Explanation of Dehydration and How to Avoid It

Dehydration is not only unhealthy and uncomfortable, it can be deadly. Here are some facts on its causes, tips on how to prevent it, and what to do if it becomes a problem.

In the area where I've lived for the past few years, I've known three other people who required medical intervention due to becoming dehydrated. My own experiences with the subject may be worth noting-- because of the extreme it went to from not having sufficient facts. When I first encountered dehydration while living in Texas, all it took was following the advice of the local hospital: drink as much liquid as you can tolerate. Unfortunately, where I made my mistake was assuming that the extreme temperature was the main cause, and therefore did not have to be concerned about dehydration after moving to the midwest. The bottom line is "it's not about the temperature- it's about the humidity." Or, as a neighbor explained it, "it's like breathing through water." I spent a couple of years in such a continuous state of dehydration that I was frequently teetering between heat exhaustion and heat stroke, often to the point of aggravating dizzy spells and feeling disoriented, having no idea what was going on. One day I stumbled up to a friend, pointed at a hospital across the street, and asked her if she thought they could help. They gave me a prescription for a generic form of Dramamine to combat the feeling of "motion sickness." There wasn't enough oxygen getting to my brain because, unaccustomed to this humid climate, I was unable to breathe.