Diabetes is a disease in which the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in the blood and urine. It is a chronic disease that is widespread across the globe. It occurs when our body cannot properly use the insulin it produces or when the pancreas gland does not produce and release the required insulin for our body. Hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar) and Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar) are two different blood sugar levels for uncontrolled diabetes patients when their blood sugar level either goes up or down beyond the standard value. There are three main types of diabetes, but Type 1 and Type 2 are the most common. Type 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake) and is often first diagnosed in childhood. Type 2 diabetes often occurs due to lifestyle factors such as being overweight, sedentary, and poor diet. A healthy lifestyle, including a diet rich in vegetables, grains, fish, proper hydration, and plenty of exercise can often send type 2 diabetes into remission, however, there is no cure.
Significance of proper hydration for individuals with diabetes
Individuals living with diabetes must understand the importance of maintaining a healthy blood sugar level. The blood sugar imbalance and diabetes can threaten your life with kidney failure, blindness, heart stroke, and cardiovascular disease. If you are a diabetes patient, then following regular medication, a healthy diet, and physical exercise are must to keep the blood sugar level in control; however, it is also vital to stay hydrated. According to the Mayo CLinic, a leading Healthcare provider, “Being very thirsty and urinating often are common diabetes symptoms. In people who have diabetes, extra sugar — which also is called glucose — builds up in the blood. This forces the kidneys to work overtime to filter and absorb the extra sugar.
When the kidneys can't keep up, extra sugar goes into the urine. And it takes along fluids from the body's tissues.” It is important to have a home water filtration system or RO water system to get an uninterrupted supply of refreshing, delicious, pure drinking water that will be a pleasure to drink, as opposed to poor-tasting tap water. A healthy water-drinking habit is one of the best practices to keep diabetes in control.
The Impact of Dehydration on Blood Sugar Levels
Hydration habits and diabetes are related, as thirst and dry mouth are the primary signs of mild dehydration and initial diabetes symptoms. In a diabetic patient, the body is unable to produce or use insulin properly, so body cells cannot absorb sugar in the bloodstream, leading to high blood sugar levels. To remove this higher level of accumulated sugar in the bloodstream, our kidneys need to work harder and remove the excess sugar via frequent urination; frequent urination leads to dehydration. That is why a diabetic patient needs to increase water intake to maintain fluid level balance and stay well hydrated.
Diabetes thirst
Frequent thirst is a common initial symptom of diabetes showing mild dehydration in our body, known as ‘Diabetes thirst.’ It increases when our body loses too much water and fluids via urination due to high blood sugar levels. Despite frequent drinking, the patient will stay thirsty or dehydrated as the kidneys work more to filter out excessive blood sugar through urination.
Diabetes insipidus
Diabetes insipidus is another health condition of diabetic patients when the pituitary gland fails to produce vasopressin properly, or the kidneys are unable to respond to this hormone. Vasopressin is an antidiuretic hormone that causes our kidneys to be unable to retain water and excrete a large volume of urination, resulting in dehydration.
Dehydration is responsible for high blood sugar levels that result in severe diabetic conditions. Diabetes would be challenging to manage due to dehydration, so keeping regular pure water drinking can help keep high blood sugar levels controlled along with medication, diet, and exercise.
Optimal Water Intake Guidelines for Diabetics
Maintaining a balanced blood sugar level is vital for our overall health, and staying well-hydrated plays a key role in keeping it balanced. When you have some signs of diabetes, drinking more water helps manage hydration, fluid levels, and blood sugar levels.
Water is a great choice to manage dehydration and help your body eliminate extra blood sugar. Individuals who are fighting with diabetes are recommended to up their intake of fluids, around 1.6 liters (6.5 cups) per day for women and 2 liters (8.5 glasses) per day for men.
While water is one of the best hydration sources, there are other options too to keep you refreshed. Give plain water a tasty twist with a splash of fresh lime or lemon juice and quench your thirst in a diabetes-friendly way.
Practical Hydration Tips for Diabetics
People who are living with diabetes need to look for low or no-sugar hydration options and pure drinking water is one of the best ever hydration options. We have some more alternatives for you to stay hydrated and keep the blood sugar level in control.
Water
Water is the easily available everyday hydration go-to for diabetic patients. Sometimes, you can give plain water a twist for a hydrating boost. Squeeze a lemon with veggies or fruit without adding sugar. Water can be more interesting hydration with mint or basil, cucumber or celery, lemon, lime, strawberry, or orange slices to meet your hydration goals.
However, not just water, but water quality, matters as some potable water sources from the ground have many harmful contaminants like arsenic. According to the study below water high in arsenic increases the risk of diabetes.
According to the article Arsenic in Drinking Water and Diabetes, “As such, investigations on how arsenic promotes disease progression, including diabetes, have garnered much attention over the past few decades, particularly because chronic exposure to arsenic in drinking water has been associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in arsenic-rich areas worldwide.”
So, ensure you have a high-quality water purifying system at your residence and that it is rated to remove arsenic if you are in a known arsenic-rich area or if you have private wells. Testing your water may be required to identify the presence of arsenic, and additional testing may be required to determine its species. Arsenic 3 and 5 are the most common. Home Master RO water systems are very good at removing Arsenic 5 99.6% removal when used as directed, but water with Arsenic 3 will require chlorination to oxidize the Arsenic into Arsenic 5 prior to the RO system. Home Master® Reverse Osmosis systems are the leading home water filtration system with 9 stages of filtration, purification, and sterilization to remove up to 99% of 1000s of contaminants and microorganisms from your source water.
Coconut water
Coconut water is another alternative to water for hydration in a diabetes-friendly way for individuals with diabetes. According to the USDA, coconut water has 6.26 g of naturally sourced (not added) sugar in a 240 g cup intake, less than other fruit juices for 45.6 kcal energy. Coconut water also has 2.64 g of total dietary fiber, which helps to prevent blood sugar spikes in our bodies. Additionally, it contains natural sources of electrolytes, including potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium, to keep the hydration better.
No-added sugar orange juice
When it comes to hydration alternatives, no-added sugar orange juice can be an option for people with diabetes. Though this is not preferred, it can be an alternative like coconut water. Orange juice is an affordable potassium and vitamin C source without added sugar.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, keeping blood sugar in check is crucial with a healthy fluid balance and hydration routine. Remember to follow your doctor’s recommended daily water allowance to stay well-hydrated. If you need energy, then opt for an electrolyte hydration drink with no sugar and low calories. When unsure, consult your healthcare provider to find the hydration plan that suits you best. Your health is a priority, so make hydration a simple and smart part of your daily routine to keep diabetes under control.