We know its summer, and everyone is out and about. It's very important to be educated on hydration, the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and how to recognize what you need when. Today we are going to talk about a few tips and tricks to keep you and your loved ones happy and healthy in the heat. First and foremost, what is considered “normal” hydration? How much water should we be drinking everyday regardless of our activities or the weather. There are many recommendations out there but the most common is the 8×8 rule. This means an average person should be drinking 8 8-ounce glasses of water a day which equals about 2 liters or half a gallon of water. Now once we add weather and activity into the picture things change. A good resource to check and become familiar with is the heat index chart.
It doesn’t matter if you're an all-star runner, a mom in a jogging group, or a family with kiddos in an amusement park we are all human and our bodies need water to not only survive but to thrive. When it is very hot out, it is very important that you replace the fluid that you have lost. Well how do I know that you might ask? Sit tight because I'm about to tell you. Your standard sweat check procedure is
1.Check your weight before and after training, and calculate weight loss.
2.Convert any weight loss to ounces or ml of fluid.
3.Check/measure the amount of fluid consumed during training.
4.Add the amount of fluid lost to the amount of fluid consumed to get total fluid losses.
5.Divide the total amount of fluid lost by the number of hours of training to get fluid losses per hour.
Still confused? Let me give u an example, its 63 degrees outside with low humidity, the activity is a moderate 90-minute workout consuming 30 ounces of fluid.
Weight before workout-160
Weight after workout-158
Pounds lost -2
converting into ounces- 32 ounces
There are 16 ounces in each pound.
Total fluid loss 32 ounces +30 ounces consumed= 62 ounces.
62 ounces divided by 3 (because an hour and a half is 3 30 minute increments) is an average of about 20 ounces of fluid loss every 30 minutes. So, what does this mean? It means that you need to drink 62 ounces of water to replenish what you lost working out.
There are other factors that are important to investigate and keep track of as well. I recommend a Garmin Fenix 5to help keep stats on what your body is doing to better asses when it's time to get help. Now let's cover the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. We want you to be familiar with the difference and the needs of both, so you can catch it early and know what to do.
Heat exhaustion is usually accompanied by a fever no higher than 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 °c), excessive thirst, nausea, fainting, cool and clammy skin, weakness and fatigue, stomach or muscle aches/cramps, heavy sweating, rapid pulse, and dizziness. To treat this fastest I recommend something that is going to help replace your electrolytes. If not just water and rest in a cool place should do the trick.
Heatstroke may develop following heat exhaustion if the condition is not treated. It occurs when the body’s temperature rises, and the cooling system stops working. This potentially life-threatening condition is characterized by an increase in body temperatures of 104°F(40°C) or higher. Such an abnormal increase in someone's temperature calls for you to immediately call 911 and if possible, remove the person from the hot environment to a cooler environment, use water, ice water, ice bath, if you have access to such. I pack one of these in my gym bag, also have one in my car Physicool Cooling Bandage they require no refrigeration. Some other symptoms include, nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, fatigue, rapid heart rate, hot and dry skin, shortness of breath and decreased urination, seizures, confusion, disorientation, and sometimes loss of consciousness or coma.
We hope you learned some valuable information with us today. Heartratemonitorsusa.com team.