# Over 60? Thirsty yet? Then you should know the 2-hour rule!



## graham-xrf (Aug 29, 2021)

HEALTH-TIP
 I take this one more seriously than most "health advice" because it comes from 4th year medicine teaching, and not as part of a marketing operation.
 Sent to me by a pal from PA. Paraphrased for us. Can it be true? It has that aura of fact of the un-spun variety!

Much of our community is comprised of active and retired professionals and industry folk. This is to pass along to friends and family. Something to get used to doing for yourself every two hours, about, or as best you can.

quote..
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*Physician:*
Whenever I teach clinical medicine to students in the fourth year of medicine, I ask the following question:

What are the causes of mental confusion in the elderly?

Some offer: "Tumors in the head".  I answer: No!

Others suggest: "Early symptoms of Alzheimer's".  I answer again: No!

With each rejection of their answers, their responses dry up.

And they are even more open-mouthed when I list the three most common causes:

- uncontrolled diabetes
- urinary infection
- dehydration

It may sound like a joke, but it isn't.  People over 60 generally stop feeling thirsty and consequently stop drinking fluids.

When no one is around to remind them to drink fluids, they quickly dehydrate.  Dehydration is severe and affects the entire body  It may cause abrupt mental confusion, a drop in blood pressure, increased heart palpitations, angina (chest pain), coma and even death.

*This habit of forgetting to drink fluids begins at age 60, when we have just over 50% of the water we should have in our bodies.  People over 60 have a lower water reserve. This is part of the natural aging process.*

But there are more complications. Although they are dehydrated, they don't feel like drinking water, because their internal balance mechanisms don't work very well.

*Conclusion:*

People over 60 years old dehydrate easily, not only because they have a smaller water supply, but also because they do not feel the lack of water in the body.

Although people over 60 may look healthy, the performance of reactions and chemical functions can damage their entire body.

So here are two alerts:

  1) *Get into the habit of drinking liquids*.  Liquids include water, juices, teas, coconut water, milk, soups, and water-rich fruits, such as watermelon, melon, peaches and pineapple;  Orange and tangerine also work.

*The important thing is that, every two hours, you must drink some liquid.  Remember this!*

2) Alert for family members: constantly offer fluids to people over 60.  At the same time, observe them.

If you realize that they are rejecting liquids and, from one day to the next, they are irritable, breathless or display a lack of attention, these are almost certainly recurrent symptoms of dehydration.

Inspired to drink more water now?? Send this information out to others!  DO IT NOW! Your friends and family need to know for themselves and help you to be healthier and happier.

It's good to share!  *For people over 60*


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## maspann (Aug 29, 2021)

Having watched parents and in-laws age through their 80s and 90s I can verify that your Dr. friend is correct.


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## Diecutter (Aug 29, 2021)

I'm in my 70's and find all this information true from my own experience.  A tip I use to keep tabs on my hydration is to note the color of my urine which I get many opportunities to do each day.  Well hydrated equals clear to faint yellow. The more dehydrated you are the deeper the color becomes until it resembles iced tea (which is way too dehydrated).  This method seems to work for me.


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## JPMacG (Aug 29, 2021)

I believe that dehydration among the elderly is well known and understood by medical professionals, but often overlooked.


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## rabler (Aug 29, 2021)

My wife and I are outside, even in the heat, on most days.  Yesterday was 91, humid, and we were out cutting trees.   The only way to survive is to preemptively hydrate.  I'm fortunate in that if I'm outside too long she'll bring me a bottle of gatorade.  I'd be in trouble without her.


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## pdentrem (Aug 29, 2021)

Due to dehydration, UTIs are common in the elderly and confusion is an indication of this. Trying to get your parent to drink is difficult. 
Pierre


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## DiscoDan (Aug 29, 2021)

I can verify the UTI issue. My MIL was confused and having issues standing up, etc. Turned out it was a UTI.


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## Ulma Doctor (Aug 29, 2021)

thank you for the enlightening post
i will spread the news


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## Aukai (Aug 29, 2021)

We SHOULD be peeing about every 2hrs, the darker the color, the more dehydrated you are. If you bend over, and take a couple of seconds, then stand up, and get a feeling of dizziness, you ARE dehydrated. The same goes for laying down, and standing up, then feeling dizzy. Postural hypotension, the heart rate, and blood pressure need to catch up to keep the brain circulated, the temporary dizziness is a short lack of blood flow.
A kinda abbreviated explanation.....


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## benmychree (Aug 29, 2021)

I wonder/suspect that the widespread use of diuretics for control of high blood pressure amongst the elderly contributes to the problem.


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## Aukai (Aug 29, 2021)

Yes, they are trying to lower the blood pressure by reducing fluid retention. The reason for a lower salt diet is that every molecule of sodium is bound to a molecule of water(fluid)  If you lower the sodium, your body does not have to hold on to the extra fluid.


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## benmychree (Aug 29, 2021)

Aukai said:


> Yes, they are trying to lower the blood pressure by reducing fluid retention. The reason for a lower salt diet is that every molecule of sodium is bound to a molecule of water(fluid)  If you lower the sodium, your body does not have to hold on to the extra fluid.


When I was young, I used far and away too much salt; after a doctor visit in my late teens or early 20s, I embarked on a low salt diet, but still need medications for blood pressure and cholesterol, which seem to be working well.


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## mmcmdl (Aug 29, 2021)

benmychree said:


> I embarked on a low salt diet, but still need medications for blood pressure and cholesterol, which seem to be working well.


Just started with these meds 3 weeks ago .


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## benmychree (Aug 29, 2021)

mmcmdl said:


> Just started with these meds 3 weeks ago .


