Medical App & Medical Advice with Hello Doctor

How dehydration affects your brain.    

Water makes up over two-thirds of the human body. It plays an important role in lubricating the joints and eyes, as well as aiding digestion, flushing out toxins and waste and keeping skin healthy. There’s something else it does: it keeps you happy.

When your hydration levels dip, so does your mood. That’s because when the normal water content of the body is reduced, it upsets the balance of minerals, like salts and sugars, in the body, which affects the way it functions.

Dehydration happens when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water to carry out its normal functions. Without replacing lost fluids, dehydration can occur.

How does this affect your brain?

Extreme dehydration, which happens after days of reduced fluid intake, causes significantly reduced cognitive function, delirium unconsciousness, coma, and may ultimately lead to death.

Symptoms of dehydration

The signs and symptoms of dehydration differ between individuals and range from minor to severe.

Mild to moderate dehydration may include the following:

  • Feeling tired or sleepy
  • Decreased urine production
  • Headache
  • Dizziness

Symptoms of severe dehydration include:

  • Blood pressure drops when you try to stand up after lying down
  • Racing heart rate
  • Fever
  • Poor skin elasticity (skin slowly sinks back to its normal position when pinched)
  • Lethargy and confusion
  • Seizure
  • Shock

Prevent getting dehydrated: drink according to thirst

Severe dehydration is uncommon and usually occurs only in athletes participating in extreme events (e.g. desert marathon runs) or in other unusual circumstances.

There is no one-size-fits-all “right” amount of water to drink each day. The exact amount you need is extremely variable and depends on a person’s body size, physical activity levels, climate and what types of food they are eating. The best way to get in the right amount of fluid each day is to “drink to thirst”. Your kidneys work to perfectly balance and regulate your water requirements so that you take in and retain only as much fluid as you need. What’s more, fluid intake can also come from food – in fact, around as much as 25% of your water intake comes from what you eat, not what you drink.

Exceptions to the rule

While most people can trust their “thirst mechanism”, there are some groups who should be more conscious of how much fluid they drink:

  • Certain medications (e.g. for heart disease, ulcers or depression) can alter the thirst mechanism
  • Certain chronic diseases, such as diabetes, can alter the thirst mechanism
  • When you’re sick with a fever or experience diarrhoea and vomiting
  • Women who are pregnant and breastfeeding
  • Being in very hot, humid weather

 References:

Are your potassium levels off?

Potassium, just like other minerals play an integral part in how your body functions. Unfortunately, your body can’t produce potassium on its own, so it must come from your diet.

Potassium is also known as an electrolyte. Electrolytes assist your body with essential functions, including:

  • Digestion
  • Blood pressure
  • Muscle contractions
  • Nerve impulses
  • Maintaining water balance
  • Heart rhythm
  • pH balance

Taking in too much or too little potassium could lead to serious health problems. A potassium deficiency is called hypokalaemia and an overload is known as hyperkalaemia.

Hypokalaemia

Potassium deficiency is often caused by an underlying condition. Common ones could include:

  • Magnesium deficiency
  • Regularly using penicillin-based antibiotics
  • Kidney disease
  • Vomiting, diarrhoea and excessive sweating

Symptoms of hypokalaemia vary depending on the severity of the deficiency. If it’s temporary, you may not have any symptoms. For example, you could experience a temporary potassium deficiency after a workout. Once you eat and drink enough water, it should stabilise.

Symptoms of hypokalaemia include:

  • Muscle spasms or cramping
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Constipation
  • Nausea and vomiting

Treating hypokalaemia

A potassium deficiency is usually diagnosed with a blood test. If your doctor finds that you have hypokalaemia, potassium supplements are usually the first line of treatment.
If your kidneys are healthy, then supplements would usually be effective. For a severe potassium deficiency, you may need IV treatment (delivers fluid medication directly into a vein).
If there’s too much sodium in your body, you may also be given diuretics (water pills which help you urinate) to help balance out the electrolyte levels.

