Replacing Body Fluids

Hydration

The body is composed of 60 percent fluids of your total body weight and 70 percent of your muscles. The fluids are comprised of water and other bodily fluids, such as lymph and synovial fluids. During the course of our daily activities, the body constantly loses fluids in perspiration and through urinating. How much of these fluids are lost will depend on our activities and the temperatures that are prevailing at the time.

During the summer months especially, we tend to be more active in sports, gardening and traveling more in the heat. The greater the activity we indulge in, plus the higher temperatures will cause us to sweat more. Sweat will evaporate on the skin helping your body to cool down. This will also occur even during the winter months when the temperatures are lower. However, it is during the summer months that the body is at greater risk for it to become dehydrated.

The greater the amount of sweating results in a greater amount of the body’s electrolytes being lost. Electrolytes consist of many minerals needed to run the body on an efficient level. Without these electrolytes, the body develops heat exhaustion and rapidly a progression of symptoms will occur lacking the proper hydration. Such occurring symptoms are:

1. Headaches.
2. Thirst.
3. Sweating increases at a profuse level.
4. The skin becomes clammy.
5. The individual can feel chilly and start to shake.
6. The individual will become nauseous.
7. They develop dizziness.
8. The heart rate increases.
9. The muscles will start to cramp.

All of the above develops when the body cannot maintain its core temperature of 36 to 38 degrees C. and heatstroke becomes imminent. As you can see there is a very narrow band that the body must maintain its normal temperature range, and to maintain the normal range, you must replace the fluids that are lost.

To replace the fluids it is important that you drink enough water throughout the day. It is not necessary to drink a glass at one time. You should sip more throughout the day, drinking at least 32 ounces daily. If you engage in strenuous activities and sports, you should drink even more. If you are very actively engaged in a sport, and are sweating profusely, you should drink at least 8 to10 ounces of water every 10 to 15 minutes. Some athletes will take salt tablets, but that can be an irritant to the stomach. It is much better to use a sports drink such as Gatorade that contains the needed electrolytes.

If you know you will be engaging in strenuous sports or other activities, start hydrating before hand, and keep drinking while you are engaging in these activities. Be sure to wear the lightest possible clothing. A mesh type of material will allow more circulation of air. The clothing should be loose fitting and allow the sweat to evaporate.

Choosing the time you engage in the sports or other activities is very important. The greatest risks are during the middle daylight hours when the sun is at its peak. Therefore try to confine you activities during the early morning and late afternoon hours when temperatures will be cooler.

Drinking enough water has a great many benefits that will enhance your health other than preventing heat exhaustion and heatstroke. These benefits include:

1. Prevention of constipation by softening stools.
2. Prevention of kidney stones by constantly flushing the kidneys and diluting acids and the calcific deposits that are the causative factors in forming these stones.
3. The dilution of these acids will also prevent gout.
4. Water nourishes the largest organ of our body, the skin. It keeps the skin supple and clear by replacing needed moisture.
5. Water helps regulate the body thermostat and keeps the temperature regulated. It also balances the body’s electrolytes.
6. People who constantly have dryness of the mouth, eyes and mucous membranes will find it very advantageous to sip water all through the day.
7. Helps in the digestion of foods and the absorption of the nutrients that the body derives from the food we eat.
8. Can prevent muscle cramps even when not engaging in strenuous activities.

Hydration is simply one of the most important things that are needed by our body to maintain its optimum health, appearance and ability to function at a vigorous level.