aged 73 and weighing 70 kg should consume:70 x 25 =1,750 cl of water. That is 1.75 liters minimum per day, spread over the whole day. These figures are of course only averages, to be adjusted according to your state of health and the weather.
How do you know if a senior is dehydrated?
Understanding what dehydration is is good. Finding it is better. Here are some unmistakable signs:
Dehydration:what if food could help us?
Water is life
To keep your hydration afloat, your body has only one ally:water. Prefer tap water, if it is of good quality, or bottled water. Infant waters, low in minerals, nitrates and nitrites, are great for not overloading the kidneys. Natural mineral waters rich in calcium and/or magnesium are also recommended for the elderly.
Whichever solution you choose, add a pinch of salt to the bottle:sodium maintains hydration. Do not forget tea, infusions, vegetable broths which are also very good fluid intake. And above all, we limit fruit juices, because the sugar they contain dehydrates.
Food hydration, yes, it exists
The water you drink is not enough to meet your daily needs. To remedy this, certain foods are ideal and even provide you with up to 1.5 liters of liquid per day:a good way for seniors to hydrate themselves. So, we take out the blenders and concoct cold soups and other smoothies based on:
Lack of inspiration?
Try this famous watermelon-mint soup that's going viral on social media. Remove the skin and seeds from the watermelon, wash your tomatoes and a few mint leaves. Put everything in a blender, add the juice of half a lemon and mix. Add olive oil, salt, pepper and a little Espelette pepper to add a little pep. 2 hours in the fridge, and it's ready!
On the other hand, other foods should be avoided because they dehydrate:coffee, alcohol, salt, sugary drinks, large amounts of protein, asparagus, etc.
Dehydration:how to avoid it?
In addition to staying hydrated, there are a few habits that can help you stay on top, even when the thermometer goes crazy like during a heat wave :
Don't wait for the heat wave to adopt these good reflexes! The more your lifestyle is at the top, the more you will be, too. And don't forget the most important thing:don't wait until you're thirsty, HY-DRA-T YOURSELF all day long!
[1] European Food Safety Authority report on water intake recommendations, 2008