Hyperkalaemia

Too much potassium in the body is rare, particularly if you eat a balanced diet. The most common symptom of too much potassium, is an abnormal heartbeat.

Some of the risk factors for hyperkalaemia include:

  • Kidney disease
  • Too much exercise
  • Chemotherapy
  • Taking too many potassium supplements
  • Diabetes
  • Severe burns

If you have mild hyperkalaemia, your doctor may prescribe medication that will give your body a potassium boost.

Severe cases require more treatment and could involve kidney dialysis to remove excess potassium. This procedure is usually used in cases of kidney failure. Insulin or glucose may also be recommended. These help to transport potassium from the blood to your cells for removal.

The final word on potassium

If you don’t have any of the risk factors for hypokalaemia or hyperkalaemia, then changes in body potassium shouldn’t be a concern. Having healthy kidneys should also be enough to regulate your potassium levels.

If you have any conditions that could affect your potassium levels they should be monitored. Talk to your doctor if you suspect a deficiency or overdose, along with any unusual symptoms.

References:

How much water do you need when you exercise?

When you’re exercising, you lose fluids through evaporation via sweat and through breathing.

So, how much water does your body need? The best way to measure your water needs is by how your body feels.

About 70% of your body is made up of water; it’s important for every chemical reaction in the body. You need about two to three litres of water a day to transport nutrients. This will help with digestion; remove waste and toxins and also support brain function for energy, mood and concentration.

We lose water and body salts (sodium and chloride) through urine too and when it evaporates as sweat.

The National Academy of Medicine recommends that women get 2.7 litres of water per day and men get 3.7 litres. About 20% of that should come from foods. This may sound like a lot, but remember – it depends on your activity-levels, weight, health and many other factors.

How much fluids can you drink during a workout?

According to the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut, the best way to know how much fluid to drink during exercise is to calculate your sweat rate to assess how much fluid you lose during activity. Then, you can calculate how much you need to drink.

  1.  Before the workout, make sure you’re hydrated (light-coloured urine). Dehydration will affect normal sweat rate.
  2. Step on the scale nude to weigh yourself before the workout.
  3. Exercise for one hour.
  4. During the one-hour workout, don’t drink any fluids as this will affect sweat rate. If you drink water, weigh the water before and after the workout to determine the difference.
  5. After the workout, take another nude body weight and calculate the difference between pre- and post-exercise.  If water is consumed during exercise, subtract the water weight from the post-exercise weight.
  6.  A person’s sweat rate is the amount of fluid they should aim to replace during exercise. If you are a heavy sweater, you may be able to drink everything they lose during the workout. You may not recover all your lost fluids until after a workout.
  7.  In the same breath, don’t allow yourself to become thirsty. If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

Don’t overdrink either; this can lead to hyponatremia; when sodium levels in the body are depleted to dangerous levels. It can result in confusion, lack of coordination and can, in some cases, be fatal.

Early signs of dehydration include:

  • Thirst.
  • Increased body temperature.
  • Early onset of fatigue in exercise.
  • Faster heart rate and breathing than expected.
  • Decreased exercise capacity.

Late signs of dehydration include:

  • Dizziness.
  • Difficult breathing.
  • Weakness.

Work out your water needs

The more active you are, the more water you will need. In a nutshell: start your workout with a full tank, and then replenish your fluids based on your pre- and post-workout weight.

References:

Saliva – your body’s amazing fluid

No-one wants to think of saliva. It’s gross, right? But we’re about to blow your mind. This body fluid is incredible, and for many good reasons.

Commonly known as spit, saliva is approximately 98% percent water with the other two percent made up of mucous, which includes electrolytes, antibacterial compounds and different enzymes which all work together to help with digestion.

Your salivary glands secrete saliva 24 hours a day – nearly two litres every day! Besides its normal duties of keeping your oral health in shape, saliva is also a window to your health, often used to check if you’re sick.

