Dehydration during the war: how to purify non-potable water – easy life hacks

During the war in Ukraine dehydration is a real problem.
Who would have thought that in 2022 headlines about people dying due to dehydration. Therapist and family doctor Anna Krasyuk and Honored Doctor of Ukraine Olga Golubovskayatalked about first signs of dehydration
And how to purify non-drinking water
during the war period, which will not harm the body.

First signs of dehydration?

Early signs of mild dehydration – dry mouth, thirst, loss of consciousness, drowsiness, convulsions, dryness and pallor of the skin, accelerated breathing. Among the signs of severe dehydration
– lack of urine or high concentration, and also the color of the urine becomes reddish, says therapist and family doctor Anna Krasyuk

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People recommended daily drink individual water
. The volume of water is easy to calculate: it is 30 ml of water per 1 kg of body weight. When dehydrated, it is better to drink cool water.
. She quickly quenches her thirst. Do not drink it in one gulp – drink in small sips.

What to do in the absence of any water?

No water on hand, but have fruit? Eat them and quench your thirst with the juice found in citruses or apples
– says Anna Krasyuk.

If fruits and any water are not at hand, then get water naturally.

Dig a hole in the ground, put dry leaves in the center, and on top of it a plastic container, which you tightly close with cling film. Fix the film with a weighting agent. The container will stand in an earthen environment and on top of the leaves, so the humidity level will be high and condensate (water drops) will drain into the container.

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People living near the forest can extract sap from birch trees. The birch sap season starts from late March to early May. Recall that birch sap is rich in vitamins and minerals.

Save children under 1 year old (sometimes up to 2 years) from dehydration by breastfeeding them.

There is the concept of relactation: the restoration of breast milk in women, at the end of breastfeeding after many weeks or even years. It may save not only your own baby on GV, but also other children nearby
. It is necessary to regularly stimulate the nipples on your own or often by putting the baby to the breast so that in a few days or weeks milk appeared in sufficient quantities for the full feeding of the child
– added therapist and family doctor Anna Krasyuk.

How to purify water from bacteria?

During the siege of Ukrainian cities by invaders, humanitarian aid cannot reach civilians and provide them with the necessary food and things. Water is the first thing civilians need
because dehydration causes exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases, weakening of the immune system and leads to the worst – death.

People are forced to drink melted water or the one that they collected from puddles, pipes, running waters, etc. Drinking contaminated water will get rid of dehydration, but will negatively affect the body if the liquid is not decontaminated.

Honored Doctor of Ukraine Olga Golubovskaya shared 5 life hacks on the page in Facebook to purify unsuitable for drinking water, which will save you from dehydration and will not harm the body.

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• Disinfect water with special tablets – Aquatabs, Aquacid, Pantocid and similar composition options. Disinfectant tablets contain up to 6 mg of active chlorine or equivalent substances. They dissolve quickly (up to 15 minutes), have high antibacterial properties, last a long time and do not spoil the taste. Sometimes, even contrary to the instructions, it is recommended to use two or three tablets per liter of water, depending on the predicted water contamination.
• If the listed tablets are not at hand, use iodine solution
  : add two drops of 10% iodine solution to 1 liter of water. Wait 30 minutes before drinking it. The taste will be terrible, but you won’t die of dehydration or develop deadly diseases after drinking contaminated water.

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• Take advantage time-tested method of water disinfection
  . It was used in the early 90s in the south of Ukraine and Moldova, when there was an outbreak of cholera. For a volume of 1 liter of water, add 1 teaspoon of table vinegar (or 250 g of dry wine). Wait 6 hours and then drink water.
• If there is no vinegar, wine, necessary tablets and iodine, use hydrogen peroxide to disinfect water.
  Add 1 tablespoon of medication (2 tbsp if heavily soiled) per liter of water, leave to infuse for an hour, then add a few tablets of activated charcoal.
• Disinfect water contaminated with chemicals with activated charcoal. Add 1 tablespoon of charcoal, which has been ground into powder up to 1 liter of water.

If you live in a commune of migrants, then find out how to get along in the same house with strangers, if you were forced to leave for the duration of the war – advice to migrants.

Find out also how to get the help of a psychotherapist for free – a list of specialists.