Importance of Staying Hydrated
Water comprises about 70% of your total body weight and is essential for the optimum functioning of your organs, tissues, and cells. Furthermore, water is required for digestion, transportation of nutrients, and temperature regulation. In the brain, water acts as a “cushion” against trauma, while in the joints, it is a lubricator.
Herbalife Nutrition is actively informing consumers about the importance of hydration in a healthy lifestyle. Dehydration symptoms include dry mouth, constipation, thirst, muscle fatigue, dark urine, headache, and bad breath. The following tips from Herbalife will aid you in achieving a healthier lifestyle by staying hydrated.
Drink Water
The amount of water intake depends on the person’s age, gender, size, and intensity of physical activity. Children are at high risk of being under-hydrated, and thus it is best to make sure they drink enough water after playing. Kids usually forget to drink water when playing around water or cool areas, which increases the risk of dehydration. Likewise, people involved in strenuous physical exercises, such as running and weight lifting, are at a higher risk of dehydration and should consume enough water.
Generally, you should drink at least eight eight-ounce cups of water, but the factors mentioned earlier—and the prevailing climate—will dictate how much you might need. Beverages and water foods both contribute to total water intake. On average, beverages such as water, tea, milk, and coffee should contribute to about 70%, while watery foods like vegetables should cover about 30% of total water consumption. Certain conditions such as vomiting, diarrhea, and fever demand large volumes of water to replenish lost water and electrolytes.
Keep Cool
Warm seasons and climate conditions can cause dehydration. Kids should wear clothes that do not retain heat and promote cool drying, especially during summer. Too much body heat can cause exhaustion, so it’s best to wear light clothing that will keep your body fresh.
Consume Watery Foods
Watery foods and snacks include various fruits, such as lemons, strawberries, pineapples, and frozen grapes. These vegetables and fruits also provide healthy nutrition, provide energy, and cool the body. You should consume them during hot seasons to avoid dehydration. Furthermore, it is advisable to eat snacks before and after workouts to increase water and glucose content in your system.
Sports Beverages
Experts at Herbalife Nutrition state that physical activities that take more than one hour necessitate a sports beverage to replenish water and electrolytes. Conversely, exercises performed under an hour do not need a sports beverage, and only water will suffice to regain lost water. Intense physical activity results in loss of electrolytes and water as sweat. Sweat primarily contains water, sodium, chloride ions, and other electrolytes that can be replenished with sports drinks.
Likewise, muscles and the brain rely on a constant supply of glucose to produce energy, especially during prolonged exercises. During exercise, an athlete’s performance depends upon the supply of glucose and water since the lack of either can immensely decrease performance. Herbalife experts recommend that every cup of a sports beverage contains at least 10 grams of sugar and 100 milligrams of sodium. Furthermore, you can preferably get a drink that contains other vitamins and electrolytes that improve exercise performance.
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