Dehydration can sneak up on us—especially during hot weather or after strenuous physical activity. That’s why it's essential to replenish lost fluids and electrolytes promptly to avoid potential health issues. While it isn’t always easy to figure out what to eat and drink when dehydrated, PhysicianOne Urgent Care is here to provide guidance. Let’s dive into what causes dehydration, and what you can do to prevent it in the future.
What Causes Dehydration?
Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluids than it takes in. This imbalance can happen due to various reasons, including excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, or simply not drinking enough fluids throughout the day. Certain medical conditions like diabetes or kidney disease can also contribute to dehydration.
Foods & Drinks to Help You Stay Hydrated
There are several things you can eat and drink throughout the day to keep you hydrated. A few drinks and foods that help you stay hydrated are:
- Fruits – Incorporate hydrating fruits into your diet, such as watermelon, oranges, strawberries, and grapes. These fruits have high water content and can help replenish fluids.
- Vegetables – Eat vegetables with high water content, such as cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, and lettuce. These veggies provide hydration and essential vitamins and minerals.
- Soups and broths – Enjoying a warm bowl of broth-based soup can help boost hydration levels. Opt for clear soups like chicken or vegetable broth, which provide fluids and electrolytes.
- Smoothies – Blend together fruits and vegetables with water, coconut water, or low-fat yogurt to create refreshing smoothies. Adding leafy greens like spinach or kale can also enhance hydration.
- Coconut water – Coconut water is a natural source of electrolytes like potassium and sodium, making it an excellent choice for rehydration.
- Sports drinks – In cases of severe dehydration or after intense physical activity, sports drinks containing electrolytes can help replenish lost fluids and minerals.
You Can Count On PhysicianOne Urgent Care for Dehydration Treatment
At PhysicianOne Urgent Care, we prioritize your health and well-being. Here's why you can trust us for your urgent care needs:
- Our convenient locations – With multiple locations across New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, we're easily accessible when you need us.
- Our team of experienced providers – Our team of experienced healthcare providers, including physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, is trained to deliver high-quality care for patients of all ages. You can trust us to provide you with great tips for what to eat and drink when dehydrated.
- Comprehensive services – From treatment for dehydration and minor injuries to flu shots and COVID-19 testing, we offer a wide range of urgent care services to meet your needs.
- We offer same-day lab testing – Our urgent care centers are equipped with on-site laboratories, allowing us to provide same-day testing for various conditions, including dehydration.
- Our telehealth services – If you're unable to visit us in person, our integrated 24/7 telehealth service allows you to consult with a provider remotely via video conferencing, ensuring you receive timely medical advice and care.
Find Out More
Proper hydration is essential for maintaining good health and preventing dehydration. By incorporating hydrating foods and beverages into your diet, you can stay refreshed and energized. If you're experiencing symptoms of dehydration or need assistance with what to eat and drink when dehydrated, visit PhysicianOne Urgent Care for prompt and compassionate care. Your health is our top priority.
FAQs
Cantaloupe, grapefruit, strawberries, watermelon, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, sweet peppers, radishes, spinach, zucchini, and tomatoes are all at least 90% water. Soups, popsicles, water ice, and gelatins are also high in water.
What foods hydrate you quickly? ›
So, eat up, and beat the heat with your fork.
- Cucumbers. Hydrate and replenish your skin with fresh cucumbers. ...
- Celery. This fibrous veggie will satisfy your craving for crunch. ...
- Iceberg lettuce. The “ice” might as well be melted, as this type of lettuce contains 95% water. ...
- Zucchini. ...
- Watermelon. ...
- Strawberries. ...
- Cauliflower.
What are the best drinks to hydrate?
- Water. No surprises here. ...
- Milk & milk alternatives. One scientific study . has suggested that milk is right up there with the most hydrating drinks. ...
- Fruit and herb-infused water. ...
- Fruit juice. ...
- Sports drinks. ...
- Coconut Water. ...
- Tea.
What is the quickest way to rehydrate your body? Water is the best option for rehydrating your body, but oral rehydration solutions also provide essential electrolytes. These may be useful if you are dehydrated due to diarrhea or vomiting, or if you have been exercising intensely.
What is the best drink for dehydration of seniors? ›
To prevent dehydration, you should drink water throughout the day. Water is best, but other drinks can also be helpful like milk, flavored sparkling water, and low-sugar fruit juices. Even frequent small sips are helpful if you cannot drink a full glass at a time.
What is best to drink when severely dehydrated? ›
What to do. If you're dehydrated, drink plenty of fluids such as water, diluted squash or fruit juice. These are much more effective than large amounts of tea or coffee. Fizzy drinks may contain more sugar than you need and may be harder to take in large amounts.
How do I hydrate my body asap? ›
Water will rehydrate your body perfectly fine, but drinks with infused electrolytes can also help. Medline Plus reports that electrolytes balance the amount of water in your body, as well as move nutrients into your cells and wastes out of your cells.
What is the number 1 hydration drink? ›
As you can imagine, water is one of the best drinks to fight dehydration. Drinking water throughout your workout helps replace the water you're losing by sweating. It's also key to drink when you're not feeling well.
How can I hydrate myself overnight? ›
Sip on water before you go to bed.
1 cup (0.2 liters) of water before bedtime can keep you from waking up due to thirst. A glass of water before bed can also prevent leg cramps during the night and a headache in the morning, which are often caused by dehydration.
What are two warning signs of dehydration? ›
What are the symptoms of dehydration?
- Dry tongue and dry lips.
- No tears when crying.
- Fewer than six wet diapers per day (for infants), and no wet diapers or urination for eight hours (in toddlers).
- Sunken soft spot on your infant's head.
- Sunken eyes.
- Dry, wrinkled skin.
- Deep, rapid breathing.
If you have severe dehydration, you might: be extremely thirsty. have a very dry mouth. be breathing fast.
How do you recover from dehydration immediately? ›
Instead, replace lost fluids naturally with sips of water, fruit juice, crushed fruit mixed with water, or salty soups or broths. Fruit juices may upset your stomach, so it's best to dilute them with water. Avoid coffee, tea, soda, and alcoholic drinks.
How do you hydrate a dehydrated person fast? ›
But what about in the case of mild dehydration? One research study demonstrated that subjects who were mildly dehydrated could reach normal levels of hydration within 45 minutes by taking in 600 mL of water or a combination of salt and carbohydrate-electrolyte solutions (CES).
What hydrates you more than water? ›
When minerals such as potassium, magnesium, sodium, and others are dissolved, they become electrolytes. Electrolytes play an important role in chemical reactions and balancing fluid levels. A few hydrating drinks outside of water include electrolyte drinks, sports drinks, fruit juices, tea, coconut water, and milk.
What foods make dehydration worse? ›
- Jun 27, 2024. BY: ET Online. ...
- Soda. On a hot day, sipping a bubbly soda might seem relaxing, but studies have shown that the sugar in soft drinks can cause the body to become hypernatremic. ...
- Fried food. Fried meals are a major source of unrecognised sugar and salt. ...
- Fruit juices. ...
- Pickles. ...
- Coconut water. ...
- Soy sauce. ...
- Coffee.
Drinks like fruit and vegetable juices, milk, and herbal teas can contribute to the amount of water you get each day. Even caffeinated drinks (for example, coffee, tea, and soda) can contribute to your daily water intake. A moderate amount of caffeine (200 to 300 milligrams) is not harmful for most people.
