To Be or Not To Be... Thirsty

Have you ever gone throughout your day, busy with work or studies, and looked at the time and realize that you forgot to eat or drink anything all day? This seems to happen to me fairly frequently. I get caught up in getting something done and simply forget about everything else. As I've thought about this phenomenon I've wondered how does this happen. Why don't I feel hungry or thirsty when I get rapped up in something? My body should still need food and water to function like any other day so why isn't it reminding me to eat or drink?

http://stanspoint.blogspot.com/2011/08/thirsty-thursday.html

Part of the reason that you can go for hours or sometimes a whole day without drinking is that thirst is a delayed response to dehydration. As your body becomes dehydrated it takes a while (anywhere from 1/2 hour to several hours) for it to signal to the brain that it is dehydrated. Even after you become thirsty, you still have to stop what you are doing and takes time to find something to drink (which prolongs the dehydration even further).

The other problem is that even once people become thirsty, people will often drink a whole bunch of water all at once (they chug, chug, chug). If you try to drink a large amount of water all at once, your kidneys will simply flush the excess fluid by sending you straight to the bathroom (and hopefully you make it on time). 

As thirst can be unreliable, it's better to drink regular amounts of fluid throughout the day (and if you are going to be working out, in the sun, etc... drinking water frequently during that period). One good way to remember to drink is to find a cool (as in one you like - like the ones I have below) water bottle and each morning simply fill up the water bottle. Then you just make sure that between each meal (or if you forget to eat at least by the end of the day) to empty the bottle (by drinking it of course). By doing this, you won't forget how much you've already had to drink each day. Do the same for your children (because they won't understand to keep track themselves. Remember: If they're thirsty, they're already dehydrated).

There are a lot of things you may forget in like (birthdays, anniversaries, to mow the lawn) but remember, Don't Forget To Hydrate.

Daily Drinker

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/korwater/nava-a-revolutionary-filtering-water-bottle?ref=live

Athlete on the Go

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1708318461/simple-hydration-water-bottle-for-runners-active-i?ref=live

Surviving the Hunger Games

So one of my wife and I's favorite movie is The Hunger Games. I was excited to see that it is now available on my amazon.com prime membership. I watched it while running on the treadmill the first day it was available. As I watched it, there was an interesting quote that caught my attention. On the tributes first day of training, they were informed that:

"In two weeks, twenty three of you will be dead, one of you will be alive. Who that is depends on how well you pay attention over the next four days. Particularly to what I'm about to say. First; no fighting with the other tributes, you'll have plenty of time for that at the arena. There are four compulsory exercises, the rest will be individual training. My advice is don't ignore the survival skills. Everybody wants to grab a sword, but most of you will die from natural causes, ten percent from infection, twenty percent from dehydration. Exposure can kill as easily as a knife."

Here is a link to a fan's recreation Katniss's dehydration experience in The Hunger Games from the book. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA-rUoXlT4I

I thought it was interesting that even a movie/book such as The Hunger games recognizes the importance of keeping hydrated. The more I pay attention the more I recognize just how important paying attention to your hydration is. Whether you are running, working from a desk, or competing in The Hunger Games, staying hydrated can make a difference in your life. 

So as always don't forget to Hydrate!

Running, Swimming & Water Bottles

Last week I went running for the first time in a long time. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and the temperature was perfect for a good run. What a nice break that run was. I felt so good for the rest of the day. I was definitely sore though, as any runner will understand if they haven't run for a few weeks or days. I made sure to properly hydrate during the morning hours because I knew my afternoon run would be much more enjoyable if I was hydrated. I also made sure to drink lots of water after my run because I knew this was decrease my sore muscles. I look forward to the coming days of Spring and Summer when I can have many more good runs. There is something that just feels so wonderful about a good run. 

Devin and I after a 10K many years ago...

Today I took my kids swimming at an indoor kiddie pool. It was such a blast. My little boy loved jumping in the water. Isn't it amazing how much water affects us. What would our world be like if we couldn't ever go swimming. What a sad world that would be. I hope my children grow up to enjoy swimming and maybe even join their swim teams when they are in high school. I can't wait until they are old enough to take swimming lessons. I am so grateful for my children's healthy bodies and that they are able to use their bodies to play and learn. Part of them staying healthy is keeping them hydrated. Thank goodness my little two year old loves to drink water. 

Speaking of my little boy drinking water. For Easter yesterday the Easter Bunny brought him a new water bottle. It is the coolest big boy water bottle ever. Here is a link to the water bottle I bought him:

http://store.nalgene.com/product-p/2182-1312.htm.

