When All Hell Breaks Loose (31 page)

Delirium, unconsciousness, and death

Situations or People with a Higher Risk for Dehydration

Infants and Children

Worldwide, diarrhea-induced dehydration is the leading cause of child mortality. Children are especially susceptible to dehydration due to their smaller body weight, higher turnover of water and electrolytes, and lower sweating capacity.

Elderly

Older adults are more susceptible to dehydration due to a less acute sense of thirst and a reduced ability to respond to temperature changes and internal water conservation. Older people may also forget to drink and may have chronic illness or dehydration side effects caused by medications.

Sick People or People with a Chronic Illness

Fever, diarrhea, and vomiting seriously dehydrate the body. (It's estimated that, globally, diarrhea causes 4 million deaths per year.) The higher the fever, the more dehydrated you'll become. Having a simple cold also enhances dehydration, as you feel less like drinking. Chronic illnesses such as diabetes, kidney disease, cystic fibrosis, adrenal gland disorders, alcoholism, and others further dehydrate the body.

Living at High Altitudes

High altitudes of 8,000 feet or more cause dehydration, as the body attempts to compensate for the elevation by rapid breathing (lost water vapor in the breath) and increased urination.

Exercise

Increased physical exertion causes the body to sweat. High humidity levels increase sweating and decrease the evaporative cooling of sweat. Humidity levels of 70 percent or greater impede the sweat/evaporation process altogether.

Hot/Dry and Cold Weather or Climates

The hotter the outdoor temperature and the drier the climate, the more the body will sweat to preserve its core body temperature. Cold, dry air pulls water from the body's warm, moist lungs at a frightening rate, up to one quart per hour in minus 40 degrees F (minus 40 degrees C).

Cramped Quarters

Close, cramped locations, common in survival shelters, use more metabolic water from survivors as water exhaled from the breath increases.

Increased Urination

While this is the result of some diseases, diuretics such as coffee, tea, alcohol, and some blood pressure medications cause increased urination and/or perspiration.

Burn Injuries

The skin is the largest organ of the body. Third-degree or large first- or second-degree burns cause extreme fluid loss from the body.

Pregnant or Breast-feeding Women

The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink ten cups of water per day. Breast-feeding moms are encouraged to drink about thirteen cups. Reread the other above factors and adjust your fluid intake accordingly, regardless of these recommendations.

High Protein, Fat, and Sodium Diets

Those who eat large amounts of the above food types, as most Americans do, will use more of their body's water to break down and process the nutrition.

What about Electrolyte Solutions?

In my book
98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive!
I shared the four main techniques for quick, maximal hydration. They are listed below. Although these techniques are in no particular order in regard to their importance, take a close look at number three.

Four Factors for Accelerated Maximal Hydration

1
Adequate volume

2
Temperature

3
Minimal salts, carbohydrates, and sugars

4
Carbonation

Drinking fluids containing salts, carbohydrates, and sugars causes the stomach to hold this water in order to digest the nutrients contained within it. In essence, the presence of nutrients in your water causes your stomach to treat your water like food. After all, the stomach and small intestine absorb nutrients from whatever you put in your mouth; that's their job. For the fluid you drink to be absorbed in order to stave off dehydration, it must reach your large intestine. The more foodstuff water possesses, the longer it hangs out in the stomach and small intestine digesting.

A barrage of sports drinks exist on the market, many backed by big-money advertising campaigns. While they have their merits (including flavoring funky-tasting-and-looking water after it's been disinfected), all contain a fierce amount of salt, carbohydrates, and sugar. While electrolyte replacement can be an issue in long-term survival, it pales in comparison to dying of short-term dehydration. Electrolyte solutions can and will be abused by people assuming that if one scoop is good, three must be better. My hometown fire department stopped using dry electrolyte replacements altogether as they were getting sick due to the fact that they lacked the water in their systems to process the excessive electrolytes being ingested. In addition, sports medicine colleges around the nation have completed study after study on hydration and most flat-out recommend plain old water. Of the many electrolyte replacement solutions tested, most all were successful at increasing hydration simply because they tasted better than straight water, thus the subject tended to drink more and more often. If you or the kids insist on using colored, sugary, electrolyte replacement solutions, consider diluting the overall concentration with added water, and beware the scores of bees and yellow jackets that will flock to the sugary brew. Don't lose sight of the fact that the most important factor is drinking a lot of water, even if it's laced with trace nutrients.

Stay away from all alcoholic products, as alcohol increases dehydration by eliminating more fluid from the body through the kidneys than the quantity of liquid you originally consumed. After all, alcohol is a toxin, and your body requires eight ounces of plain water to neutralize one ounce of alcohol.

Dehydration and Sickness in Kids

There are times to use electrolyte solutions, and one of these times is with sick children. It wouldn't hurt to have on hand oral rehydration solutions such as Pedialyte or Ricelyte for infants and children who have diarrhea, vomiting, or fever. If you can, check with your doctor first to see if this is advised. Oral rehydration solutions are available at most drugstores. Check the shelf life to see how long they'll keep. Most adult dehydration caused by diarrhea, vomiting, or fever can be improved upon by drinking more plain water. Fruit juices and sodas can make diarrhea worse. In a pinch, use the following homemade oral rehydration solution for any family member who may need more than simply water to rehydrate a sick body.

Handy Homemade Rehydration Solution

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons sugar

One quart (liter) of room-temperature potable water

Mix the above ingredients in the quart of water and don't fudge this recipe.
Be sure to measure the ingredients accurately!