Juicy facts

  • It helps fight off germs in your mouth, keeps your breath fresh, and fends off tooth decay and gum disease with its proteins and minerals.
  • It makes use of enzymes during digestion to break down the food in your mouth.
  • It helps keep the inside of your mouth clean by constantly rinsing it.
  • It maintains balance in your body, so a change in saliva could mean that you’re sick. For example, look out for changes in the colour, consistency or amount of saliva you secrete per day.

Too little, too late?

Producing too much or too little saliva shouldn’t have you stressed – but you shouldn’t ignore it either. Too much saliva is usually due to an overactive salivary gland or a sign that you’re swallowing too much. If you aren’t secreting enough saliva, it could be because you have dry mouth.

Dry mouth is when your salivary glands aren’t able to produce enough saliva, making swallowing difficult. Your mouth may feel sticky, causing that dreaded bad breath. This condition is triggered by:

  • dehydration
  • certain medications
  • ageing
  • radiation therapy for cancer treatment.

Keep a healthy flow

  • Drink lots of water every day and chew on sugar-free gum to keep your salivary glands in shape.
  • If a dry mouth persists even after you’ve had enough water, talk to your doctor.
  • If you have too much saliva to the point where you’re drooling, check this with your doctor.
  • If you have pain or swelling in your neck and trouble swallowing in addition to dry mouth, you may have a salivary stone. This is caused by a build-up of too much calcium in your salivary ducts. Speak to your doctor about this condition.

References:

What does it mean to be dehydrated?

Amazingly, your body is made up of 2/3 water! It’s essential for many processes in your body, from lubricating your eyes and joints, to aiding digestion, flushing waste and keeping skin supple and healthy.

But when the normal water content in your body is reduced, it upsets the delicate balance of minerals, which has a huge effect on how your body functions. Usually, your body re-absorbs fluid from your blood and other tissues if it needs, but by the time severe dehydration sets in, there’s no longer enough fluid to get blood to your organs. This sends you into shock, which can be life-threatening unless you get emergency medical treatment.

What Causes Dehydration?

Simply put, dehydration happens when you lose more fluid than you take in. Fluids are lost through sweat, vomiting, tears, urine or diarrhoea, and the severity of it depends on factors such as climate, levels of physical activity, and diet.
Conditions such as gastroenteritis and diabetes can also contribute to dehydration, and age is another important factor. Young children are often at high risk of dehydration, and can become dehydrated very quickly, as their bodies metabolise faster than adults.

What are the Symptoms of Dehydration?

Thirst is the first symptom of dehydration, and other symptoms include:

  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Tiredness
  • Dry eyes, mouth and lips
  • Concentrated, dark yellow urine
  • Urinating less than 3 or 4 times a day

If mild dehydration isn’t treated, it can quickly lead to severe dehydration – which requires emergency medical treatment or it can be fatal. Symptoms of severe dehydration include:

  • Inability to urinate
  • Dry, wrinkled skin that sags slowly into position when pinched up
  • Sunken eyes
  • Low blood pressure
  • A weak or rapid heartbeat
  • Cool hands and feet
  • Seizures
  • Extreme fatigue, irritability or confusion

What’s the best way to treat mild dehydration?

In adults: Drink plenty of fluids! Water, diluted fruit juice and oral rehydration solution are all good options, and salty snacks can also help to replace lost salts.

In babies and young children: Avoid giving them plain water as the main replacement fluid, as it can further dilute minerals in the body. Stick to oral rehydration solution or diluted fruit juice. If they’re struggling to hold down fluids due to vomiting or diarrhoea, give small amounts more often. It can also be easier to administer fluids to young children with a spoon or syringe.

How can I prevent dehydration?

Drink enough fluids throughout the day! Aim for 1.5 – 2 litres of water, diluted fruit juice and tea to help maintain a healthy balance.
Sources: Mayo Clinic, WebMD.com, NHS.uk

Can the heat make you sick?

Summer festivities are in full swing. The sun is shining, the air is warm, and the sky is blue; this definitely calls for outdoor fun. Take care of your body though; soaking up the rays comes at a cost.

