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7 signs you’re not drinking enough water

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You may think you’re drinking enough water, but if you spent most of the day with a cup of coffee by your side, you’re probably more dehydrated than you think. After all, the numbers don’t lie: the human body is about 70% water, and we lose up to two and a half liters of it per day doing just normal activities. Even breathing causes a lot of fluid loss—we exhale around half a liter over the course of the day.

 

How much water should you drink a day?

In order for the fluid balance in our bodies to be maintained, drinking enough water is clearly key. According to the Mayo Clinic—which uses insights from the U.S. National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine—adult women should take in about 11.5 cups or 2.7 liters of fluids per day; men should get 15.5 cups or 3.7 liters per day. And even though about 20% of those totals can come from food (fruit, soup, vegetables, etc.) very few of us really do achieve such high quantities.

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But how do you know if you really are dehydrated? We asked Dr. Lela Ahlemann, a specialist in dermatology, proctology, and nutritional medicine to share her insights. Here, she tells us the seven most common signs you’re not drinking enough water.

The warning signals

 

Dry mouth and a feeling of thirst

A very typical sign of dehydration is—obviously—experiencing the feeling of thirst. This, along with a dry mouth, is often the first sign that you need water. And, for good reason: Not only does a dry mouth signify a lack of fluids, but also that your immune system is becoming weakened. “A dry mouth can lead to the oral mucosa, an immune defense, being weakened and you can become more prone to infections,” explains Ahlemann. “If you can’t manage to drink water when you have a dry mouth, then you should at least rinse it out with a little liquid.”

 

Dark urine or less urine production

“When we drink too little, our urine becomes concentrated and changes color,” explains Ahlemann. According to the doctor, pale yellow urine is ideal. “If your urine is dark, that’s a clear sign that you should definitely drink more. Looking at your own urine is the easiest self-test to check whether you’ve drunk enough water.”

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Headaches and dizziness

“Headache and dizziness can be caused by reduced blood volume due to dehydration, which means that our brain is no longer well supplied with blood and nutrients,” says Ahlemann, who adds that if you often feel dizzy, you should definitely visit a doctor.

 

Fatigue and problems concentrating

Fatigue and difficulty concentrating can also be due to a lack of fluids and are one of the most common signs you’re not drinking enough water. “Here, too, the reduced blood volume is to blame, which, as mentioned, means that our brain is not optimally supplied,” explains the doctor.

 

Dry skin and lips

According to Ahlemann, typical signs of dehydration include dry skin and lips. You can find out whether this is the case for you with a small self-test: “Pinch the skin on the back of your hand between two fingers and pull it up. If it seems slow to return to its original state, that is a sign of dehydration.” In addition, many people experience increased itching due to dry skin. “The skin may also appear paler because the oxygen and micronutrient supply is no longer optimal,” she adds.

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Dark circles under the eyes

According to Ahlemann, “if you don’t drink enough, the blood becomes thicker, which tends to make the vessels more visible. Sunken eyes, dark circles, and increased eye wrinkles can be a sign that you’re not drinking enough.”

 

Constipation

A typical sign that you are not drinking enough? Constipation. It’s easy to understand why this happens: If you drink too little, your intestines withdraw too much water from the stool, which in turn reduces their volume. When the intestinal tract is not full, the body doesn’t feel compelled to eliminate waste. “In medicine, we speak of constipation when we talk about solid stools due to water deprivation,” explains Ahleman. “But what many people don’t know is that drinking too little can also cause a bloated stomach.”

 

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Lifestyle

Charly Boy celebrates daughter’s engagement to female partner

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Former president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Charles Oputa, better known as Charly Boy, has celebrated the engagement of his daughter, Adaeze, to her female partner.

The popular musician, also famously known as Area Fada, shared a video from the engagement ceremony on his Instagram page, describing Adaeze and her partner as his “beautiful Princess and her Husband.”

“Folks, wish dem well for me,” he wrote.

Adaeze also announced the engagement in a separate Instagram post, sharing a photograph of herself with her partner.

“WE’RE ENGAGED!” she wrote, using the hashtag #mrsandmrs.

She described the engagement as the beginning of a lifetime together, expressing excitement about their future.

“Here’s to a lifetime of love, laughter, growth, and making beautiful memories together. I can’t wait for everything God has in store for us. Forever sounds even sweeter with you,” she added.

The announcement has attracted mixed reactions from social media users.

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Nigerian-British social media influencer dies after $9,000 penis enlargement procedure in Thailand

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Igho Ubiribo, a Nigerian-British businessman and social media influencer, has reportedly died after undergoing a penis enlargement procedure during a luxury trip to Thailand.

According to findings from an inquest in the United Kingdom, 43-year-old Ubiribo died after the cosmetic treatment triggered a fatal pulmonary embolism.

