It’s summer and it’s hot out there. To feel your best be sure to stay adequately hydrated. Drink water to prevent muscle cramps and fatigue especially when outside in the hot sun. When you are dehydrated your muscles are too. Thirsty muscles will “knot up” and cramp quicker than healthy hydrated muscles.
Coffee, iced tea and soda may be a refreshing beverage of choice for many people, but it can actually cause you to become dehydrated. Caffeine is a diuretic which means that is flushes water out of your body. A good rule of thumb is for every 8 ounce caffeinated beverage, drink 8 ounces of regular water to replace the fluid that you lost due to the caffeine consumption. In order to stay sufficiently hydrated you may need to drink two servings (16 ounces) of water for every 8 ounce serving of caffeinated beverages that you drink.
Alcohol can make your body thirsty. One of the side effects of drinking alcoholic beverages is excessive urination. It is important to hydrate your body with water when drinking alcohol to replace fluids and to prevent headaches from the negative effects of alcohol consumption.
Drinking water is important for your health when engaging in physical activity. When participating in strenuous exercise your body will sweat in an attempt to cool itself down. It will also lose fluid and become dehydrated. Drink cool water to reduce body temperature and prevent muscle fatigue from overexertion.
Enjoy your summer and stay healthy by staying hydrated!
Massage & Wellness – Bradenton, Florida