Thirsty? Watch out for dehydration

I’m fussy when it comes to water, not because I’ll only drink imported water in a bottle but because I think water hydrates better than other drinks. Or so I thought.

      A little research and it turns out I’m not completely right.

But first, here’s why this is on my mind: The air is dry in winter, heaters are on and I find I’m very dehydrated. Also, it seems that a lot of people around here are following up on their New Year’s resolutions and going to the gym a lot. It’s not always as obvious in winter as it is in summer, but working out does require an uptick in your hydration schedule (that is, you need to drink more, and more often).

Most health and fitness experts will tell you that by the time you can tell that you’re dehydrated, you’re really very dehydrated. Not in a “lost in the desert, organs failing� kind of way, but in a “you’d better get a drink or your fingertips are going to prune up� kind of way.

The fingertips thing is one sure way to tell if you need to increase your fluid intake. Dry lips is another cue.

Other warning signs, according to a handful of Web sites, include warm skin, dizziness, lack of energy, cramps in your leg and arm muscles. Your urine turns a darker color (it should be almost clear if you’re properly hydrated). One of the most surprising symptoms: an intense headache. I remember as a teenager having frequent headaches; they ended as soon as someone told me they were a sign of dehydration, and I started drinking lots of water.

In general, the old rule of eight eight-ounce glasses of water  a day still holds. But, if you experience any of those other symptoms (or if you’re thirsty which is, no surprise, also a symptom), then you should drink more.

Now, when I say I’m fussy about water, I mean that I tend to think that water is the best way to hydrate your body. I’m often worried by my daughter’s teenaged friends, who don’t like to drink water because it has no flavor and isn’t sweet.  Fortunately, most of them are comparing water to the new energy drinks, not to soda.

I’m not saying that soda is always bad for you. But as a general rule, it is high in sugar and chemicals and doesn’t really offer any of the benefits of drinking water or something like Gatorade.

As you might or might not know, Gatorade was created in the mid-1960s by researchers at the University of Florida, specifically to improve the performance of the University of Florida Gators football team. It was a combination of water, electrolytes and carbohydrates. And it is credited with helping the team win the Orange Bowl in 1967.

Gatorade and other sports drinks are so popular now that there are concerns about whether Americans are drinking them too often. About a decade ago, the Texas Medical Association commissioned a study on water versus sports drinks. The conclusion was that water is just fine for hydration and for balancing your body’s electrolytes; but that after intense exercise, or if you’re very dehydrated, a sports drink is a good idea.

When you’re shopping for one, check the ingredients label to find one that doesn’t have a lot of sugar in it, especially if you’re planning to drink one or more bottles of it a day. The most important thing, in my opinion, is that you find one you like — and chances are that the one you like best is going to be the one with sugar in it. Try to find a balance. And keep in mind that if you’re only having an energy drink from time to time, and if it has an adequate amount of beneficial carbs and electrolytes,  it’s probably all right if it has some sugar in it.

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