When I was a child my Mom was always after us to drink water. We played outside most of the summer, when we weren’t at the beach, and by June we were as brown as nuts. My brother and sisters  and I had the run of the town when I was very little, and only came in when we were hungry and thirsty.

I didn’t understand the point of staying hydrated when I was a small child, but as I matured and begin to work in the health care field, I saw first hand how devastating the effects of de-hydration can be. As a young massage therapist I often worked at Marathons, Bike races and other extreme athletic events.

Our bodies need water, in fact a good portion of our physical makeup consists of water and when we don’t replenish the water we lost through sweat and exertion, our body will try to get it from our muscles. When that happens we will get dizzy and nauseous. Here is a great post I found online that explains the importance of staying hydrated better than I can:

““..Keeping the body hydrated helps the heart more easily pump blood through the blood vessels to the muscles. And, it helps the muscles remove waste so that they can work efficiently.

“If you’re well hydrated, your heart doesn’t have to work as hard,” said John Batson, M.D, a sports medicine physician with Lowcountry Spine & Sport in Hilton Head Island, S.C., and an American Heart Association volunteer.

Dehydration can be a serious condition that can lead to problems ranging from swollen feet or a headache to life-threatening illnesses such as heat stroke.

How much water do you need?
What does being well hydrated mean? The amount of water a person needs depends on climatic conditions, clothing worn and exercise intensity and duration, Batson said.

A person who perspires heavily will need to drink more than someone who doesn’t. Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, may also mean you need to drink more to avoid over-taxing the heart or other organs.  People with cystic fibrosis have high concentrations of sodium in their sweat and also need to use caution to avoid dehydration. And some medications can act as diuretics, causing the body to lose more fluid.”

Lack of hydration is a serious issue. Especially in very active people. So please, listen to your Mother and DRINK YOUR WATER.

And for the women, the more water you drink, the softer and more smooth your skin will look and feel…

 

Excerpt  taken from: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/Staying-Hydrated—Staying-Healthy_UCM_441180_Article.jsp

Valentina Boonstra

Licensed massage therapist Melbourne, Indialantic, Palm Bay