Dangerous heatwaves are common and can even be fatal; leading to death in more than 60 different parts of the world each year! So how exactly does this happen?

What is so bad about the heat?

Think about it like this: when you’re outdoors, there’s nothing between you and that giant ball of energy and light – except for a layer of sunblock. When sunlight hits the earth, some of its radiation is absorbed and some is reflected. Darker surfaces absorb more of the radiation and lighter surfaces reflect the radiation. (Which is why you feel cooler when you wear light or white clothes.)

Although sweating (and breathing) are your body’s ways of cooling itself down, it is only effective when the sweat can evaporate. If you’re trapped in intense heat, your body loses its ability to cool down. Your body temperature will keep rising until you get heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Heat exhaustion

This heat-related illness can happen after you’ve been exposed to high temperatures, and is often accompanied by dehydration.

There are two types of this exhaustion:

  • Water depletion: Weakness, excessive thirst, headache, and loss of consciousness.
  • Salt depletion: Muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.

Dehydration can also be worse if you have skin damage. When the sun’s rays penetrate on your skin, it can cause pigmentation changes, wrinkles and burns.

Heat stroke

Exertional heat stroke (EHS) is the most severe form of heat illness. A heat stroke is a life-threatening condition and must be treated as soon as it happens. If it isn’t treated immediately, it’s likely to result in death within a short space of time.

Look out for these signs

  • A throbbing headache
  • Light headedness and dizziness
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • 40°C body temperature or higher
  • No sweat, despite the heat
  • Confusion and hallucination
  • Hot, dry, red skin
  • Cramps and weak muscles
  • Nausea and vomitting
  • Irritability and changes in speech
  • Shallow breathing
  • Dilated pupils
  • Convulsions
  • Loss of consciousness

Heat rash

A heat rash is a skin rash that occurs when sweat ducts trap perspiration under the skin. Heat rash often takes place during hot, humid weather and often looks like red clusters of pimples or small blisters. It usually develops in skin folds, elbow creases, the groin or on the neck and upper chest.

Prevention is key

Drink at least eight glasses of water a day to stay hydrated. Drink before you feel thirsty, and avoid alcohol and caffeine which could dehydrate you further. To protect you from heat-related conditions, remember the following:

  • Wear light-coloured and lightweight clothes. Use a sun hat, cap or an umbrella to deflect the sun’s rays.
  • Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more to avoid sunburn.
  • Eat smaller, more frequent meals instead of big portions.
  • Avoid strenuous activity.
  • Stay indoors as much as possible.
  • Limit your time in the sun when the sun’s rays are most intense, between 10am and 4pm.
  • Protect your eyes with sunglasses. Choose sunglasses labelled with a UVA/UVB rating of 100% to get the most UV protection.

References:

Rotavirus – the Bug behind the Upset Stomach

There’s been another outbreak of runny tummies at your child’s aftercare – what’s causing it, and how do you prevent it from happening again and again?

Rotavirus is the most common cause of serious diarrhoea among babies and toddlers, so the chances are good that this is what’s triggering the runs. Rotavirus is highly contagious, and affects babies and young children, causing nasty bouts of diarrhoea, vomiting, fever and tummy ache.

Rotavirus infections spring up quickly, especially where a lot of children are gathered together, for example at aftercare or crèche. The virus spreads quickly through contact with the stools from an infected child, even when people do their best to keep things hygienic and sanitary. The good news is there is there are a number of vaccines available to help protect against rotavirus, so speak to your paediatrician if it’s an ongoing issue with your child. Depending on the brand of vaccine, it can be administered from the age of 2 months, and an infant usually needs 2 or 3 doses.

What are the Symptoms of Rotavirus?

