The water crisis

4 tips for staying healthy during drought

We need water to be healthy. If you live in the city, it’s easy to take water for granted until the dams start running low. To support people in areas where drought is experienced, be careful with water even if you don’t live there. After all, South Africa is one of the 30 driest countries in the world. To help you, we’ve put some tips together on taking care of yourself when there’s not a lot of water to go round.

1. Keep drinking water

Adults need to drink about two litres of water a day. Don’t try to save water by drinking less water. You need water to keep your body temperature steady, digest food and keep your blood pumping. You can check if you’re hydrated by lifting the skin on your hand. It should go down immediately. If the skin keeps the triangle shape, drink more water.

2. Wash your hands while saving water

An important part of keeping healthy is washing your hands with soap. Clean your hands after going to the bathroom, coughing or sneezing, and after playing with pets and before handling food. Keep a basin of water to wash your hands in or use wet wipes.

3. Beat the heat

In South Africa, drought and heat tend to go hand in hand. You can become seriously ill if your body’s temperature is too high. Children and older people are especially sensitive to heat, so make sure they stay hydrated. You can cool down without using water. Wear natural fibres (like cotton) and wear a hat to protect your head against the heat of the sun.

4. Keep hope

Keeping your water use down may feel like you’re not living your best life. But keep hope. Keep in touch with your friends and family to keep your spirits up. If we all save water, we can make it through the drought.

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