The businessman, who was also known as “Tiny”, “Denisi” and “Ego”, was on holiday in Bangkok with his wife, Danielle Simba Allen, when he decided to undergo the procedure.

Reports from the inquest revealed that doctors injected about 40 millilitres of hyaluronic acid and lidocaine into his penis at an unnamed clinic in Thailand in March.

After the procedure, Ubiribo and his wife reportedly returned to their Marriott hotel, where they went for a massage.

It was during the massage that he complained of chest pain before collapsing and losing consciousness.

He was rushed to Sukhumvit Hospital, where he was initially able to respond to medical staff.

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His wife reportedly informed doctors that he had recently undergone penis filler injections, prompting concerns that the procedure may have been linked to his condition.

Medical personnel suspected a pulmonary embolism and recommended further scans, but Ubiribo reportedly lost consciousness before the examination could be completed.

Doctors later transferred him to intensive care, where attempts were made to revive him through prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

He was pronounced dead in the early hours of March 6.

A postmortem examination conducted in the UK later reportedly found material in Ubiribo’s lungs consistent with the hyaluronic acid used during the penis filler procedure.

Pathologist John du Parcq told the inquest that the substance discovered matched the material injected during the cosmetic treatment.

He said the findings supported the conclusion that Ubiribo suffered a pulmonary embolism caused by the procedure.

The coroner, Jean Harkin, subsequently ruled that the businessman’s death was caused by a pulmonary embolism linked to the cosmetic injection.

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A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot or other material blocks a blood vessel supplying the lungs, potentially causing sudden breathing difficulties, heart strain and death.

During the inquest, information from Ubiribo’s doctor in London showed that he had previously undergone joint surgeries and had been described as pre-diabetic and suffering from gout.

However, his doctor reportedly said he had no other major medical conditions.

Penis fillers containing hyaluronic acid are marketed as a non-surgical option for increasing girth, but medical experts have warned that injectable cosmetic procedures can carry serious risks if complications occur.

Ubiribo was known for showcasing his luxury lifestyle on social media, where he had about 185,000 Instagram followers.

Reports said he owned a home in Los Angeles valued at about $1.1 million and a London apartment reportedly worth around $600,000.

He married Zimbabwean fashion designer Danielle Simba Allen in a lavish ceremony in 2022.

Following his death, Ubiribo was buried in London in a gold coffin, with reports claiming the funeral arrangement cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

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Afrobeats singer Davido, who was described as a childhood friend of the businessman, attended the funeral and paid tribute to him.

The case has renewed attention on the potential dangers associated with cosmetic procedures involving injectable fillers, after medical evidence linked the treatment to the fatal complication.

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Help locate my husband! 68-year-old British woman cries out as 31-year-old Nigerian lover disappears after arriving UK

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For 68-year-old British citizen, Dawn Ottewell, it was literally love at first sight after she hooked up with 31-year-old Nigerian, Bright Emokpae on a popular dating App, Tinder.

But what began as a love story conceived in heaven and consummated on earth has ended in heartbreak and a desperate search for answers.

At the beginning,  Dawn, who obviously was consumed by love, quickly made efforts to facilitate Emokpae’s movement to the United Kingdom after their wedding.

But soon after he arrived in the UK on a spousal visa Emokpae disappeared into thin air. At the beginning, Dawn probably believed her new husband had simply stepped out and would be back soon.

But it soon dawned on her that new husband wouldn’t be coming back any time soon.

In a story published in the UK Sun, the love-struck 68-year-old said she met the Edo State born Bright when she was at the lowest ebb in 2021 and he brightened her life with love.

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At the time, Bright Emokpae was reportedly a student in Cyprus and Dawn went on a visit. The couple eventually got married in 2022.

In 2023 Bright was in Nigeria to complete formalities for his visa to the UK courtesy of papers filed by Dawn and he relocated thereafter.

Shortly after his arrival, Dawn claimed that Bright became withdrawn and was always asking for money from her and added nothing to the sustenance of the home.

The pair separated but reunited in October 2023. According to Dawn, Bright reconciled with her because she  received a £63,000 settlement following a botched NHS prolapse operation. But he bolted from their home once again.

Not willing to put up with Emokpae’s flight from home any more, Dawn wants a divorce but her man cannot be located to sign the papers with Dawn speculating that he may have relocated to Scotland.

“He’s done a runner and is refusing to sign the divorce papers because I believe he wants to cling on to his spouse visa,” she said.

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But Dawn’s main worry is that if she dies before the divorce papers are signed Bright could inherit her estate. “My biggest fear is that I’ll die before this is sorted out and he’ll run off with the money my three children should inherit,” she said.

She says she feels Bright simply used her to get into the UK and she’s appealing for help to locate him.

“I feel I’m being used,” Ottewell said.

She added, “I would advise people to be very careful who they marry, especially when the person is from abroad, because a lot of them are just doing it for a visa, and then they disappear.”

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