We spoke to Hello Doctor’s Dr Russell about the symptoms of rotavirus, as well as other important information you need to know about it. Here’s what he had to say:

“Vomiting is often the first symptom, usually followed by a fever and severe diarrhoea. Your child might have episodes of diarrhoea on and off for a week or so, or they could suffer from severe diarrhoea for up to 8 days. Either way, the most important thing here is to make sure your child stays hydrated, as children can become dehydrated very quickly. Keep your eyes on them!”

Is Rotavirus Dangerous?

Diarrhoea, especially when it occurs alongside vomiting and fever, is a huge risk factor, as babies and toddlers can become dehydrated very quickly.  It’s important to keep feeding your baby breast milk or formula, and watch closely for signs of dehydration, such as having only 1 wet nappy in a 12-hour period.

Find Out More about Rotavirus

If you want to talk to a doctor about the rotavirus vaccine, or get trusted and professional medical advice, you can do it at any time! Simply sign up on our website. download the free Hello Doctor app from the Google Play or iTunes store. Then you can ask our doctors a question via text or call, anytime, anywhere!

How to Identify and Treat the Rotavirus Bug

Your doctor will diagnose rotavirus based on your child’s symptoms, and a test on a stool sample might also be done to confirm the diagnosis, although this is usually only done if your child has any other health conditions which make it necessary. Keeping your child hydrated and comfortable are the most important steps in treating rotavirus. Plain water won’t provide the right electrolytes or nutrients your child needs if they have diarrhoea or vomiting, and your doctor may recommend an oral rehydration drink especially for babies and children. Always check with your doctor before giving your child any over-the-counter medication, and don’t give children sports drinks as they don’t have the right balance of nutrients their bodies need.

Rotavirus Dehydration Danger Signs

Babies or young children need medical treatment in a hospital if they become severely dehydrated. Call your doctor or go to the emergency room immediately if your baby has any of these signs of severe dehydration:

•    A lack of interest in playing and extreme sleepiness – hard to wake baby up
•    Sunken eyes without tears
•    A dry mouth and tongue.
•    A sunken soft spot on top of the head.
•    A rapid heartbeat and fast breathing
•    No wet nappies in more than 12 hours

Although it’s difficult to prevent children from catching rotavirus, the vaccine is a good start. Personal hygiene also plays an important role in protecting children from all sorts of germs – sterilising bottles and teats, washing your hands thoroughly and making sure that changing surfaces are cleaned properly.

“Ouch! My toe!” What you need to know about Gout

Gout is a kind of arthritis in which crystals of sodium urate produced by your body forms inside joints. You may suffer attacks of sudden burning pain, swelling and stiffness in a joint, and these attacks can happen over and over unless gout is treated. Left unattended over time, gout attacks can harm your joints, tendons, and other tissues. Gout is most common in men, and the joint usually affected is usually a big toe.

Causes

Gout is caused by too much uric acid in the blood. Having too much uric acid is not generally harmful, but when uric acid levels in the blood are too high, the uric acid may form hard crystals in your joints.

  • Medications which affect kidney function
  • Low-dose aspirin can raise your blood uric acid levels
  • Obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes and hyperlipidaemia (high blood fats)
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Joint injury, surgical stress, acute medical illness
  • Fad diets, fasting, and dehydration
  • Body temperature (gout tends to form in colder body parts)

Foods that are high in a substance called purines can raise the uric acid level in your blood – this includes seafood like sardines, mussels, anchovies, and salmon; organ meats like liver; and even some vegetables such as spinach. Eating just one of these foods or several of them together, can cause a gout flare.

Alcohol such as spirits and beer carry a double risk: they can raise the uric acid level in the blood and can make you dehydrated – both common gout triggers.

Symptoms

A common sign of gout is an attack of swelling, redness, tenderness, and sharp pain in your big toe at night, but you can also suffer a gout attack in your foot, ankle, or knee. The attacks can last a few days or many weeks before the pain goes away. Another attack may not happen for months or years.

If you are experiencing gout symptoms, see your doctor – even if you aren’t in pain right now. It’s important to discuss treatment and lifestyle changes as uric acid build-up can still harm your joints.

