Avoid Dehydration During These Hot Summer Days

Your body is 2/3 water. This is because your bodily functions, the working of your organs and other medical-type stuff, are constantly putting a strain on your body’s water stores. It’s kind of like the water demands put on the city of Las Vegas in the summer time. Sometimes, there’s just not enough to go around.

Golfer’s, or any active person for that matter, are especially prone to the effects of dehydration. And with the incredible heat we’ve had this summer, more and more people are becoming victims of dehydration. Some of the symptoms we should look for on extremely hot, active days are: weakness, nausea, dizziness, cramping, headaches, blurred vision, and lack of urination. Here are a few tips to help you avoid dehydration during these dog days of summer:

1) Drink lots of water…duh. The easiest way to prevent and treat dehydration is to drink plenty of water, especially prior to venturing out on hot days, and during regular intervals during the day. For golfers, take a swig every hole. Facebook friends Eddie Garrison uses an electrolyte dissolvent called MYZ right in his water bottle while Todd Eric Pope drinks coconut water to replenish his fluid levels. Beer, or other alcoholic drinks, although may contain water, actually help promote dehydration. Save those for after the activity. Most people underestimate the amount of water they actually need and in fact, there are some ‘geniuses’ out there that believe drinking too much water will make them fat (water weight). Water does not contain any calories and will eventually find its way out of your body. Drink up.

2) Dress code in effect. Another Facebook friend Ramon Hernandez swears by his Adidas Climacool shirts and shorts. Whatever your brand of choice, wear loose-fit clothing and a hat. The advances in technology today allow our garments to wick away our perspiration and optimize our body’s ability to retain water. Although sun umbrellas seem a tad effeminate or troublesome, they do protect you from the suns penetrating rays and will invariably keep you cool and hydrated.

3) Skip the cup’o’java. Caffeine is a natural diuretic to the body. That means it promotes water loss through peeing a lot. Although it may give you that ‘zip’ you need in the morning, on a hot day, skip the morning fix and instead, make yourself a smoothie or fruit drink. Your body will thank you and reward you later.

4) Avoiding all the above might send you to the ER. In that case, you probably will experience bouts of nausea, dizziness, and cramping. The nurse will stick a needle into your arm and hook you up to an IV for a few hours. Once you are able to stand up on your own two feet again, it still may be awhile before you experience the satisfying sensation of peeing. That’s because your body is sucking up every ounce of water it can to function normally again. In this case, it is advised that you go home, get some rest, and read the first three tips of this article. Hopefully next time head the warnings. Stay hydrated my friends.