Stay Hydrated in this Heat

Baby it's hot outside! Summer may have started out with mellow temperatures, but the past few weeks have been HOT! The high temperatures, coupled with the humidity, makes it easy to become dehydrated. If you exercise regularly, especially outdoors, your risk for dehydration goes up significantly. Don't be caught unprepared—know the signs of dehydration and heat stroke and the steps you can take to stay cool in the heat.

Signs of dehydration

1. Thirsty—it may sound obvious, but thirst is actually a poor indicator of your hydration status. By the time you feel thirsty, you're actually 1-2% dehydrated, which is significant.

2. Dry or sticky mouth

3. Headache or migraine—if you feel a headache coming on, try drinking 2-3 cups of water.

4. Low back pain—the kidney's way of telling you they're thirsty

5. Chapped lips and dry skin—don't lick your lips as this will only dry them out further. You can help dry skin by applying lotion, but to hydrate from the inside you need to drink plenty of water.

6. Fatigue

7. Constipation or dry/hard stools

8. Low or no urine output

9. Concentrated urine appears medium to dark yellow

10. Rapid heart rate