Thursday, September 19, 2013

The Importance of Water and Proper Hydration



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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