Stay Healthy, Stay Hydrated

According to the Beverage Institute for Health & Wellness, staying hydrated isn’t that difficult.
Knowing what hydration is may help you understand how important it is to your health. Athletes may have increased hydration demands, but this does not mean that you shouldn’t be trying to drink a few more glasses of straight-up water yourself.

Also, there is an increased awareness lately of hyponatremia, more popularly called “water poisoning” or “water intoxication.” While potentially life threatening, the risk of heat stroke and heat exhaustion remain high and should not be discounted.

Hyponatremia is a condition where you have consumed so much water that the sodium levels in your bloodstream are reduced to dangerously low levels. There is a balance that must be struck between keeping your body cool in the summer heat but keeping the levels of sodium and other minerals high enough.

Adding sports drinks into your diet can help with this goal, although many drinks contain high fructose corn syrup. While you need the sugar (and salt, potassium and magnesium) found in these activity drinks, steer away from the potent sweetness of HFCS.

There are some “older” remedies as well to maintain your sodium levels.  Pickle juice has long been used by athletes to help prevent muscle cramping. It contains salt, sugar, and vinegar; all three of these are used by the body when working hard. Vinegar, also known as acetic acid, is similar to the citric acid found in sports drinks

At work, keep a bottle of water on hand at your desk and keep drinking it throughout the day. Waiting until you’re thirsty is usually too late to be of immediate help to your body.

How do you keep hydrated and refreshed throughout the day?