Proper Hydration For Health and Athletic Performance
Maybe you're not an athlete and you think that needs to be hydrated doesn't apply to you. But, here's a startling fact: If you are only 2% dehydrated you are subject to a reduction in your cognitive function, your short-term memory decreases, and your visual-motor function is also impaired. So you may want to read on.
In order to be properly hydrated you need AT LEAST ½ half your body weight in ounces of water. For example, if you weigh 200lbs you need to drink about 100 ounces of H2O. That's if you're NOT an athlete, if you are training, working out, or competing, you need to increase that amount. You should start your day with a big glass of water. When we wake up we are dehydrated.
While we sleep our body uses water to function and water is lost in water vapour as we breathe. Personally, I have a hard time with cold water first thing in the morning so the night before I fill up a 16oz glass and leave it on the counter for the morning. Room temperature seems to be best for me. As I go through my day I carry a BPA free water bottle with me with the ounces marked on the side. I set myself a goal to have half of my hydration needs done by lunch. I do not recommend water from water bottles you get from the store. The plastic in those bottles is known to leach chemicals into the water, especially when left in hot cars, which are toxic to your system. So don't try doing something good for yourself and end up doing something bad.
Speaking of doing something bad let's talk about other beverages that people drink that think they're doing themselves some good. The most popular beverage that the athletes drink is Gatorade or one of the -ads. There are a million of them. If you don't believe me go to your local market and take a look in the beverage cooler. Athletes drink these drinks because they think that it will help with cramping, maintain proper electrolyte balance, and help improve their performance. Sadly, this is not the case. Those products are laden with sodium and sugar. In the body when you elevate sodium levels you depress potassium and magnesium levels which leads to cramping. With the sugar levels, you elevate your blood sugar in a spike which is bad for performance in a game, match, or meet that lasts longer than half an hour.
The newest beverage to hit the market Vitamin Water is not much better. If you read the label and do the math you'll realize that the amount of sugar in the bottle is the same as in a can of soda. Additionally, the nutrients are not enough to really make a difference.
What can make the difference? Supplying the body with proper nutrition for sports performance. Eating nutrient-rich foods and supplementing. This helps the body get what it needs. You have to give the body what it needs on a daily basis. Fresh, organic fruits and vegetables paired with lean organic meats help provide the body with the proper nutrients to maintain its electrolyte balance. Did you know that there are minerals like gold in an apple? The minerals are absorbed from the soil and when you eat the fruit you get the nutrients into your system. Sadly, since many of our foods are nutritionally degraded from current farming practices, many of us are mineral deficient which is where supplementation comes in. Using a good, clinically tested supplement into your daily will help your body function better no matter what you put it through and help supply your body with the proper nutrition for sport.
Here's a word of CAUTION: Just because drinking water is good for you: It helps your cells function better, helps the body eliminate toxins, helps your body make energy needed to move this is not a case where you say to yourself, "okay, she said to drink more water. If some are good then a lot must be better." WRONG! You can over hydrate and flush your electrolytes out of your system to a point where you make yourself sick. I had a friend in college who did that, he ended up in the hospital for three days trying to recover. But that is really, really rare and you'd have to be going crazy with the water intake.
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