Hydration Guide - Flipbook - Page 4
WHY HYDRATION IS NECESSARY
Why hydration is necessary
Hydration is important for almost all aspects of our bodily functions,
being hydrated means having enough fluid for your body to work
as efficiently as it can. If you have a stoma, then due to stomal
losses, you’re likely to be extra aware of the importance of hydration
compared to the average person. Approximately 50-60% of our
body weight is water; for a female weighing 10 stone, that’s 5-6
stone in just water (~63.5kg and ~31-38kg respectively). The water
in our bodies helps transport nutrients, regulates our temperature
and aids the removal of metabolic waste products.
We lose water through several
mechanisms including sweating,
breathing (water vapour), urine
and looser bowel movements.
Approximately 9L of liquid moves
through the small intestine each
day, but usually only 1.5L of this
will reach the colon.
After bowel stoma surgery, especially those with
ileostomies or colostomies on their right-hand side,
the gut has to adapt and improve at absorbing
fluid to minimise dehydration. For people with
urostomies, consuming enough fluid is especially
important to keep urinary tract infections (UTIs)
at bay, but also minimise the risk of any tubing
or stoma blockages. If our bodies lose too much
fluid, or we don’t consume enough, this can cause
different problems that may need treatment in
hospital. From research, we know that of those
who are re-admitted to hospital after stoma
surgery, ~40% of these people are admitted
for dehydration treatment. To be as little as 1%
dehydrated (that’s under-drinking by just ~500ml),
can decrease both physical and mental abilities.
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Dehydration-related
health problems:
•
Urinary tract
infections (UTIs)
•
Headaches
•
Constipation
•
Dizziness that can
lead to falls
•
Confusion
•
Kidney stones
•
Pressure ulcers/skin
conditions