Hydrate Your Body For a Healthy Lifestyle

The amount of water intake for each person should vary with the type of life style they lead (an average intake would be 2-7 litres a day). Many people exercise to the point at which the body gives the signs that dehydration has already set in , and in many cases the effects can not be changed by the sudden intake of water or one of the many sports drinks available today. Fluid intake can not be started as an idea as every person has different requirements. It should then be taken into consideration that once you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated (lost of about one percent of body fluid). As this percentage is increased up to five percent, the effects on the body are very dramatic, including blurred vision, muscle pain and cramps, headaches , nausea, dizziness and unconsciousness ( loss of 12 percent of body fluid will result in death in most cases). These symptoms can occur in cold weather as well as hot.

Once you are well hydrated it is a wise notion to maintain fluid intake. If you will be exercising for up to an hour, an intake of approximately 125ml every 20-30 minutes should be enough to stay hydrated. For longer periods, an intake of 125-25Oml (depending on how you feel) every 15-20 minutes, starting as soon as possible after the commencement of your exercise should suffice. After a training period a good intake of fluids will restock your body.

Beer is not recommended as a good fluid replacement due to the fact that it draws more fluid into the inside your body cells from other parts of the body and takes a lot longer for the fluid to be put in the system. The use of small amounts of electrolytes in fluids can help with intake of fluid into the body. The larger the amount of minerals in a drink the harder it is to digest taking more energy and time. Some people will find that only precise regulation of fluid intake will stop the stress of dehydration on their body.

At a standard training session drinking an extra litre of water during the day and 100ml 15minutes before training should be a good start. After the first 40 to50 minutes another 100 to 150 ml should be consumed and the same again after 80 to 95 minutes. When training is finished a good intake of water (as much as you feel is necessary) should stop many people from becoming dehydrated.

Before anyone starts to train or prepare for any exercise they should take into account the time of day at which the event is going to take place, the weather conditions, and the length of time and amount of energy that will be needed to achieve their goals. Any undue stress on the body can be stopped by hydrating the body before physical exercise is undertaken. Hydration for a special event can take place up to a week before the event. This is done by increasing the intake of water by about 33 percent of normal intake (water or other fluids). By doing this, the levels of fluid in the body are increased by a substantial amount.

During times of sickness dehydration becomes a major problem if fluid intake is not maintained. There is a larger loss of fluid due to fever, running nose, and the feeling of not wanting to eat and drink. Therefore, when you are looking after someone or yourself small amounts of water, administered frequently, is a good way to speed up recovery. Therefore, a well balanced intake is extremely important when trying to maintain a healthy life style.