Tests & Examinations

For people with an acutely swollen, red, painful big toe, where it is often hard to obtain joint fluid, a diagnosis can be made by the presence of a high blood uric acid level, but the only certain way to diagnose gout is to have a joint fluid analysis (arthrocentesis) test to see whether uric acid crystals are present.

The following examinations and tests help to diagnose gout:

  • Medical history and physical examination
  • Test to measure levels of uric acid in urine
  • Test to measure levels of uric acid in blood

While X-rays of hands and feet can be useful in the late stages of the disease, X-rays are not usually helpful in the early diagnosis of gout. When gout is in a late stage nodules, or even worn away or eroded areas of bone near joints may be seen. The pain of gout often causes people to seek medical attention before any long-term changes can be seen on an X-ray. But X-rays may help to rule out other causes of arthritis.

Treatment 

Initial treatment goals for gout are rapid pain relief and prevention of future gout attacks and long-term complications, such as joint destruction and kidney damage. Treatment includes medication and lifestyle changes to prevent future attacks.

To reduce the swelling, redness and pain of affected joints in a gout attack:

  • Rest the affected joint.
  • Take medication prescribed by your doctor.

Preventing recurrent attacks

Take a medicine that reduces uric acid levels in the blood, which reduces the risk of future attacks.

Take steps to reduce the risk of future attacks, such as controlling your weight, limiting your alcohol intake, as well as meat and seafood, and following a moderate exercise programme.

Sources: NHS, WebMD, Health.com

5 reasons you’re not weeing

Weeing isn’t something you need to think about doing; it just happens. But lately, that has been a (wee) bit difficult. Trips to the loo have become painful. And, worst of all, you don’t know why.

The reason for your weeing woes could be one of these:

1. You’re dehydrated.

Dehydration is when there isn’t enough water in the body, as a result of not getting enough fluids, or excessive fluid loss. It usually happens when you’re sick with diarrhoea or vomitting, and can’t replace the fluids you’re losing fast enough. When this happens, your kidneys retain as much fluid as possible. Blood supply to your kidney is also decreased, affecting your ability to urinate. Other symptoms of dehydration include dizziness, nausea, muscle cramps, irritability, and lethargy. When it goes untreated, dehydration can damage your liver, kidneys and brain.

Increase your fluid intake to avoid complications. Rehydration salts may also help. Make sure you drink about two litres of water a day to prevent dehydration.

2. You have a blockage in your urethra.

If there’s a blockage or obstruction in the urethra, urine can’t flow normally and freely out of the body. The most common cause for blockage of the urethra in men is an enlarged prostate from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), non-cancerous growth of the prostate gland. BPH is a normal part of ageing. It’s caused by changes in hormone balance and cell-growth factors. The prostate gland partially surrounds the urethra. If it becomes enlarged, it presses against the urethra and pinches it. This may cause the bladder to weaken and lose its ability to empty completely.

Other conditions that can cause a blockage include kidney or bladder stones, tumours and cancers in the pelvic region, and constipation.

3. You have nerve problems.

Disruption of the nerves between the bladder and brain can affect your bladder function and urination. If the nerves aren’t working properly, your brain may not get the message that your bladder is full. The bladder muscles that squeeze urine out won’t receive the signal to push, and the muscles around the urethra won’t receive the signal to relax and allow your bladder to empty.

Possible causes of nerve problems include vaginal childbirth, pelvic injury, brain or spinal cord trauma, diabetes, stroke, and multiple sclerosis. Birth defects that affect the nerve signals among the bladder, spinal cord, and brain can also weaken urine flow, such as spina bifida, a condition in which a baby’s spinal cord fails to develop properly.

4. You’re taking medication that causes you to produce less urine.

Certain medications can interfere with nerve signals to your bladder and prostate. These include antispasmodics, antihistamines, antidepressants, decongestants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, high blood pressure medications, anti-seizure drugs, and some antibiotics.

If your medication gives you toilet troubles, see your doctor. He may adjust dosages or change your medication completely. Be sure not to change doses or stop taking your medication without speaking with your doctor first.

