How to hydrate properly during hot weather

Coffee and alcoholic beverages dehydrate, so they should be avoided during hot weather and replaced with water.

Cardiologist Ana-Maria Balahura explained to the RRA reporter, Adriana Turea, that when it is very hot, blood pressure can drop, because, naturally, the body tends to cool down, including through sweating. Thus, people lose significant amounts of water, and this process can lead to serious discomfort.

Ana-Maria Balahura: The first thing we need to think about during the summer is to hydrate properly. It means adjusting the amount of water ingested compared to the loss of it. It's hard for average people to appreciate how much water they lose. Ideally, keep in mind that you should drink at least eight glasses of water throughout the day, in 250 ml glasses. If we know that we have been exposed to heat, that we've had a workout session or just generally a busy and tiring day, and that we lost more water than usual, maybe it would be even better to have 12 glasses of water.

Reporter: Adriana Turea - Dr. Ana-Maria Balahura added that hydrating means drinking water, not carbonated drinks. It is also advisable to have a diet rich in vegetables and fruits, to wear cotton clothes, to have our heads covered with a hat, and if we stay in the house, the air conditioning should be set at a temperature of 23 degrees Celsius, no less.

Translated by: Radu Matei