Aug 16, 2019 by spinalcare

Hydration!

It’s that time of the year again, temperatures are hotter than Alabama asphalt. We feel slimy and sweaty before the first downward dog or dumbbell snatch. What a perfect time to remind everyone of the importance of hydration.

Water aids pretty much every function of your body from removing waste, transporting nutrients, and preserving cardiovascular function to providing cellular structure and regulating body temperature. That’s right water does it all!

Did you know water is also important for maintaining cognitive function? It makes up about 75% of the brain by volume.  Disruption in water content can cause changes in mood, concentration, alertness and short-term memory.

You already know Spinal Care Chiropractic cares about your muscles and joints.  Proper hydration is a key factor in muscle and joint health.  They cannot function without adequate water. When we are well hydrated, the water inside and outside the cells of contracting muscles provides adequate nutrients and removes waste efficiently, while also providing a well lubricated joint surface allowing you to perform at your optimal level.  A dehydrated body leads to poor mobility and poor mobility leads to poor performance in the gym, on the field and in everyday activities.  

Physical Activity Levels

  • Staying hydrated is important for any individual who is engaging in physical activity.  It becomes more important as you increase the intensity and duration of activity. The ACSM considers hydration in three phases: before, during and after exercising. The goal of pre-hydration is to begin exercising properly hydrated. This involves drinking fluids such as water or sports drinks a few hours prior to exercising to enable adequate fluid absorption. Once exercise begins, we should try to drink small amounts regularly, especially if exercising over one hour. After exercise, we should drink enough to replace lost water and electrolytes.

How Can I Monitor?

  • A simple method to monitor your fluid intake is to check your urine output and color. A well-hydrated individual should produce a large amount of light-colored (neither clear nor dark yellow) urine.

Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health/hydration-chart#light-yellow

Eat More Water? Wait …..What?                   

  • WE HEAR YOU!  We too get bored of drinking plain water. Food for thought, why not eat more water! Reported by the USDA the following foods are 90-99% water: watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, celery, cucumber, lettuce, spinach and cabbage. It was also found that apples, pears, oranges and carrots are a close second at 80-88% water content. When it’s hot out why not incorporate more of these fruits/vegetables into your diet! You can also choose to flavor your water with citrus fruits, berries or cucumber.

Remember the Signs of Dehydration!

To learn more, reach out to your Spinal Care team at 610-489-8800 or on-line at spinalcare/com.

References

“ACSM’s Exercise is Medicine. A Clinician’s Guide to Exercise Prescription.” Jonas, S., and Phillips, E. M. (2009).

“Differential Diagnosis and Management for the Chiropractor”. Souza, T. (2016).

“Orthopedic Conditions. Quick Reference, Evidence Informed”. Vizniak, N., A. www.prohealthsys.com.