Water is critical to your well-being. Too much or too little of it can have serious consequences for your health and the way you feel when you exercise. Here are some facts on this liquid that will keep you healthy. Stay tuned for Part Two of water: 15 reasons it’s good for you coming soon!
Number Fifteen: Eight Is Not The Magic Number. While you may have heard that you must drink eight glasses of water every day to stay hydrated, that is not necessarily true says the Cleveland Clinic. How much you need to drink depends on your metabolism, level of activity, the outside temperature and if you have a fever. You need more if you have a fever because you lose a lot of it while sweating.
Number Fourteen: Drink Before You Run. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends drinking 17 ounces two hours prior to heading out for a run or any strenuous activity especially when it is hot outside. You can stay adequately hydrated by drinking at regular intervals during any activity to replace the sweat you lose.
Number Thirteen: Put Down That Sports Drink. Many popular sports drinks are loaded with sugar and aren’t good for you. You can replace the micronutrients lost during heavy exercise by eating a post-exercise healthy snack such as crackers and fruit in addition to drinking water.
Number Twelve: Supplemental Drinks Can Help. You can lose a lot of fluid through vomiting and/or diarrhea when you are sick. Supplemental drinks such as Gatorade or Pedialyte do a better job of restoring your electrolytes (salts and minerals) balance when you cannot eat regular food. What’s great about those drinks is that they contain a lot of H2O!
Number Eleven: Thirsty? Too Late. Thirst is not a good indicator that you are becoming dehydrated. By the time you feel thirsty, your body has lost fluid that needs to be replaced immediately.
Number Ten: Lose the Bottle. There have been public concerns that plastic bottles can leach harmful chemicals, namely phthalates, into the water you drink from them. You can buy phthalate-free bottles or use aluminum drink containers. Either way, if you reuse a water container, be sure to wash it in hot, soapy water to kill any bacteria which can make you sick.
Number Nine: You Have No Filter. Can you drink from a tap in the US without a filter? The Safe Drinking Water Act strives to make drinking water safe for every US municipality. Check your municipality’s website for drinking water issues to ensure there are no problems. Keep a lookout for part two of our list of things you didn’t know about water, coming soon!