If you are on the go hopping airline flights and cabs in the Nevada heat, it can be difficult to maintain healthy habits, and staying hydrated is certainly the most important one of them.
Whether you’ve lived in Vegas for 10 years or are just passing through during the summer season, it is obvious that Vegas gets hot—triple-digit degrees for months. So if you’re a new traveler, you might not know how important it is to stay hydrated in the Vegas heat and how easy it is to become dehydrated under the scorching desert sun. Here are several tried-and-true tips that can help you to stay cool, hydrated, and healthy. (Global Travel, 2020)
Best Practices
While drinking water in regular intervals is the best solution to dehydration, certain foods will not only hydrate you but help sustain the fluids in your body so you stay satisfied for longer. Potassium-rich foods and drinks like bananas and coconut water help you walk long stretches without reaching for your water bottle every few minutes.
Chia Seeds – Adding Chia Seeds to water or food helps the body to stay hydrated longer. Chia seeds are considered energy-boosting foods and have hydrophilic properties. In other words, Chia seeds absorb 9 to 12 times their weight in water which means that eating them can help you stay hydrated longer.
We suggest you pack a bag in your suitcase and add it to the water for a long day of sightseeing in the sun.
Say “NO” to sugary drinks – Caffeine and sugar cause the body to lose more water than you gain. While sugary drinks and artificial sugars siphon out your body’s water storage by making your organs work harder to process them.
Drink Coconut Water – Did you know, coconut water is ideal for hydration as it contains natural electrolytes and potassium levels comparable to a banana!
Eat Fruit with High Water Content – Our nutritionists recommend water-rich foods like pineapple, oranges, and watermelon for easy hydration, especially along with water-rich breakfasts like oatmeal.
Fruits like pineapples, bananas, and avocados are safer to eat where there is no filtered tap water, and they pack in a lot of potassium, which enables long-lasting hydration. (Kor Water, 2020)
Alcohol
Las Vegas is famous for partying. That means lots of cocktails containing alcohol.
It’s not a mystery that the movie “The Hangover” was filmed in Las Vegas. That word, hangover is cringe-worthy. No one wants one, especially when hangovers can last a day or more. Migraine, nausea, vomiting, exhaustion, extreme hunger and thirst. That sounds harsh at best. Warning to our party animals, if you black out or have extreme hangover symptoms, you may be experiencing alcohol poisoning and need the attention of an ER doctor.
Alcohol is a diuretic. It causes your body to remove fluids from your blood through your renal system, which includes the kidneys, ureters, and bladder, at a much quicker rate than other liquids. If you don’t drink enough water with alcohol, you can become dehydrated quickly. (Healthline, 2019)
If you’re going to party like it’s 1999, please hydrate excessively before you drink alcohol.
Are you dehydrated?
If you believe a bottle of water a day is enough, you’re probably already at the point of dehydration. Prevention is the key and consistently monitoring urine color throughout the day is also a way to help become more familiar with hydration levels.
How much water is enough?
It’s important to consume fluids as often as possible throughout the day. As an example on average, adults need 6 to 10 cups (8-ounce cups) of water a day so drink as much water as possible in the days leading up to your trip and consider bringing a refillable bottle on your trip.
Watch for symptoms of heat stroke or heat exhaustion, which include loss of motor function, confusion, hands that are sweaty, clammy, or completely dry, muscle aches and cramps; dizziness, hot/flushed skin, nausea or vomiting, and convulsions.
Get to Know Your Body
In case you’re a person who sweats more than normal then you’re going to have to pay closer attention to your hydration at all times. Staying hydrated while traveling in a hot climate is a challenge as you can see. Stay in-tune with your body and don’t ignore warning signs. If you feel off, there is a good chance your body is signalling you to hydrate.
Try out some of the ideas mentioned above and find which of them works best for you. Soon, you will get the hang of prioritizing your hydration while traveling. Stay safe and healthy as you discover beautiful Las Vegas!
Works Cited
“Stay Hydrated While Traveling.” Global Traveler, 16 Aug. 2020, www.globaltravelerusa.com/stay-hydrated-while-traveling/
Weatherspoon, Deborah. “Does Alcohol Dehydrate You.” Healthline.com, Healthline, 23 May 2019, www.healthline.com/health/does-alcohol-dehydrate-you#:~:text=Yes%2C%20alcohol%20can%20dehydrate%20you,you%20can%20become%20dehydrated%20quickly.
Water, KOR. “5 Ways To Stay Hydrated While Traveling.” Kor Water, Kor Water, 10 Dec. 2020, www.korwater.com/blogs/the-well/5-ways-to-stay-hydrated-while-traveling