Hydration: 5 Common Mistakes

To maintain a good quality of life and avoid getting sick, you need to make sure you get enough fluids. While many people overlook this and make mistakes when it comes to hydration, proper fluid intake is necessary for all your organs to function properly. 

A dehydrated body begins to show defects in its main functions. This can lead to as many physical as mental problems. That’s how it is. In addition to drinking enough water, making sure you stay hydrated also depends on other factors that many people tend to forget.

1. Limit Your Sodium Intake

It is true that one of the most important recommendations from doctors is to monitor your sodium intake. A diet rich in this mineral can cause chronic problems with fluid retention and chronic hypertension.

However, this does not mean that it is an enemy and that you should completely exclude it from your diet. Too little of it can cause other adverse effects.

• Poor absorption of this mineral or its excessive loss through sweating makes it difficult to replace fluids, even if you drink enough water.
• Conditions such as heat and humidity make it even more important that you get enough fluids and consume enough salt.

2. Drinking too much water

While drinking too little water can certainly cause dehydration, drinking too much water can also cause negative effects. So be careful with hydration by drinking too much water.

Your body is not designed to process anything in excess, even water. The amount of water that is right for you depends on your age, weight, habits and the weather.

3. Not Eating Enough Magnesium and Potassium

People who play sports or do other forms of exercise that require energy should be concerned about whether they are eating the right amount of magnesium and potassium.

These essential minerals play an important role in the hydration of your body and in the health of your muscles. A deficiency can hinder proper hydration of your cells and the balance in the concentration of electrolytes. 

If you miss one of these minerals, you are more likely to suffer from:

• muscle cramps
• pain
• other symptoms of dehydration

It is generally advised to eat fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains to ensure proper absorption of these minerals and allow proper hydration of your body.

4. Drinking sugary drinks

A large number of people think that you can hydrate your body by drinking soft drinks or sweet fruit juices.

While they can quench your thirst, their components are far from healthy for your body.

• These drinks are full of sugar and contain chemical compounds that, instead of hydrating your cells, can actually cause dehydration.

• They also lack high-quality nutrients. Although some say they are made from fruit, they do not offer the same properties.
• Many of these drinks contain stimulants that can have unwanted effects on your health.

5. Don’t pay attention to the signs of your body

Sometimes you may think you are hydrating yourself properly but in reality you are not. There are many factors that are important to this process. It is therefore no wonder that if you make a mistake you can reach a certain level of dehydration.

It may be that  your body sends various signals  , but you might not always pay attention. Or you don’t understand what they’re trying to tell you.

The most disturbing thing is when you let them get worse and you finally realize there is a problem after it has already caused significant damage.

• Symptoms such as changes in toileting or urinary tract infections can be a sign that your body is not getting enough fluids and electrolytes.
• They can also be manifested by constant headaches, constant thirst and muscle cramps.
• Some people suffer from a decrease in heart rate per minute and even fainting.

Hydration is very important in these cases

If these symptoms appear, hydration is very important. Drink a sports drink with small but frequent sips.

After this, you should start with a moderate and gradual hydration plan. You should not overdo it and overload your stomach with liquids.

Did you realize you’ve made some of the above hydration mistakes yourself? If this is the case, try to restore them as soon as possible so that you do not suffer from the consequences that we have mentioned in this article.

Keep in mind that if you exercise or work somewhere that uses a lot of energy, you will need to adjust your hydration plan to ensure your body stays well hydrated. The same is true if you suffer from a disease.