5. You have weak bladder muscles.

Ageing affects your body in many ways, and may cause your bladder muscles to weaken over time. Weakened bladder muscles may not contract strongly enough or long enough to empty the bladder completely, which can make urination difficult.

References:

It’s time to quench your mind

Think back to a time when you felt like your brain wasn’t functioning at its best. Maybe you were tired, stressed or demotivated.

Or perhaps you were just thirsty.

When you don’t drink enough water, or lose more water than you’re replacing, dehydration can kick in and weaken your mental abilities. You may have mental fatigue, brain fog, trouble concentrating, memory loss, and mood swings. The less water your brain gets, the more severe your symptoms become.

Since your brain is about 80 percent water, it’s no surprise that a lack of H2O can mean that your brain takes a health hit. Even mild dehydration can be damaging. What’s more alarming, research shows that the grey matter in your brain can literally shrink in the absence of water.

Why your brain needs water
Water gives your brain the energy it needs to function at its best. Your brain cells need more energy than other cells in your body. Water provides this energy more efficiently than any other substance.

Your brain cells operate with just the right chemistry and balance. Part of that balance is having the right amount of water in your system. When your water intake is low, that balance is disrupted. And, so is the way your brain functions.

Water also contains minerals that your brain needs, including magnesium, calcium and sodium. Not drinking enough water robs your brain of these essential nutrients, and may affect its overall performance.

Water also plays a major role in removing toxins from the brain. When your brain is well-hydrated, those toxins are removed swiftly! This means improved concentration and mental alertness. Chugging more water can also help you think faster, remember things better, enhance your creativity, balance your moods and emotions, and improve your quality of sleep. Water is crucial in your brain’s production of hormones and neurotransmitters.

Drink up

  • Carry a water bottle with you at all times.
  • Use a marked bottle to help you keep track of your intake and reach your daily water goal.
  • Buy a pretty water bottle. You will be more likely to use it.
  • Spruce up your water with slices of fresh lemon, strawberries, kiwi, grapefruit, or cucumber.
  • Fill up on water-rich foods like watermelon, celery, blueberries, carrots, and tomatoes.

References:

Five reasons you’re feeling dizzy

Dizziness is a common symptom, which may mean different things to different people. Some use it to describe light-headedness, loss of balance, feeling faint or unsteady, or the sensation that the surroundings are spinning.

Because dizziness can be used to describe more than a few feelings, it’s not always easy to identify the underlying cause.

Possible causes:

  • Postural hypotension is a sudden drop in blood pressure when you stand up too fast. When you stand, the blood vessels in your legs constrict which prevents blood from pooling in the veins in your legs. Blood remains in your legs, and the amount of blood returning to your heart is lessened. This means your heart has less blood to pump and you end up feeling dizzy. Postural hypotension is common in diabetics and the elderly.
  • Cardiomyopathy is a disorder of the heart muscle, which becomes weakened, aged or diseased. This causes your heart to enlarge and lose some of its pumping power. The result: less blood reaches your brain, causing dizziness.
  • Ear conditions caused by viral infections can also cause dizziness. If you have a dizzy spell when lying down, it’s most likely caused by a viral ear infection. Meniere’s disease (disorder of the inner ear) and tinnitus (ringing in the ears) are common conditions that affect your balance and lead to severe dizziness.
  • Severe anaemia (deficiency of healthy red blood cells) can make you feel tired, weak and dizzy as your blood can’t carry enough oxygen to the rest of your body. This is common in women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and people with nutritional deficiencies, particularly iron deficiency.

