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Avoid This Dangerous Killer: Winter Dehydration

aadmin — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 20:54:53 +0000

Signs and Symptoms of Winter Dehydration

Dehydration is often seen as an issue that comes up during the hotter months of the year. It's when you're exerting yourself physically on a hot day that you become dehydrated most often, isn't it? The thing is, dehydration can occur at any time of the year no matter what the temperature might be. This means that you could suffer from dehydration during the winter as well. In fact, dehydration may be even more dangerous during the winter.

Why is Dehydration More Dangerous During the Winter?

When you become dehydrated during the summer, it's often much easier to tell. Simply sweating tells a lot of people that they need to hydrate. During the winter, sweat will evaporate much faster, which means that people often don't remember to hydrate. Then there's the fact that cold weather causes your blood vessels to constrict, which in turn results in blood being sent to your body's core. This process ends up tricking your body into thinking that you are hydrated even if you're not. Last but not least, dry air can cause dehydration as well. When it's particularly cold and dry out, you may see your breath as you exhale. What's actually happening is that you are losing water vapor with your breath.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms of Dehydration?

Seeing as how it can be difficult to know whether you're dehydrated during the winter months, it's important to keep an eye on possible signs and symptoms of dehydration. The following are signs and symptoms that you are dehydrated:

You are thirsty.
Your mouth is dry and sticky.
You are not urinating as frequently as normal.
You are suffering from dizziness or light-headedness.
You are constipated.
You are sleepier or more tired than usual.
Your urine is thick and dark. If you are properly hydrated, then your urine should be clear.
Your skin is dry.
You have a headache.

These are all signs that you need to hydrate. There are also more severe symptoms that are associated with severe dehydration, which is a medical emergency. These symptoms include:

Extreme thirst
Extreme irritability and confusion
Extremely dry mouth and skin
Sunken eyes
Low blood pressure
Fever
Delirium
Rapid heartbeat
Rapid breathing

How to Treat Dehydration During the Winter

Anyone that exhibits symptoms of severe dehydration should be taken to the emergency room. However, milder symptoms can easily be treated. The following are a few ways to treat mild dehydration:

Drink water - The best way to treat dehydration is to re-hydrate using water. Make sure not to drink too quickly. In addition to drinking water, you can also drink decaffeinated teas, juices, sports drinks that contain electrolytes.
Avoid certain fluids - Avoid drinking alcohol, soda, liquids that contain caffeine (which will only dehydrate you more) and sugar (which causes you to urinate more).
Keep hydrating - If you've become dehydrated, you'll need to re-hydrate for the next 24 hours by drinking plenty of fluids - it can take a few days to replace all the lost fluids.
Eat certain foods - Some foods have high water content. Fruits such as watermelon, oranges, grapefruit and cantaloupe have high water content. Vegetables such as lettuce, cucumbers, broccoli, celery and zucchini all have high water content as well.

To avoid becoming dehydrated during the winter, make sure that you are drinking plenty of fluids even if you don't think that you are thirsty. Men should drink around 13 cups of water a day, while women should drink around 9 cups a day. And, of course, keep an eye on possible dehydration symptoms, especially during the winter months.

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Portland Retirement Residence Goes Green

aadmin — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 16:26:27 +0000

Mirabella Portland Oregon is a youthful community at heart. Environmental concerns are a major driving force behind this the urban community.

It's LEED certification means it has achieved 'green' status. The U.S. Green Building Council certifies that a senior living community has made a commitment to become environmentally- conscience and verifies governmental standards.

The cutting edge community has gained a reputation of one of America's best assisted living communities. Comforts and conveniences like kayak parking, golf gear storage and a woodworking bench might seem unlikely to outsiders, but not to residents.

Mirabella is expensive. Entrance fees range from $260,000 up to $700,000, and monthly fees of $3,500 to $4,200, plus $854 for a second person. Still, the occupancy rate is 95, reports Associated Press.

Cutting edge, it houses 220 apartments of participatory retirement residents who create novel projects, sit on committees and plan their own events. The bonhomie of the residents is palpable, described by a resident to AP "as people traveling the road of life.”

A Portland State University gerontologist told the AP, "Certainly older people can be seen as stewards.” For more information on eco-friendly retirement residences, read: Can you tell this retirement home is ‘eco-friendly?’

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Study says pollution hurts seniors' mental capacity

aadmin — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 17:22:02 +0000

It’s well established that regular exercise and a healthy diet contribute to longevity, and a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet can cause the opposite effect, but a new study has found another potential hazard to seniors’ mental health: pollution.

As reported by HealthDay News, researchers from the Gerontological Society of America followed 14,000 people aged 50 and over, and discovered that those who lived in areas with high levels of airborne pollutants did not score as well in language, word recall and knowledge as well as those living in areas with less pollution.

“As a result of age-related declines in health and functioning, older adults are particularly vulnerable to the hazards of exposure to unhealthy air,” Jennifer Ailshire, one of the authors of the study and a researcher at the National Institute on Aging (NIA), was quoted as saying.

And while this research may seem shocking, Ailshire said high levels of pollution can also cause breathing problems and even premature death, especially among seniors.

But before there’s any panicking among Baby Boomers who live in big cities, it’s important to note that there major gaps in the research, according to HealthDay News: first, the studies simply reported a correlation, not actual causation, and the study has not yet appeared in a peer-reviewed journal, which will ensure all details are confirmed to be true.

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