At once with the summer we have all waited, the dog-days have also come, that also bring along the danger of dehydration. High temperatures remove water out of the body much more quickly through sweat and can affect us quite a lot, especially because dehydration appears without us noticing and causes headaches, dizziness, sleepiness, irascibility, poor general conditions, increases blood pressure and it even causes palpitations. Dehydration occurs even when 1% of the body water is lost and thirst appears. In order to avoid it, we give you some hydration advice for the summer:
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Have always water within reach!
Whether at the office, at home or in the street, during the hot season it is important to have water always close and to constantly drink even if you are not thirsty. This habit can be resumed throughout the year. If water is “at sight” it is simpler to stay hydrated.
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How much water do we drink?
The quantity varies depending on each persons’ weight, height, activity, environmental temperature, but minimum 2 litres of water besides other liquids is a quantity that should be comfortable on summer days. Besides water, our advice is to eat water-rich vegetables and fruits: tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, cherries etc., but also natural (not diuretic!) chilled tea, lemonade or citrus or other fruit juice. During the heat waves, it is good to reduce the consumption of coffee or other diuretic drinks that accelerate the water removal from the body and to alternate with the mineral sparkling water to maintain an optimum level of mineral salts.
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Water at environmental temperature
No matter how tempting, cold water on a hot day does not make you feel less hot but only amplifies the feeling because the body tries to bring it to its own temperature, thus consuming energy and generating heat. A more efficient cooling is produced when the body self-regulates through abundant sweating, this is why it needs “fuel”.
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Do you do sports? Drink (even) more water!
The physical effort supplements the body water need, especially in case of high temperatures. Be careful that while you do sports have water within reach and drink regularly not only once because it is not as efficient.
Also, one hour or two hours afterwards, you can drink mineral sparkling water to rebalance the mineral salts lost while exercising.
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Drinking water is no punishment but a pleasure
In order to be easier for you and stay hydrated at the optimum level, we recommend you to use some of AQUA recipes: lemonade, with cucumbers or elderflower (moderately, because it has a diuretic effect), to have the bottle of water close to you at any time, at work or at home, to make it attractive for kids placing it in colourful containers or preparing ice cubes with fruits or colourful straws.