Hot Weather Hydration

It’s heating up and that means you need to pay more attention to hydration. Staying hydrated is crucial for avoiding heat exhaustion. Outdoor activities in the heat are usually what cause heat exhaustion. Dizziness, confusion, and nausea are symptoms of heat exhaustion. You can alleviate heat exhaustion by drinking water and resting in a cool place.

Water is your body’s most important nutrient. You could live for days, weeks, or months without other nutrients. But without water, you could only live for a few days.

While no one disputes the importance of water for health, myths abound about this most vital of nutrients. For instance, you may be surprised to find that you don’t have to drink 8 cups of plain water every day to stay hydrated.

You can watch my "before times" video on staying hydrated. It's a few year old, but it holds up! Busting the 8 Cups of Water a Day Myth

Let’s look at all the ways we can re-hydrate throughout the day:

• Milk & Juice: When you drink milk or juice, you’re replacing water loss. Both milk and juice are over 80% water so they can really make a dent in body water needs. I don’t recommend drinking lots of juice to replace water loss because those calories can add up!

• Coffee & Tea. It’s true that caffeinated beverages are not as good as non-caf in helping you hydrate. But you still get some hydration effect. In other words, you urinate a little more with caffeinated beverages but remember, you're getting a lot of water in that coffee, tea, or soda and you retain over 50% of it. Studies show that most people adjust to the caffeine level in their drinks so over time, so the caffeine does not have as much of an effect on your body. After about 3 to 5 days of drinking caffeinated beverages, the body adjusts and there is no additional loss of urine when compared to decaffeinated beverages.  

• Fruits & vegetables. Fruit & vegetables contain a lot of water. Strawberries, watermelon, lettuce, cabbage, celery, spinach, & broccoli are particularly high at over 90% water. The water content of most other fruits & vegetables is over 80% so they are also good sources. For people who eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, they can contribute 1/3 or more of their daily water needs!

• Water: Water is the best hydrator. It empties from the stomach quickly and makes its way to the large intestine where it can be absorbed quicker than the other fluids.

• Sports Drinks: Some people are more motivate to drink sports drinks because they taste good. This is a great way to hydrate if water bores you!

• Thirsty? Thirst is actually a pretty good guide to whether you need more fluids – except in older people and when you’re out in extreme heat.

• Check Your Urine. The best way to tell if you are getting enough fluids is to check your urine. If you are well-hydrated, your urine will be very pale. If you need fluids, the urine is dark yellow and low in amount.

• Hot Weather Workouts: If your workouts are intense, you might find you've lost several pounds afterwards. Drink 16 ounces of water for every pound lost during exercise to replace what you've lost.

Can you get too much water? Surprisingly, yes! You can drink too much water – an idea that runs counter to the popular belief that “more is better”. People who chug water excessively can dilute their blood sodium and other electrolyte levels to a dangerously low level. The fancy name for this is hyponatremia. Some of the symptoms can mimic dehydration – muscle weakness, muscle cramps, confusion, and decreased consciousness – it can even result in death. So, as with all things nutritional, moderation is the key!  

Thanks for watching and reading!

Beth Kitchin PhD RDN