Tips to Stay Hydrated with Cystic Fibrosis

People who have cystic fibrosis have a harder time staying hydrated. Their disease involves losing more salt through sweat. This is because the genetic mutation is in a chloride channel responsible for resorbing chloride ion, which helps to draw water back into the body. Without this channel working, people can lose a lot more water than the average person through sweat.

Dehydration complications

There are a lot of unnecessary and unpleasant health problems that come with being dehydrated. For example, having less water in the body thickens the bodily fluids, which manifests into various uncomfortable situations.

Sticky and thick mucus in the lungs leads to a more difficult time breathing and feelings of shortness of breath. This thick mucus can also interfere with your coughing reflex, and it can be hard for your body to effectively eradicate toxins and foreign germs through the natural cough defense mechanism. Having such thick lung secretions can predispose you to various pneumonia and other infections.

Furthermore, water is so important for your digestive tract. Being dehydrated predisposes you to constipation, which can be very uncomfortable and even painful if severe. Other possible manifestations of dehydration include a headache, dizziness, and tiredness too. Though these symptoms may not sound too serious to some of you, think of where dizzy and confusion can lead—perhaps a disastrous fall and broken bones resulting in some very long and painful hospital stays. People with cystic fibrosis have enough to live with—they do not need broken bones on top of it.

Staying hydrated healthily

So, what are some ways to stay hydrated if you have cystic fibrosis? It's important to know some tips to hydrate yourself, especially if you want to enjoy some outdoor activities. Summertime, especially, always comes with extra sweating and water-loss, so it's essential that you pay attention to how much you're drinking!

But just drinking tons of water might not be enough to stay hydrated. There are actually some tricks you can use to make the water you drink more efficiently absorbed by your body. Otherwise, no matter how much you drink, you end up urinating out all the excess water you are trying to saturate your dehydrated body with. Below are some tips and tricks that are derived from information collected from various organizations specializing in cystic fibrosis.

There are also many other drinks that can help you stay hydrated besides water. Coconut water is a great alternative because it's naturally rich in electrolytes. Other natural fruit juices and smoothies can also help quench a thirst on top of giving you nutritious calories. Besides tasting delicious, you are getting some natural nutrients and electrolytes as well. It's a win-win situation! If you choose to drink some fruit juices, definitely try to make sure you're only choosing those without any added sugars. And, of course, don’t ditch water entirely. Water is essential for a healthy lifestyle, whether you have cystic fibrosis or not.

Read further to learn more about hydration for cystic fibrosis, and always speak with your doctor before making any lifestyle changes.