This episode breaks down why hydration matters, how to calculate your personal water needs, and simple strategies to avoid dehydration in hot weather. Dr. Russell Grant, Board Certified in Internal Medicine and medical director of Eisenhower Urgent Care Clinics, explains the body-weight formula and practical water intake advice. Learn clear guidance on hydration, water intake, dehydration symptoms, electrolyte balance, pre-hydration, and hyponatremia so you can stay safe this summer. For more information, visit eisenhowerhealth.org and search for urgent care.
Hydration and Summer Heat – What You Need to Know
Featuring:
Russell Grant, MD
Dr. Grant is Board Certified in Internal Medicine with a specialty in Urgent Care Medicine. Dr. Grant joined the Eisenhower Medical Center Urgent Care team in 1998 and was the lead physician responsible for opening Eisenhower’s three outpatient Urgent Care sites located in the Coachella Valley. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at UCLA/ West LA VA Medical Center. Dr. Grant is committed to providing the best medical care possible at the Eisenhower Urgent Care sites. A native of Australia, Dr. Grant spent several years at sea serving as ship physician for several cruise lines which ignited his interest in emergency and urgent care medicine.
Transcription:
Gina Kaye (Host): Welcome to the Living Well with Eisenhower Health podcast, healthcare as it should be. I'm Gina Kaye. and joining me today is Dr. Russell Grant, Medical Director for the Eisenhower Urgent Care Clinics.
Our topic today is all about hydration. Eisenhower Health is located in the Coachella Valley, where the summer temperatures are usually 110 degrees or higher throughout the summer months. It is essential to keep hydrated in order to function at optimum. This podcast with the Medical Director of Eisenhower Health's three urgent care clinics provides information on the importance of hydration and ways to ensure you are getting enough of the right fluids to maximize your body's potential.
Dr. Grant, thank you so much for joining us today.
Dr. Russell Grant: Thank you, Gina. This is very timely as we just kicked off the beginning of summer and our temperatures are already in the triple digits every day. So, thank you for having me today.
Host: Absolutely. We are so happy that you joined. So, let's dive into our questions. Why is hydration so important?
Dr. Russell Grant: Well, hydration is very important because water makes up more than two-thirds of our body weight. And without it, we would really not be able to survive within a few days. Brain is 95% water, blood is 82% water, and our lungs are 90% water. So, a mere drop of 2% in our body's water supply can really trigger signs of dehydration very quickly.
Host: So to follow up on that then, how much does a person's body really need?
Dr. Russell Grant: The old adage is usually eight glasses of eight ounces of water is frequently recommended. But really, is that enough? And the clear answer is no. We each need different amounts of water depending on a number of factors, including our underlying general health condition, our size and weight, and the surrounding climatic conditions, and also physical activity.
So, a more accurate estimate of daily needs would be to use your body weight to calculate how much you need. So if you take your body weight in pounds and divide that by two, that gives you the average number of ounces of water you need each day.
Host: You know, I've never heard that before, but that is an easy little formula to remember.
Dr. Russell Grant: Exactly. So if you weigh 140 pounds, you need to drink 70 ounces of fluid each day.
Host: Fantastic. Does hydrating only count if you drink water? What about juice, soda, beer, energy drinks?
Dr. Russell Grant: Yeah. Water can come from many sources. It can come from tap water, it can come from bottled water, but there are other sources as well. So, sports drinks, juices, and also water-rich food and fluids such as soups, fruits and vegetables. They all add to your water intake. The thing to be mindful of is to avoid anything containing caffeine or alcohol, because they actually act as diuretics and increase your water output.
Host: You answered my question. I was going totry to sneak that in about the caffeine because I've heard before that it can have a negative effect. So, that is really interesting.
Dr. Russell Grant: Yeah, absolutely. Anything caffeine-containing does act as a diuretic. So, coffee and tea is fine to drink, but always go for the decaffeinated option.
Host: Okay. So, say that we're not getting enough of this important element in our body, what are the signs then of dehydration?
Dr. Russell Grant: The first sign is always thirst. And by the time you're feeling thirsty, you're already partially dehydrated. Other things to look for is the color of your urine. So as we get dehydrated, the urine becomes darker in color. And also, it can cause some physical symptoms like some dizziness, headaches, fatigue, dry mouth. And as you become more dehydrated, you can become confused or have some difficulty concentrating.
Host: So if we're talking about dehydration specifically then, what are the causes of dehydration?
Dr. Russell Grant: Well, it's multifactorial. It does depend on your fluid intake, but it is also affected by your surrounding climate. So, hot temperatures, if you're engaging in any form of physical activity. And some underlying medical conditions can also lead to dehydration, including medications.
Host: Okay. Interesting. If we're talking about water specifically, and we know that drinking more water then has a positive effect on hydrating our bodies, what are other good ways to stay hydrated?
Dr. Russell Grant: It's always important to prepare yourself for the day. So if you are going out in the heat of the day or if you are going to the gym or doing any sports activities, pre-hydrate. So, make sure you have a couple of glasses of water two to three hours before you start your activity. And then, during your activity, also make sure that you continue to drink throughout, having anywhere from four to six ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes of activity. That will help keep your muscles well-hydrated as well.
Host: Okay. I've never heard about preloading for hydration. That's a fantastic tip.
Dr. Russell Grant: Yeah, it's very important to hydrate both before you exercise and after you exercise as well.
Host: Okay. Let's talk a little bit about electrolyte additives. Do they work? How about IV hydration? Can they hurt?
Dr. Russell Grant: Well, too much fluid can be a problem, especially with patients with some underlying heart disease or kidney disease. So, it is important to make sure you have those discussions with your primary care physician. The addition of electrolytes is important, especially if you're going to be doing any form of prolonged exercise.
Host: So, we talk a lot about needing to hydrate. What happens if somebody over-hydrates?
Dr. Russell Grant: Certainly, you can overhydrate, and that can actually affect your heart and your kidneys, and can affect the electrolytes in your blood, especially your sodium. So, you can certainly develop hyponatremia or low sodium in your blood, which then has significant adverse effects.
Host: Okay, wonderful. Great advice. Dr. Grant, is there anything else you'd like to mention for the good of the cause?
Dr. Russell Grant: I'd just like to say that water is the fuel that keeps your motor running. So, it's important to drink up to good health.
Host: Perfect. Dr. Grant, thank you so very much for your time today.
Dr. Russell Grant: Thank you, Gina.
Host: For more information about today's episode, please visit eisenhowerhealth.org and search for urgent care. If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it on your own social media channels. I'm Gina Kaye, and this has been the Living Well with Eisenhower Health podcast. Thank you for listening.