5 Tips to stay hydrated this summer.
The longest day of summer has come and gone, but the sweltering heat of July and August are quickly approaching. With this, more and more people will be leaving the air conditioned comfort of homes for the warm breeze of parks, beaches, and the backyard.
Whether your plans in the coming weeks are simple day activities with friends and family or a 10-day trek through the desert heat of the Grand Canyon- STAY HYDRATED! Here 5 important tips to stay hydrated that all of us know, but many of us tend to overlook.
1. Drink Water- I know it’s the obvious one, but we’ll get it out of the way here. Depending on environment and exercise levels, the body may sweat out 1-2 liters of water an hour. Too many people will drink beverages like soda, tea, coffee, and lemonade when thirsty. While these may not dehydrate the body, they also may contain large amounts refined sugar, sodium, and caffeine; so drink water.
2. Drink water early- I am not suggesting you skip the coffee entirely, but if you know you’ll have an active day, start the morning out with water as well. Drink water before your outdoor activities, every 15-20 minutes during especially stressful activities, and after while you cool down.
3. Drink water with electrolytes- Without pointing fingers or naming names, some sport drinks are better than others. Choose one that can hydrate you without relying on caffeine to give you an energy boost. Also remember that these drinks replace what the body loses through activity, so they are best drank during and after activity.
4. Beer is not water- Yes it’s refreshing on a hot summer day, but alcohol dehydrates the body. Just something to consider. In the hottest hours of the day, or during more strenuous activity, chase your alcohol with water.
5. Eat your water- Fruit not only contain large amounts of water, but also provide natural sugars and carbohydrates that help you keep hydrated. It’s common for people to misinterpret their own bodies thirst as hunger, so eat foods that help to meet both these needs.
For individuals that will be straying farther than their own backyard, here are a few tools that may help you on your way.
CamelBak Water Bottle- Put away the Nalgene bottle. These Camelbak bottles are leak/spill proof, shatter proof, and use a patented bite-valve, so you don’t need to unscrew the top just to take a drink
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Hydration Packs and carriers- There are a number of options to choose from, but here are a few of my favorites:
CamelBak ThermoBak 2 Liter- The ThermoBak® 2L is durable, comfortable and proven to be a valuable tool. It features a Sternum Strap™ for added stability, convenient Velcro® strap management, closed cell insulation and neoprene tube cover keeps water cool or warm for hours. it also has an exterior fillport with ergonomic handle for filling on the go.
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BlackHawk Baracuda- This hydration carrier adds a minimal amount of storage to it’s 100oz. reservoir. it has a comfortable, fully adjustable quick-ditch harness and molded back panel for superior for comfort, stability, and airflow. Like all BlackHawk hydration Packs, the drink system is protected by Microban® antimicrobial treatment.
CamelBak Motherlode and BlackHawk Tsunami- There are a lot of Hydration packs available from both BlackHawk and CamelBak, but these are two of the best. Both are very well constructed, provide significant carry capacity, a larger hydration reservoir (100oz/3 liters), and have molle compatible webbing for added carry needs.
Other Tools- If you are going to be out for more than a day or two, consider a few more tools. Depending on the pack you choose, each manufacturer offers extra reservoirs, cleaning kits, emergency repair kits and inline filters.
Greetings,
This post has great advise on keeping hydrated. There are great reminders here and we should all heed the advise. Especially true is the idea that if you want to hydrate, drink water. Besides being a poison (with phosphoric acid), regular soda will dehydrate you. I’ve learned that the sugar in one regular soda will take/consume eight glasses of water to digest. So all you have to do to spoil your eight glasses of water a day regimine, is have a soda. As a new resident of Las Vegas, NV, proper hydration has become a major concern of mine. And with this, I’ve been studying alkaline ionized water. Learning that disease thrives in an acid body environment, I’m hoping to avoid disease with a diet of alkaline water. The ionization of water is supposed to make water better hydrating, as well.
Larry