This Stroke Risk Factor Hides in Your Heart
APR 26, 2024Could you be walking around with a tiny hole in your heart and not know it? That’s the case for one in four people, due to an anatomic condition.
Read MoreIs thinking about summer causing you to sweat? Be sure to replace those fluids to protect your heart. Dehydration puts you at risk for serious conditions like swelling, dizziness and heat illness. Your heart has to work overtime to pump blood when fluid levels dip too low. There is no magic number for how much liquid you need to drink to stay hydrated. It can vary day to day, depending on the weather and activity. However, if you’re feeling thirsty, your liquid levels are already too low.
Try drinking more fluids throughout the day. The goal is pale yellow urine. If it’s dark, the color of apple juice or darker, you’re dehydrated and not drinking enough. Also, steer clear of unneeded sugar and calories in fruit juice, soda and some sports drinks. Caffeine and alcohol cause you to lose even more fluid, so it’s best to stick to water. Only 10 percent of the population, those who perform 60-plus minutes of high-intensity exercise, require sports drinks to replace nutrients lost through sweating.
If drinking more water is a struggle, try:
If chronic dehydration or any of the above symptoms are a concern, reach out to your primary care provider today.
Originally Published: April 2019. Revised May 2022.
Could you be walking around with a tiny hole in your heart and not know it? That’s the case for one in four people, due to an anatomic condition.
Read MoreA healthy lifestyle is very important to protect the electrical system of the heart. Once it gets damaged, the heart may have little ability to recover.
Read MoreThe liver normally breaks down alcohol, but if the amount of alcohol consumed exceeds the liver's ability to break it down, toxins can build up to cause liver damage over time.
Read MoreWhen you need local health information from a trusted source, turn to the CHI Health Better You eNewsletter.