Hydration, So Important!
Hydration, So Important! 
As a general rule the human body can only last for 2-3 dayswithout water. So many functions in our body rely on hydration. Many things cango wrong the more dehydrated we become. As you can see below water is needed inall aspects of life.
Hydration/dehydration directly affects these body functions:
Regulation of body temperature
Digestion
Saliva production
Mucus production
Body’s PH balance
Lubricating joints and vertebrae
Brain function, the brain is 80% water.
Removal of toxins/waste
Oxygen transport
Nutrient delivery
Blood circulation and volume
One common misconception is that you don’t have to hydrateif you aren’t exercising. Even one thatis not active loses water from their body through breathing, urinating and evenjust sitting and reading a book. When you’re not exercising, instead of theblood being drawn to the muscles there will be more blood near the surface ofthe skin creating the opportunity for the moisture to escape through the skin.
Some say, “Just wait until you get thirsty”. By the time youget thirsty you have already lost 1-2% of your body’s water, started to loseblood volume making the heart pump harder, the osmolarity of your blood haschanged because you have lost more water than sodium which signals thehypothalamus to trigger thirst. Even mild dehydration can affect concentration,alertness and short-term memory! Don’t wait, maintain!
A good indication of dehydration is your urine color. Darkurine is indication you are dehydrated!! Certain foods, pharmaceuticals orvitamins high in Riboflavin B2 (Like Mountain Rescue Nutrients) can cause yourpee to change color. Go here tounderstand more about the color.
How do you hydrate properly?
As an easy way to make sure you are hydrated I refer to Dr.Brownstein’s suggestion to take your body weight, divide by 2 and that equalsthe total number of ounces of water you should drink daily. So I am 180 lbs.that means I should drink 90 ounces of water a day. Make sure not to go overboard, you can drinktoo much water and deplete important minerals needed.
What should you drink?
Plain water is best. If you want some flavor add juice fromorganic raw fruit. Orange, lemon, lime, mango, pomegranate are some goodsuggestions. You can also carbonate togive a little sparkle to the water. I use “Sodastream” to carbonate my “ClearlyFiltered”water then add a squeeze of juice. There is some thought that carbonated watercan harm your tooth enamel. When water is carbonated the combination creates carbonicacid, which is a weak acid. The harm to your teeth is minimal. It’s when you addsugar to a carbonated drink, as in a soft drink, that harm is caused. Sugar is another discussion for another day.
As you see, in this short piece, hydration is so importantto staying healthy. Getting in the habit of keeping yourself hydrated will bewell worth the effort. Keeping a water bottle with you during the day helps toremind you and will move you closer to your goal. As you get older it’s evenmore important as you may feel the effects of dehydration a great dealmore.
Enjoy the summer hydrated!!
Cheers
Oly
Founder/ Managing Partner
Mountain Rescue Nutrients
Certified Nutrition Coach
Immune System Researcher
GO Here to Order Mountain Rescue Nutrients, Plant-sourced Vitamins
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