How to Spot and Prevent Dehydration: Expert Tips from Anushka Sharma’s Dietician

Not too long ago, Ryan Fernando, the Olympic Sports Nutritionist, and Anushka Sharma's dietician uploaded an Instagram reel that explains the ways of pinpointing dehydration before it gets too serious. “If you feel tired, skin looks dull, or have a bad mood, it is probably because of dehydration. To check, you can implement these 3 easy tests," suggests Fernando.

What are the 3 essential tests?

1. Skin Pinch Test

When checking for dehydration using the skin pinch test, people pinch the skin between their thumb and the back of the forearm or hand. Avni Kaul, Nutritionist and Founder of Nutri Activania shares, “If the skin takes too long to revert back to its original position, it suggests dehydration."

2. Tongue Check Test

The tongue is yet another common feature to check. If a person has a dry tongue or a sticky tongue and a minimal saliva secretion, this certainly calls for a dry check tongue test. As Kaul explains, “A dry or sticky tongue with low salivary secretion is a clear indication of insufficient hydration.”

3. Sweat and Urine Colour Test

Sweat and drink color tests are equally helpful in providing an overview of an individual’s hydration status. "Dehydration may be suggested by a decrease in sweating during exertional heat or dark yellow or amber colored urine," warns Kaul and then opines that, “Generally hydrated individuals tend to have clear or light urine.”

What is dehydration?

“Dehydration is the process in which the body’s fluids are lost at a greater rate than it can take in leading to an imbalance of water and electrolyte levels in the body, which is for many reasons, drinking too little water, inefficient body cooling system, profuse sweating, or fever,” tells Dr RS Mishra, Principal Director, Internal Medicine at Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj, in his interview with moneycontrol.com.

How to prevent dehydration

Dr Mishra explains that there is little to no complication in treating dehydration. Along with the popular advice of drinking 8-10 glasses of water daily, he suggests the following:

Keep an eye on urine output: Dark yellow urine paired with infrequent urination may indicate inadequate fluid intake.

Cut down on alcohol and coffee consumption: Dehydration can set in with increase in caffeine and caffeinated beverages, as both have a diuretic activity and increase urine output.

Consider foods that contain water and electrolytes - Eating fruits, vegetables, and broth-based soups will help you hydrate.

Do not overexert yourself in hot weather – It is recommended to take breaks and drink water if physical activities are required in high temperatures.

Signs of dehydration

Dehydration can happen in anyone, so watch out for symptoms that differ from individual to individual. To mitigate xai, suffering from mild to moderate dehydration, make sure that you are drinking sufficient amounts of water. The core symptoms to look out for include dry mouth, unbearable fatigue, intense thirst, dizziness, headaches, and dark urine. Extreme level of thirst can trigger severe irritability and confusion which is alarming. Additionally, symptoms can lead to rapid heart beating and curtailment in urination, as Kaul warns.

She concludes by stating that failure to provide the necessary treatment can result in more severe problems, including strokes, kidney failure, or, in the worst case, even shock.

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