It is a Nalgene Grip n' Gulp water bottle. It is made for little kids. How cool is that! I just absolutely love it and he does too. Nalgene bottles are just about the coolest water bottles in the world. They are pretty much indestructible. I learned this while experimenting at a scout ranch I worked at after throwing a Nalgene bottle off of a cliff and then retrieving the bottle. It had a few scratches here and there, but other than that it was unharmed. Now my little boy can stay hydrated and feel like a big boy doing it. Bye bye baby sippy cups.

Nalgene, love this brand of water bottles.

Cool new big boy water bottle.

One of the most gratifying experiences

One of the most gratifying experiences of my life has been the births of my two children. It has been equally rewarding as they continue to grow to see them experience new things like learning to crawl, taking their first step, and saying their first word. As they learn and grow it is rewarding to see how they progress and mimic what I do (recently I taught my son how to do a knuckle bump and say what's happening dude).

In additional the the gratification from being a parent, there is also a weight you feel when you raise children. I are always worried about their well-being. The first time they get sick you are worried if they will get better, and call the doctor at the drop of a hat. I remember the first time my 2 year old held his breath when he got mad till he passed out, my wife and I almost had a heart attach.

As I continue to learn about hydration and its effects, I also worry about my kids staying hydrated. Kids can lose a large amounts of fluid through fever (more water evaporates from the body when body temperature is increased), diarrhea, vomiting, running around, or just being outside a lot. Children are also much more likely to become dehydrated than adults because they lose fluids at a quicker rate. 

One problem with kids becoming dehydrated is that kids are less likely to recognize they are dehydrated, Additionally, the effects of dehydration are not apparent to parents until the kids are severely dehydrated. 

In trying to keep my kids hydrated I have found several helpful tips to share. These tips include:

1. Watch for the early sign of dehydration
2. If you kids get sick make sure to start hydrating them early
3. As the summer arrives, acclimate them to the heat
4. Always make sure to have water around for them to drink
5. Know what the weather is suppose to be like, and plan accordingly

The best tip is to watch your kids closely as it get hot out and notice if they are acting funny. 

As kids need caring for, please make sure to watch out for your kids and keep them hydrated.

As always, Don't forget to Hydrate!

Man I'm Tired

Sometimes when I work out it seems like I am beat before I even start working out. I typically going running 6 days a week (taking a break on Sundays). I usually run 7-10 miles a day. Usually when I go for a run it is a nice time to relax, forget about my law school readings, and enjoy listening to a good podcast (I recommend Dave Ramsey's podcast).

However, yesterday when I went out for a run, I was tired before I even got going. Want to guess why?  If you guess that I was dehydrated you'd be right. Somedays when I get busy with class, working from home, and spending time with the family I don't have time to drink much or I don't have water with me. By the time I got around to my evening run, I hadn't drank anything for hours. So when I went to go run it was more like I had just finished the run rather than beginning it. 

Why was I so tired? There is a direct correlation between physical performance and hydration. When I start workouts already dehydrated it is like running on empty because I body is lacking the fuel to perform. In understanding the correlation between performance and hydration I have looked at several research studies. However, most of the studies are hard to understand and take a while to read. To help remind me to stay hydrated, I created a simple to understand chart. Hopefully it helps everyone to remember to begin every workout hydrated. 

Good luck and remember stay hydrated!

Staying Hydrated Means a Happy Mama

I'm the wife in this 2 person hydration crew. I'd like to share why I feel good when I'm hydrated. Taking care of my 2 kids can be physically and emotionally draining. As much as I love them, sometimes the poopy diapers and the constant begging for my attention can be too much for me to handle. I find the days that I don't feel my best physically are the days that I lose my patience a lot more, especially with my 2 year old. How do I feel my best physically? Let me tell you, getting lots of sleep, eating healthy foods and you guessed it, staying properly hydrated. If I don't drink enough water there is no way I'll make it through the day without being mom-zilla. Staying hydrated for me means starting out my day with drinking lots of water, before I even get the daily chores started. This starts me on a path of feeling good all day. I'm able to get all the things done that I need to and still be nice to my kids. You should try it. Drinking enough water= a happy mama. The end!