The meds have served me well, had a triple bypass surgery nearly 10 years ago, Dr. wanted to see how it was holding up, got an angiogram a few months ago, and everything is still open, no re occlusion.  I take two different statins and various other pills with seemingly no side effects.


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## rabler (Sep 2, 2021)

pdentrem said:


> Due to dehydration, UTIs are common in the elderly and confusion is an indication of this. Trying to get your parent to drink is difficult.
> Pierre


Confusion can also be caused by hyponatremia, i.e.; low blood sodium levels.  One cause of hyponatremia is *drinking too much *_(water)_. Your kidneys will process out some sodium with urine, so if you over hydrate without getting corresponding salt levels, you loose salt.
Been there, done that.  Ended up in the emergency room, person with me was worried I was having a stroke.


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## KevinM (Sep 2, 2021)

rabler said:


> Confusion can also be caused by hyponatremia, i.e.; low blood sodium levels.  One cause of hyponatremia is *drinking too much *_(water)_. Your kidneys will process out some sodium with urine, so if you over hydrate without getting corresponding salt levels, you loose salt.
> Been there, done that.  Ended up in the emergency room, person with me was worried I was having a stroke.



I had hyponatremia and got a call from the Dr's office.  I stated that I must need more salt.  The person who called to inform me said, "oh no, you need to drink something like gatorade (which has salt in it)".  I always take a doctor's advice with a very large grain of salt.


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## brino (Nov 17, 2021)

rabler said:


> Confusion can also be caused by hyponatremia, i.e.; low blood sodium levels. One cause of hyponatremia is *drinking too much *_(water)_.



Jeez, damned if you do and damned if you don't!

One little imbalance (fluid levels, salt levels, many various brain chemicals) and we're dazed, confused and need a hospital.

No one would ever buy a machine that is as high-maintenance as we are!

-brino


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## aliva (Nov 17, 2021)

I'm in my late 60's and I known I'm hydrated because I keep getting thank you cards from my local liquior and beer store.


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## Janderso (Nov 17, 2021)

Good information!

Does Coors Lite count?
I'm kidding-no lectures please.


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## jbaccell (Nov 17, 2021)

I was pre-diabetic, on high blood pressure medicine, a statin for high cholesterol and diagnosed with Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.  Decided I had enough medications and went on a low carbohydrate diet and intermittent fasting.  Three months later, lost 15 pound (5'7" - 150 pounds now), blood pressure without medication hovers around 128/75 and blood glucose and A1-C are completely normal.  Love salt and eat all I want and my blood pressure is normal without medication.  As stated, drinking too much water can actually be bad for you.  Not here to preach but sugar and simple carbs are the culprit as well as genetics. Read up on it, my opinion is based on my results, YMMV.

To good health.

BTW, I'm also a cancer survivor.


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## FOMOGO (Nov 17, 2021)

"Dazed and confused", is there any other condition? Mike


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## Karl_T (Nov 17, 2021)

Another cause of dehydration, at least for me, is not wanting to get up to pee every half hour all night long.
probably not good for me, but i try not to drink anything after 6:00 PM.


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## savarin (Nov 17, 2021)

FOMOGO said:


> "Dazed and confused", is there any other condition? Mike


was it for so long its not true?

I would like to support the low carb and intermittent fasting as mentioned by jbaccell above
.
I have been type 2 diabetic for 22 years
Twice I have been on the cusp of needing insulin because all the meds eventually lose their efficacy.
The diabetic diet as preached by dieticians actually causes more harm than good.
Every doctor and specialist and dietician has preached that once you are type 2 its an onward non reversable progression.
THIS IS NOT TRUE, it can be reversed and has been by many.
If you can stick to the above lifestyle you can reverse type 2 diabetes
if you cut all sugars (the big killer) and carbs from your diet your blood sugars will plummet.
The first time I tried it I had to stop ALL medications, lost 30Kgs felt fantastic.
I stayed carb free for 2 years and no meds. But one xmas I went beserk and dropped out, went back to all the old habits and within 12 months I was back onto statins, blood pressure and diabetic meds.
The diabetic meds stopped working 3 weeks ago and blood sugars started climbing to insulin need.
Re started zero carbs and intermittent fasting and bang, sugars under control, now I have to stay on it and not drop off again.
As a side note I can now eat all the glorious fat on my grilled meats, and as much salt as I feel like.
It will be difficult for Americans due to the huge amount of sugar and high fructose corn syrup added to almost every food item.
My shock in West Virginia was sweet salami, YUK! when I checked the ingredient list there it was, high fructose corn syrup.
I would suggest any one who is even slightly over weight to get a simple finger prick sugar test as most of us will fall into the pre diabetic stage and its a lot easier to stop it dead from there.
Please please do some research into the Newcastle University ulc diet and the real keto diet as it really is life changing.

Now back to the original program
Yep, drinking enough water at our age is difficult and my wife is always telling me to drink more.
My solution is sugar free tonic water and soda water, I find I can drink more of those than plain water, but again the dieticians will harp on about how acidic they are and how that dissolves tooth enamel but at 72 I dont think I have to worry too much about that.


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## brino (Nov 17, 2021)

brino said:


> One little imbalance (fluid levels, salt levels, many various brain chemicals) and we're dazed, confused and need a hospital.





FOMOGO said:


> "Dazed and confused", is there any other condition? Mike





savarin said:


> was it for so long its not true?



Yep I had Zeppelin playing in my head when I wrote that......


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## wachuko (Nov 17, 2021)

We have programmed alarms every two hours on my father-in-law's phone to remind him to drink water...

I kid you not... then we have to remind him to turn off the alarm on his phone and get the water... He will be walking around the house with the phone alarm blasting not realizing it is his phone making the sound ...


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