The First Lady has announced her new social campaign and is taking alot of heat for the simplicity of it. While I do not agree with many of her ideals, I can give her a nod of approval on this one.
For as simple as the concept sounds, it is a fact that most people DON'T drink
enough water through the day. For many people, sufficient water intake
can be one of the most important steps to improving their health and
well-being. Soda pop, coffee, juice, sports drinks just aren't the same.
So with this in mind I have dug through my archives to find an article which I wrote several years ago for a rodeo magazine when I was more active in the circuit caring for the participants. The article is written specifically for the rodeo athlete but has valid points and information for all walks of life.
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Water and Your Physical Endurance.
By Dr. Russell Heller
As a competitor in the rodeo and rough stock
sports, like any athlete, you constantly strive to maintain your endurance and
top performance.
Water, and maintaining proper hydration, are an
important step in doing this. Anyone who
has ever competed in the Midwest and southern climates during the summer and
early autumn months can attest to the difficulty of maintaining body fluid
levels (hydration) and avoiding dehydration.
Most of us have come to take the sign of the dry
mouth as a signal that the body needs water, at its also assumed that fluid
levels are well regulated yet the symptoms of dry mouth are not noticed. Dry mouth, however is one of the last outward
signs of extreme dehydration. Other
signs to watch for are: persistent/recurring heartburn, stomach ache, headache
and mental irritation. Dehydration over
a long period of time can lead to: recurring and/or chronic pain, low back pain
and water retention (believe it or not).
Water, for as simple as it is, is a very important
part of us. It makes up about 60% of the
young males weight and 50% of a females.
Two-thirds of this water is found in our blood cells the rest is outside
the cells and includes the plasma of the blood.
Proper hydration is important in regulating body temperature energy
metabolism and cardiovascular stress.
Therefore, it has a vital role in maintaining athletic & physical
performance.
So the question to answer is, How do we avoid
dehydration?
·
Drink
before you feel thirsty. We
must remember that the thirst mechanism is too inefficient and slow for proper
hydration purposes. By the time your
body senses the need for water to maintain mineral balance, dehydration has
already started. An estimated proper level of water intake can be calculated at 50-75%
of your body weight in ounces. 50% for
sedentary people, 75% for active people.
Example: An active 150 lb. person would require 112.5
oz of water per day (75% of body wt. in oz.)
Divide this by the number of hours you're awake to find your hourly
water requirement; 112¸16=
7 oz./hr awake. **During strenuous
work an additional 16 oz. per day should be consumed plus an additional 16 oz.
per day in dry climates.
·
Avoid
caffeine. While
caffeine does have some properties that can enhance athletic performance, it
also acts as a diuretic, causing your body to get rid of fluid instead of
retain it.
·
Avoid
high calorie drinks like sodas. Even
though they do contain large amounts of water, the large amounts of sugar in
these drinks make the water more slowly absorbed. Also many sodas contain caffeine. Sports Drinks offer little benefit over water
during the first 90 minutes of heavy activity,
after 90 minutes of strenuous activity they can facilitate the
replacement of minerals and sugars.
·
Avoid
regular use of Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAID's) such
as aspirin, ibuprophen, acetaminophen, etc.
Under tough conditions the kidney's need to function at 100%. These drugs interfere with kidney function
and can cause an excess loss of minerals in the urine and upset the electrolyte
balance of the body which can be quite serious.
·
Avoid
taking just water.
Especially during periods of heavy, extended labor. To avoid diluting the mineral and electrolyte
balances of the body we also need to replace the sodium lost through
perspiration and glucose loss through physical activity. Along with water, it's a good idea to snack
on salty, high carbohydrate foods such as pretzels, snack crackers, tortilla
chips, etc.
These recommendations can help prevent and avoid
dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke during the intense heat of the
summer while competing; however, these points should also be kept in mind when
working long hours, outdoors in the summer.
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Enjoy the outdoors, enjoy your activities and be safe.
Yours for better health,
Dr. Heller
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