We feel thirsty because the body is trying to correct a fluid imbalance, which is influenced by several factors such as how much water we drink, the food we eat, the medications we take and our exercise routine. It can also be influenced by how much saliva we produce, physical ailments and their treatment, and the temperature in our bodies. Whatever the cause, feeling thirsty is no fun! Here are some ways to deal with unpleasant thirst.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Making Sure You Are Consuming and Getting Enough Fluids
Step 1. Consume large amounts of fluids
The quick way to deal with thirst and the most obvious way to protect the body from thirst is to maintain normal fluid levels in the body or keep the body hydrated. One of the best ways to do this is to consume at least 1 liter of fluid per day. If you feel very thirsty or your urine is dark yellow in color, you should drink more fluids than that.
- Note: This does not mean that 1 liter of fluid per day is only obtained from drinking fluids or water. The goal is to consume it, which can be obtained from various sources.
- For example, milk and juice are made up of mostly water. Coffee, tea and soda also contain water, but not that much and don't really contribute much to your fluid intake. This type of drink also contains caffeine which is a mild diuretic (increases urine production) and increases the amount of body fluid lost.
- If you exercise frequently, you'll need to increase your fluid intake due to sweating, which is your body's way of cooling itself. Before exercising, try to drink 450-600 ml of water, then 180-250 ml of water every 10 to 15 minutes during your workout and 480-700 ml of water after that to replace fluid losses in the body.
- Eating foods that contain lots of water is a good way to increase fluid intake in the body. There are many foods that we can consume that contain a lot of water. Best of all, these foods fall into four of the five food groups.
Step 2. Bring a water bottle
Carrying a drinking water bottle can help meet the body's fluid needs when you are away from drinking water sources. Fill a bottle with water, sports drink, or other liquid and take it to work, school, or other events.
- It's a good idea to bring a water bottle with you during your workout or when you're going out for a long time.
- Buy water bottles that are reusable and washable between uses instead of single-use plastic bottles.
Step 3. Pamper the body by eating a variety of fruits
Watermelons, strawberries, grapes and melons contain about 90-92% water. Peaches, raspberries, pineapples, apricots and blueberries contain about 85-89% water. These fruits can be consumed fresh, frozen or juiced with a mixture of water or milk (maybe you can also use ice cream) to make smoothies. You can also mix some fruit to make a fruit salad.
Step 4. Enjoy the cut vegetables
Chewing crunchy cold vegetables is not only a great way to quench thirst, many of these vegetables also contain large amounts of water. Cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes, radishes, peppers, carrots and lettuce contain about 91-96% water, with lettuce being the vegetable that contains the most water followed by cucumbers. Avocados, which are a nutrient-dense superfood, contain about 65% water. Eating vegetables fresh, as part of a dish or together as a salad is best because vegetables lose a lot of water when cooked.
For lettuce, consume the outermost leaf within one to two days of buying it. At first, lettuce contains more water on the outer leaves, but this water content lasts longer on the inner leaves
Step 5. Eat meat
Who doesn't love a big, juicy burger that's just finished grilling? Minced meat which is 85% low in fat contains 64% water when raw and 60% when cooked. Roast cut beef contains 73% water when raw and 65% when cooked. The lower the fat content of the meat, the more water it contains. Chicken, which is very popular with people who are on a diet, contains 69% water before cooking and 66% after. Since the water will come out of the chicken while it is in the refrigerator, cook it as soon as possible after you buy it.
When cooking meat or anything else, make sure you limit the amount of salt and seasoning you use. Both can make you thirsty. In general, seasoned foods and foods that are high in salt, such as ham, white bread, tomato sauce, snacks such as chips, processed cheese and meat pizza, can also naturally increase thirst
Step 6. Eat the yogurt
One cup of yogurt contains about 85% water. Because of all the benefits that it provides with nutrients, such as calcium and protein, as well as the variety of flavors available, its low price and the convenience that it provides because it doesn't need to be pre-prepared, yogurt is also the best choice to replace liquids. You can add fruit to yogurt to get more fluid intake.
Step 7. Avoid high alcohol consumption
In particular, stay away from the consumption of beer and wine in large quantities. Unlike many people think, we often go to the bathroom when drinking alcohol not because of the large amount of fluid that enters the body. Actually this drink messes up your mind literally. Alcohol reduces the amount of ADH, or anti-diuretic hormone, produced by the pituitary gland. This causes you to urinate frequently to expel not only alcohol but also fluids that were previously balancing your body.
- Drinking lots of water won't help much either. Your body will only absorb about 1/3 to 1/2 of the extra water you consume. Most of it will be excreted in the urine.
- Because of this dehydration process, we also experience a hangover after consuming a lot of alcoholic beverages.
