Healthy Hydration

do0rdiet.blogspot.com
by Christina_2009

Since the last article was about water weight, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about healthy hydration. I'm sharing more information I picked up at the Anderson Area Shrink Down. My source for this article is again, AmericaOnTheMove.org.

Water in the body serves several important functions. Having the right amount of water is essential for healthy living. Having at least some water is essential for living period. It is impossible under any circumstances to sustain life for more than a week without water. Water is therefore a life-force. It also regulates body temperature. Water helps cushion and protect your vital organs. Water is also important for proper digestion and to the digestive tract in and of itself. The average person can loose more than a whole quart of water during just one hour of exercise.
Here are some hopefully helpful hints for healthy hydration (and some alliteration:-)
Drink 4 - 8 oz. of clear fluid at least 1 hour before starting an exercise session.
Drink another 8 oz. of clear fluid about 20 to 30 minutes before starting an exercise session.
Drink 4 - 8 oz. of fluid every 10 to 15 minutes while exercising.
Drink another 8 oz. of clear fluid within 30 minutes of finishing an exercise session.
If you have a particularly active day when you have actually lost whole pounds during the day, then you should drink 8 oz. of clear fluid for every pound lost.
Caffeine and alcohol can dehydrate the body. Be sure to compensate for their dehydrating effect by drinking 4 - 8 oz. of clear fluid for every 2 - 8 oz. of caffeinated or alcoholic beverage consumed.

There is such a thing as drinking too much water. The results are called hydro-psychosis or hydro-intoxication. Hydro-psychosis or hydro-intoxication in extreme cases can cause death. It is caused by the body rapidly becoming desalinated causing vital organs to shut down.
Avoid drinking too much water at the same time. Don't skip on "pre-hydration" before exercise and then attempt to compensate by drinking excessive amounts of water after exercise. Some symptoms of hydro-psychosis include head ache, nausea, fever, cold sweat, chills, and racing or sluggish pulse. Inability to concentrate and behavior like that of an intoxicated person are also signs of this desalination of the blood stream.
Hydro-psychosis and hydro-intoxication can also be caused by attempts to flush the body of toxins. Avoid drinking more than 20 oz. of clear fluid in the an hour more than once a day.