Stop dizziness

  • Watch what you eat. Extremely sugary and salty foods can leave your head spinning. Excess caffeine and alcohol has the same effect and can cause problems with balance. Avoid or limit your intake of these culprits, and make sure you eat regular, healthy meals.
  • Take it easy. Get out of bed in stages, stand up slowly, and try not to make any sudden movements. When moving from a seated position to a standing one, flex your legs first to get your circulation going. Focus on an eye-level spot on the wall and take a moment to breathe. Hold onto a stable surface for support, if need be.
  • Drink up. Dehydration can cause dizzy spells, so make sure you drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Make an effort to drink more water. Can’t stand the bland taste? Add slices of lemon and cucumber to perk it up.  
  • Breathe deep. Anxiety and stress can lead to rapid, shallow breathing, and cause dizziness. Soothe your nerves and stress levels with deep breathing. Take deep breaths from your abdomen to get more oxygen. This will also regulate your blood pressure, heart rate and digestion.   
  • Check your meds. Dizziness is a common side-effect of some medications, including blood pressure pills, antihistamines, and antidepressants. If you think your meds are making you shaky, talk to your doctor about changing doses or using a different medication.

References:

 

10 ways to prep for festival season

Whether you’re into ground-vibrating trance music or soulful jazz, festival season has something for everyone.  To enjoy it to its full potential, keep your health in check for the party ahead.

1. Stay hydrated

You may think booze in paper cups and the occasional caffeine run will be enough to keep you going on your festival weekend, but water will keep you buzzing more than any beer can. Dehydration causes dizziness, headaches and in some cases, loss of consciousness, so if you want to continue jumping around to your favourite tunes without a hiccough, pack plenty of water and suss out the closest water stops.

2. Fuel up

The food that you eat amounts to the total of energy you will have for your fun weekend ahead, so munch wisely. Bring your own food options along to ensure that your digestion and energy levels are kept in check. Great options are nuts, oats and dried fruit. Tinned foods are great because they come with a container to eat from. Use cooler bags to pack in fruits, veggies and other fresh foods.

3. Catch some Zs

You might feel vibrant and alive while you’re belting it out with everyone else to that song that touches your soul but if you don’t get enough sleep you’ll be burnt out before the next track. Bring along earplugs to ensure that you can grab a few hours of sleep to reboot for the next jam session and resist the temptation to party all night long.

4. Grab some shade

Everyone loves a golden summer tan, but getting roasted is not the best idea. Bring along a good hat, sunscreen and appropriate clothes for different heat levels. Besides sunburn, you should also keep the danger of heat stroke in mind, so keep a hat or umbrella close at all times.

5. Pop your pills

It’s easy to forget to take your prescription pills in between partying, so set up schedules for yourself to follow.  Set an alarm, write it on your arm or ask your friends to remind you.

6. Watch the booze

You can have great time without alcohol, but if you want a drink, try to limit yourself.  Excessive drinking of alcohol and caffeine may increase your anxiety levels and dehydration – not what you want at a festival!

7. Stay regular

Your favourite feel-good jams are playing and the atmosphere is magical, as everyone sways their arms in the air. You would be having the time of your life, if you weren’t suffering from indigestion, courtesy of that oily burger you had for lunch, as well as standing in bathroom queues. Snack on prunes and chia seeds, drink apple and orange juice and use the bathroom when you need to, to keep your tummy happy.

8. Take a break

Being in a crowd full of people, with loud music and incessant excitement can be draining for most people. Be sure to sneak in a break between the partying. Sit alone under a tree, take a nap in your tent or lay on the grass and cloud gaze.

9. Make friends

If your friends aren’t into the festival scene, strike up a conversation with some of your fellow music enthusiasts to make a festival buddy. Making friends will not only mean your experience is more enjoyable, but if anything happens concerning your health or safety, you are better off in numbers.

10. Map it out

Before you start your music adventure, study your surroundings. Research the available food stands, find the bathrooms, performance areas and spots for tents. Use a map if it is available or walk around to form a map in your head.

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References:
http://thechalkboardmag.com/how-to-stay-healthy-at-a-festival
http://www.fashionmagazine.com/beauty/health/2016/04/14/festival-season-health-guide/http://www.gigwise.com/features/91179/15-ways-to-physically-and-mentally-prepare-for-festival-season