Method 2 of 4: Quenching Thirst Without Drinking
Step 1. Suck on ice cubes or crushed ice
There are times, such as when you can't eat or drink anything in the evening or the morning before surgery, you feel hungry – not hungry because you want to eat, but want to drink cold water. This should be avoided prior to surgery, but usually the first thing a medic will give you when you wake up from surgery is an ice cube to help moisten your mouth and quench your thirst. So you can freeze the water in an ice cube tray and put it in a glass or plastic bag (for crushed ice, you can break the ice cubes carefully) to quench your thirst quickly.
Step 2. Chew sugar-free gum and suck on sugar-free hard candies
Chewing gum and sucking on hard candy can make your mouth produce more saliva, which in turn makes you less sleepy. It also shouldn't be done before surgery, but it can be useful for people undergoing kidney dialysis. It is also great for relieving thirst caused by many other things. Make sure you buy sugar-free hard candies that you can enjoy in no time. The more candy you suck, the more saliva your mouth produces.
- Be careful with xylitol which is often found in chewing gum and sugar-free candy because it can cause diarrhea or stomach pain if taken in large quantities.
- Sour candy stimulates the salivary glands, so if you can stand a sour taste, you can try that too.
- Chewing mint candy provides a cooling and refreshing sensation that can also quench thirst.
Step 3. Suck frozen fruit
In certain situations, for example, while undergoing a kidney wash, sucking on frozen fruit such as grapes, sliced peaches and pineapples can help quench thirst properly. This helps because it also stimulates saliva production. For fruits other than grapes and other berries, all you have to do is cut them up and put them in a bag in the freezer. Or, for fruits like watermelon and cantaloupe, you can scoop them out with an ice cream scoop so they form into balls before freezing them.
Lemons are another fruit that you can smoke frozen, or fresh, depending on your preference. This fruit is one of the most effective fruits because it has high levels of citric acid and actually provokes saliva production
Step 4. Make popsicles or flavored ice
This is another great way to quench thirst and is also useful during kidney dialysis and after throat or mouth surgery (not before, for any surgery). Depending on what your diet is like, make tea or lemon juice, or buy diet apple juice or ginger ale. Place in a popsicle container or ice cube tray and freeze. If you have sticks for popsicles, wait a while before inserting them so they can stand up straight. If you don't have one, to make flavored ice cubes, place the frozen ice in a plastic bag to contain it and catch what's melted. You can also pour the drink into a plastic cup and freeze it until it reaches a consistency where you can scoop it out.
Step 5. Go to the pharmacy
You can try buying over-the-counter saliva substitutes, specifically products that contain xylitol, such as Mouth Coat or Oasis Moisturizing Mouth Spray, or products with carboxy methyl cellulose or hydroxyethyl cellulose, such as Biotene Oral Balance. Again, taking too much xylitol can have bad effects, so you have to be careful. If your thirst is the result of a health condition that is being treated by a doctor, you should consult a doctor before using these products.
Method 3 of 4: Regulating Body Temperature
Step 1. Do not expose your body to heat too often
Maintaining a normal body temperature can also go a long way in keeping you from feeling so thirsty. The first step you can take is to stay away from the heat so you don't get so hot. Excessive heat makes the body produce sweat to cool itself. This causes you to lose body fluids and become thirsty. The sun's rays are intense between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., so try to set a schedule so you don't have to be outside at that time of year, especially during the hottest times of the year.
- For example, you can do various tasks in the morning. Try having lunch delivered to the office, instead of going out to buy it even by car.
- If you can't avoid the sun, try to limit your exposure to the sun as much as possible.
- Take advantage of buildings and trees to protect yourself from the sun.
- And don't forget that air conditioners aim to cool our bodies.
Step 2. Wear appropriate clothes
Sometimes we can't escape the heat. Another way to adjust is to choose clothes that reduce the chances of feeling overheated. When the weather is very hot and you can't avoid it or you know you'll be in an environment that will make you sweat if you don't wear the right clothes, choose what to wear wisely.
- If you must be outside, wear light clothing, made of light-colored cotton or linen. Lightly colored clothes will reflect, rather than absorb, sunlight. Cotton and linen are breathable materials so they won't retain heat like polyester, arcrylic, nylon and rayon.
- If you avoid wearing clothes that are piled up, do it. Wearing clothes in several layers can retain heat so you sweat more.
- Stay away from clothes that are too tight, too, unless they are specifically designed to help the body breathe and absorb sweat.
Step 3. Don't exercise too much
Exercising increases the risk of dehydration – if the fluids lost are not replaced adequately – because your core temperature increases and causes you to sweat and lose fluids. Controlling your body temperature is important, especially if you can't replace the fluids you've lost adequately.
