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Hydration and Nutrition

Pakistan

ICITAP

Learning Objectives

Learn the principles of dehydration

Recognize the danger signs and symptoms of dehydration

Learn techniques for adequate hydration

Recognize the importance of proper nutrition

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Water accounts for about 75% of a person’s body weight

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Dehydration

The body needs water to properly function

Dehydration occurs when the amount of water leaving the body is greater than the amount being taken in

The body is always changing and this is especially true with water levels in the body

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Hydrated/Dehydrated cells

A picture of a hydrated cell and a dehydrated cell

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What is Dehydration?

We lose water routinely when:

We breathe and moist air leaves the bodyWe sweat to cool the bodyWe urinate or have a bowel movement to

rid the body of waste productsDuring the day, a person has to drink a

large amount of water to replace this routine loss

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Causes of Dehydration: Diarrhea Diarrhea is frequent or excessively watery bowel

movements. It is the MOST common reason a person loses excess water.

Prolonged diarrhea is both uncomfortable and dangerous. A large amount of water can be lost with each bowel movement.

World wide, more than 4 million children die each year because of dehydration from diarrhea

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Causes of Dehydration: Vomiting

Vomiting is the act of forcible emptying of food and liquid in the stomach

Constant vomiting can be a serious cause of fluid loss

It is difficult for a person to replace water if they are unable to tolerate liquids 10

During a very hot day, a fast walk will generate up to a ½ kilo of sweat

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Causes of Dehydration: Sweat

The body can lose large amounts of water by cooling itself through sweat. This occurs

during:

Working or exercising in a hot environment

Fever due to an infection will cause the body to use a large amount of water

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Causes of Dehydration: Diabetes Diabetics have higher sugar levels in

their blood. This higher sugar levels cause some sugar to enter the urine, and water in the body follows.

This can cause dehydration in the body

For this reason, diabetics often suffer from frequent urination and excessive thirst to replace their lost fluids

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Causes of Dehydration: Burns

The skin helps control fluid and temperature levels in the body

When the skin is seriously injured or burned, it loses its ability to control these fluid levels

The person becomes dehydrated when the fluids travel into the damaged skin

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Causes of Dehydration: Inability to Drink Fluids

Lack of available water

Lack of strength to drink enough water

These factors along with the body’s natural fluid loss can contribute to dehydration

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Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration

Symptoms range from mild to life- threatening

The body’s FIRST response is a signal to the brain to increase thirst and raise the body's fluid level

The next response is decreased urination to conserve water. The urine will become cloudy and darker yellow in color.

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Signs of Dehydration

As water loss increases, other symptoms may appear, such as:

Increased thirst Dry mouth Dry eyes Lack of sweating Muscle cramps Nausea and vomiting Heart palpitations Lightheadedness (especially when standing)

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Complications of Dehydration

With severe dehydration, the brain and other body organs will receive less blood. As a result, confusion and weakness will occur.

When the body's fluid supply is severely depleted, shock is likely to occur

If the dehydration does not get treated, finally, coma and organ failure will occur

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Severe dehydration is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical care!

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Age and Dehydration The young and elderly are especially

susceptible to dehydration

Adults over the age of 60 who drink only when they are thirsty probably get only about 90% of the fluid they need

An infant can become dehydrated only hours after becoming ill. Dehydration is a major cause of infant illness and death throughout the world.

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Identifying Dehydration Evaluate mental status:

Is the patient awake, alert and aware?

Vital Signs:Pulse Rate may increase

Skin:As dehydration gets worse, the skin loses its water content and

becomes less elasticCheck for presence of sweat and the degree of elasticity.

A final diagnoses of dehydration can only be made through blood and urine tests from a medical professional

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How is dehydration treated?

Fluid replacement is the treatment for dehydration. This may be attempted by replacing fluid by mouth, using frequent small amounts of clear fluids. If this method fails, intravenous fluids (IV) may be required.

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After just 1 ½ hours without enough water, you’ve reduced your muscle endurance drastically

You may be lagging and feeling uncomfortable

After another hour, you’ll begin to feel the advance stages of heat stress: headaches, nausea, and serious fatigue

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Heat Stress

Dehydration is the #1 factor in Heat Stress

In severe Heat Stress, you can easily lose more than a liter of water per hour

Replacing body fluid lost in sweating is the single most important way to control heat stress and keep yourself effective, alert, and focused

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Maintain your focus

To insure that you are performing at your peak, use the one-liter rule: drink 1 liter for every hour you're out

Drink frequently a few sips every 15-20 minutes

By the time you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated

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Add heat, humidity, and full gear into the picture, and the danger of heat illness is magnified

Ensure that all persons are drinking water

Look for signs of dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke

Ensure that water plan is part of pre-mission assessment

Heat Stress

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Work: rest times and fluid replacement volumes will sustain performance and hydration for at least 4 hours of work in the specified heat category

Rest means minimal physical activity (sitting or standing), accomplished in shade if possible

CAUTION: Hourly fluid intake should not exceed 1 litre

Daily fluid intake should not exceed 12 litres

Dehydration

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Complications of dehydration

This condition, which is also called physical collapse, is characterized by pale, cool, clammy skin; rapid heartbeat; and shallow breathing

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Nutrition

Not eating enough calories to meet your body’s energy needs causes weight loss

This can lead to loss of body fluids and degrade your performance

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We must all ensure that police personnel are eating and drinking appropriately!

Our strength and safety may depend on it!

Remember..

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Nutrition

Restriction of food and nutrients leads to rapid weight loss which leads to:

Loss of strength

Decreased endurance

Loss of motivation

Decreased Mental Alertness35

Questions?

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Class Practical Exercise

Practice some of the skills shared in this presentation

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