One of the things I constantly talk about with my team is hydration, especially as the summer approaches. The last thing we need is for anyone to become ill, or even worse because of dehydration. Whether you are taking care of all of the moving needs of a client, or out on the water fishing, being fully hydrated is critical not only to your health, but also to your success! Here are some tips and tidbits of information that I hope you will find useful.
In normal day to day life, drinking water when you are thirsty is enough to keep most people adequately hydrated. The amount of water needed can change every day based on a number of things like the weather, amount of physical activity and your current health.
It is important to remember that when active, if you wait to drink until you are thirsty, you are well on your way to dehydration.
Drinking before you are thirsty will allow you body to properly metabolize the fluids and use them more efficiently.
Every person needs different amounts of water so there is no hard fast rule to go by, though there are some generalizations. It is better to drink your water throughout the day and not all at one time. Pay attention to your body. If you are prone to muscle spasms, leg cramps or the likes and those start you are likely dehydrated. The same thing goes if you start to develop a headache, stop sweating, feel dizzy, feel nauseated, or become disoriented. All are signs that your body is in need of water! In addition, pay attention to is the color of your urine. It should be light to clear if you are properly hydrated. These signs are especially important as the heat of the summer approaches. Dehydration can imply heat exhaustion or heat stroke! If you feel these symptoms or notice them in a person you are with, a physician should be contacted immediately!
Sports drinks and water are both good ideas. Sports drinks may not be as beneficial if you are only going to be out for an hour or so, but for longer duration alternating be-tween a sports drink and water helps to replace the lost electrolytes. The potassium and sodium added to the sports drinks do actually help the body metabolize fluids faster and hydrate you quicker than water alone according to studies.
In a healthy diet, the foods you eat can make up about 20% of your daily water needs. Along with that a person typically needs to drink around 87 ounces of water throughout the day to be hydrated. While water is the obvious source, other beverages that can make up the daily intake needed are milk, herbal teas, low sodium broths, 100% fruit and vegetable juices. Soft drinks can count as another source, however it is important to re-member that these add calories to your diet you don’t need. Research shows that drinking water may also help you lose weight!
