By Paul Gaucher
Water is the basis for life. It is second only to oxygen in importance for health, making up 60 to 70 per cent of the body. Although water does not provide a source of calories, adequate hydration is at least as important to healthy functioning of our bodies as the food you eat and is essential for efficient training, playing, or working.
Getting enough water every day is important to keep your body functioning correctly. Your body needs more water when you’re in warmer climates, physically active, or running a fever. It’s easy to go about your day without thinking about how much water you’ve had to drink or forget to take those sips until you start to feel bad. But, especially in the summer heat, water is vital to helping your body stay healthy and hydrated.
The role of water
Dehydration leads to muscle fatigue during exercise. Adequate fluids not only lubricate the joints, but water aids the transport of oxygen to the working muscle. Water also helps remove the metabolic waste and regulates body temperature. Be sure to replenish when you sweat.
Dehydration lowers blood volume, which forces the heart to work harder to circulate blood and oxygen throughout the body. This results in making daily tasks such as walking or climbing upstairs much more difficult. This contributes to fatigue and why people feel sluggish in hot temperatures.
The metabolism is a chemical process that releases heat. When overheated, our systems begin to fail. The body regulates its temperature through sweating, exhaling and with cold water consumption. If you’re overheating, choose cold fluids to cool the body.
Fluid is essential for nutrients to pass through the intestinal tract. A lack of fluid results in constipation, which long-term leads to additional digestion issues. Water also helps remove bodily waste through urination.
Adequate hydration leads to clear thoughts and mental focus. This improves the blood and oxygen flow to the brain. Decreases in bodily fluids lowers concentration and causes short-term memory problems.
Dealing with the summer heat
Drink plenty of water!
Start by drinking a cup of water each morning when you wake up or a glass before bed. Also drink one or two cups after working out. To ward off dehydration, drink fluids gradually throughout the day. Aim for close to two litres of water per day.
Know the signs of dehydration
If your skin feels dry, irritated, inflamed, itchy, or sensitive, it’s a sign of dehydration. Experiencing a headache or feeling dizzy or fatigued can also be a sign. Muscle cramps, rapid breathing, fainting, and not urinating (or having very dark yellow urine) are others. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, the simple solution is to get out of the heat and drink plenty of liquids. There are lots of different electrolyte products available that will help to re-hydrate you quickly when you need it.
Avoid alcohol, sugary drinks, and/or caffeine
Drinks like coffee, sugary sodas, beer, wine and hard liquor, lemonade, sweet tea, energy drinks, smoothies, and flavored milk are all culprits. They are loaded with sugar, sodium, and other ingredients that remove water from your tissues. Consider swapping some of these out daily or rehydrating with more water for each dehydrating drink you consume.
Cool down
Proper hydration isn’t just about drinking water—it’s about regulating your body temperature, too. During summer, when the risk for heat stroke is at its highest, wear light, loose-fitting clothing in light colors; schedule strenuous sports and physical activities during cooler times of the day; protect yourself from the sun with hats and other shade accessories; take drink breaks often; and mist yourself with a spray bottle if you become overheated.
Eat foods with high water content
The most hydrating food is of course, watermelon. Some other fruits and vegetables that have high water content are cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, radishes, peppers, strawberries, and grapefruit. They all contain 80 to 90 per cent water or higher.
Infuse with flavor
Try sprucing up your water by adding a few simple ingredients. Limes, lemons, mint, oranges, berries, cucumbers, and other fruits improve the taste without artificial sweeteners or preservatives. This can help you drink more water than you usually do, too. You can also give coconut water a try. This mineral-rich liquid is packed with potassium, magnesium, sodium, and calcium, so it replenishes lost fluids and electrolytes from exercise and hot climates quickly.
Paul Gaucher and Dove Sprout co-own Creston Acupuncture & Natural Health Centre, located at 219 10 Ave. N. (across from the firehall.) For more information or to book an appointment, please call the clinic at 250-428-0488, e-mail Paul at acupuncturecrestonbc@gmail.com, or check out www.acupuncturecrestonbc.com.