> Better yet, we’ve learned since that you can still get most of the benefit without WHO-approved stockpiles of ORS. You can use a number of widely available commercial products that essentially replicate ORS, from sports drinks to Pedialyte. You can also make good oral rehydration solutions yourself at home for pennies: Just take 32 ounces of water and add 6 teaspoons of sugar and a half-teaspoon of salt. There are just two pitfalls to avoid, according to my colleague Regan Marsh, an emergency physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a medical director for Partners in Health. First, fight the urge to sweeten it too much. “People want to make it more sugary because of the taste, but that proportion of salt and sugar is important.”

I did this several years ago, after dehydrating myself while working outside on a hot day. Water didn't touch my thirst, then I realized I needed electrolytes. I used lemon juice, sugar, and a good amount of salt. It was delicious.