Keeping Hydrated in the Heat

When temperatures outside are hot, we need to pay closer attention to staying cool. One way to do this is by keeping hydrated. When most people pass out in the summer heat it is because their bodies are dehydrated. This means their bodies do not have enough water inside. Often times the blood pressure drops severely and the person passes out.

The amount of fluid intake each person requires is different depending on their body size. In general, it is recommended that men intake 15 cups of water per day while women intake 11 cups. Since we get some water from the foods that we eat, in drinking fluid alone that would correspond to about 13 cups for men and 9 cups for women. As we already know, our bodies are made up of mostly water. In fact, 50% to 70% of the body's weight consists of water. Over 70% of our muscle tissues contain water and all of our cells need water. Water is so important that we can only survive a few days without it while we can possibly go weeks without eating food and still survive.

Water is constantly being release through our bodies through perspiration, urine, waste, and its use for many body and cellular functions. Our bodies cannot conserve water which is why we need to be sure we drink enough of it every day. During the summer, when we go out into the heat we need to be sure to consume plenty of liquids. The more we sweat the more water we need to drink. A person doesn't just have to drink plain water. There are many flavored waters available such as Propel Fitness Water, Fruit2O, and several others. Many flavored waters also contain certain essential vitamins which aid in our energy metabolism.

Gatorade is another good choice in keeping hydrated. Usually we see a lot of athletes and physically active people drinking a lot of Gatorade. Gatorade contains electrolytes to replace those that are loss in sweat. Electrolytes also help maintain blood volume, enhance the absorption of water, and stimulate thirst.

Even when we are not thirsty we need to consume plenty of fluids, especially when the temperatures are hot or we are engaged in physical activity. Many juices and pops contain a lot of sugars and high fructose corn syrup which isn't the best thing to drink in the summer. Alcohol also isn't a highly recommended hydrating beverage. Water and sports drinks are good to keep our bodies and our skin moisturized. A sign that you aren't drinking enough fluid can actually be dry skin or dry, chapped lips. If you're not sure if you're consuming enough water there's a simple way to find out. Take your weight in pounds and divide it in half. The number you come up with is roughly the number of ounces of water you should drink per day. So someone who weighs 140 pounds would divide that in half and come up with 70. This person should consume 70 ounces of water per day which is approximately 8.5-9 cups of water. This may seem like a lot to drink but during the time when the suns rays are plentiful, it's important that we keep ourselves hydrated.

Source:
Contemporary Nutrition by Gordon Wardlaw and Anne Smith