- If you exercise, a) wear a layer of light clothing in a light color when exercising outside and b) if your clothing is wet with sweat, change as soon as possible.
- And remember, walking in hot, humid summers can cause sweating, too. When it's humid, the humidity in the air stops sweat from evaporating from your skin, allowing your body to bake inside.
Step 4. Cool the body with water
If your body gets too hot, one of the most effective ways to lower your body temperature is to take a cool shower or bath. Make sure the water temperature is cool, not cold. The water temperature should be below body temperature. If it's too cold, when you're done showering or bathing, your body responds by releasing heat to warm itself, and this isn't the effect you're looking for.
- You can also try placing an ice cube in a thin towel and holding it for two minutes around your neck and wrist, which are two pulse points that you can hold at any time of the day. This can cool the body because pulse points are areas where blood vessels are close to the surface of the skin so you can transfer cold to your body.
- Another option is to soak the base of the head and neck in cool water for 5-10 minutes. In this area there are many blood vessels that are close to the surface of the skin and can help you cool down quickly.
Step 5. Don't eat too much
When food enters the stomach, you also get a boost of energy. The metabolic system is encouraged to digest food and deliver nutrients to other parts of the body. This process requires energy which gives off heat to the body – this is known as the Thermic Effect of Food. Large, heavy meals cause the production of more energy, causing the body temperature to rise. So, eat smaller portions but more often.
Method 4 of 4: Treating Dry Mouth
Step 1. Cut down on coffee and cigarettes
Another reason why people often feel thirsty is because their mouth is dry, a condition in which the mouth cannot produce enough saliva. This leaves the mouth not only dry but also irritated, feeling sticky and craving fluids. If you feel you're hydrated enough and aren't overheated, you may have dry mouth. One way to reduce it is to completely stop smoking and consuming tobacco candy. You should limit coffee consumption as well. Both make your mouth dry and make you thirsty.
If you are a smoker and are not ready to quit, try not smoking too much, smoking only half a cigarette or taking long breaks between puffs. Try doing whatever it takes to reduce your overall cigarette intake
Step 2. Instead, try chewing gum or sucking on candy
Chewing gum and sucking on gum can help to instantly quench thirst, but it can also help with a dry mouth. The more gum you suck on and the more gum you chew, the more saliva you produce. It's best to eat hard, sugar-free sweets because poor oral hygiene can also cause dry mouth and make you thirsty.
Step 3. Take care of your health
Many bacteria grow in the mouth, so oral hygiene is important. Brush your teeth and floss after eating. Flossing is often not done, but it is important to get rid of bacteria that not only reduce saliva production, but also increase your chances of developing gingivitis, which is a common gum disease and infection, all of which can be caused by dry mouth and mouth. makes it worse..
Visit the dentist regularly for dental checkups and cleanings. Also, if you have dental problems, seek immediate action to address these reasons so they don't exacerbate dry mouth problems
Step 4. Try a special mouthwash
In addition to saliva replacement products such as Mouth Kote, Oasis Moisturizing Mouth Spray and Biotene Oral Balance, use mouthwash specifically for dry mouth that contains xylitol such as Biotene Dry Mouth Oral Rinse or ACT Total Care Dry Mouth Rinse. Don't take antihistamines and decongestants, which can make it worse and make you thirstier.
At the pharmacy, try to talk to your pharmacist about any medications you are taking that might cause excessive thirst or dry mouth. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research in the United States, more than 400 medications – ranging from those used to treat high blood pressure to depression – can cause the salivary glands to reduce saliva production
Step 5. Breathe in through your nose
When you breathe through your mouth, the air passing through it can dry out your mouth. When your mouth is dry, you feel thirsty. Check to see if you are breathing through your mouth or nose as this is usually not done consciously. Once you figure it out, try to breathe through your nose and see if it helps or not.
Step 6. Use a humidifier at night
One of the things to do in the morning for the first time is to drink a glass of water. Why? Because usually during sleep, we breathe through the mouth, not the nose. Doing this for hours makes the mouth significantly dry. A humidifier, which adds moisture to the air, can reduce dry mouth at night and help relieve what is sometimes referred to as “cotton mouth.”
Make sure you clean the humidifier regularly to avoid the growth of bacteria and mold
Warning
- Try to consult a doctor if you have enough fluids but you feel excessive thirst. This can be an indicator of a serious physical illness such as diabetes.
- Dehydration should be taken seriously as it is a life-threatening condition. Signs of dehydration include: increased thirst, dry mouth, feeling tired or drowsy, reduced amount of urine output, a small amount of urine volume and a yellower color than usual, dizziness, dry skin, dizziness, dryness or lack of water eyes, and confusion.