You're hot then you're cold

After my freshman year of my undergraduate degree, I spent two years living in Taipei, Taiwan as a missionary for my church. During that time I had a lot of interesting experiences. I ate everything from cow tongue and chicken feet to stinky tofu. Another one of my experiences there was ordering food at McDonalds. As a treat to myself after a hard days work I decided to have some "regular" American food so I went to McDonalds to get a Big Mac and fries. As I was still on a pretty limited budget I decided to just get a glass of water to go with it. Well I got the Big Mac and fries and they tasted great. The interesting thing about the experience was that the glass of water that they gave me was hot. Not just room temperature because there was no ice, but rather it was really hot.

http://adage.com/article/global-news/mcdonald-s-opens-virtual-store-push-meals-china/135274/

Come to find out, that is how McDonalds and all the other food places there typically serve their water. If you wanted a cold cup of water they would give you a hot cup of water and a cup of ice so you could cool it down, and would give you a funny look in the process for wanting a cold cup of water. When I had learned enough of the Chinese language, one day I asked some of the people why everyone drinks hot cups of water. They told me that it was healthier to drink hot cups of water than cold cups of water. When I asked why it was healthier they weren't able to give me any real answer other than that was what they had been told since they were young.

https://wiki.geneseo.edu/display/food/Group+16-+Global+reactions+to+McDonalds+and+Other+Fast+Food+Chains

As I continue to learn about hydration and dehydration there does not appear to be a consensus about whether there is an optimal water (or drink) temperature for rehydration. Here are a couple of the ideas/lines of thought I have found in regards to water temperature and hydration:

• Performance and Body Temperature
• Some people believe that cold water is best as it cools your body down quicker. There are a couple studies out there that land on both sides of this issue. A study in 2007 by the University of Exeter (in England) found that water temperature had no effect on preventing the body temperature to rise or improve performance. Another study by the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (2008) found that drinking cold water before and during activities reduced physiological strain on the body (including heat related strain) and led to improved performance. Other studies have suggested that water temperature can cause a change in skin temperature but not in core body temperature. So depending on the study you read you get a different answer.
• Absorbing Rate
• Some studies and research indicate that cold water is absorbed by the stomach quicker than warm water, meaning that your body is absorbing it quicker. 
• Burn More Calories:
• One interesting debate over water temperature is whether drinking cold water causes you to burn more calories today. Some people claim (although I have yet to find a study or any research to back it up) that if you drink cold water you will burn more calories. They argue that your body has to warm the water to body temperature in order to digest it so your body burn about 100 calories a day in warming up cold water. This would be great if it were true as it would be an easy way to burn calories, but I'm not convinced it isn't just wishful thinking.

There are several other debates surrounding the temperature of water you should drink to stay hydrated. While it appears that there is yet to be a general consensus on most of the debates, there is one general issue that everyone seems to agree on, do whatever works for you. The most important thing is to stay hydrated. If you like warm water and you'll drink more that way then do that (I personally never got use to it), and if you enjoy a cold refreshing glass of water during a workout do that. Just make sure to stay hydrated.

Out Running Your Problems

One of the things I have often wondered about is if dehydration can have such major effects on people why are the majority of people chronically dehydrated? Recent studies show that 75% of North American suffer from chronic dehydration. If it is such a big problem why isn't there a solution?

Part of the problem is that is that people often rely on thirst to remind them to drink. This seems like a logical way to remember to drink. When I get thirsty I'll just go take a drink. However, thirst is a delayed response to dehydration. By the time you get thirsty most of the time you are already dehydrated. Additionally, when people get busy or if they are working out the sensation to drink is often reduced.

http://www.ign.com/boards/threads/was-korey-stringer-a-top-tier-linemen.129239531/

Korey Stringer is one example of how our internal dehydration gauges often don't alert us that we are becoming dehydrated. Korey Stringer was an All-American football player who played for Ohio State University before being drafted as a first round pick to the Minnaesota Vikings. Korey played for the Vikings for 6 years and earned pro-bowl honors. However, in August 2001 Korey was at pre-season training when he collapsed from heat stroked due to dehydration. Korey was rushed to the hospital but the following morning Korey passed away from heat-stroked related complications. 

If you are interested in Korey's story, they have a Korey Stringer institute that you can find out more about him and heat-related illnesses at:

http://ksi.uconn.edu

I found this story particular interesting because as a professional football player Korey was obviously in shape. Yet even people who are in shape, fit, and work out regularly can suffer the effects of dehydration, and at the extreme can even die due to dehydration.

In the wake of Korey's death the NFL and other sports organization has started implementing a plan I think is a great idea no matter if you are a pro-athelete or a desk-jockey. The plan is to have a daily hydration schedule. The hydration schedule is a basic daily plan of how you will stay hydrated throughout the day. Here is one example of a plan:

https://wikis.engrade.com/knowsweat/tl5

Whatever your plan is, I encourage you to get a game plan together so you can stay hydrated and avoid the consequences of dehydration.

Hydration, Who gives a darn......ME, You?

Growing up I never really thought about keeping hydrated or drinking water. If I was thirsty I would drink whatever was around, usually the milk in the fridge, and keep doing whatever I was doing. When I played little league football we would drink at half time or when we were on the sidelines. It never really occurred to me that there was much of a correlation between the activities I was doing and my hydration level.

Fast forward to the summer I was finishing my undergraduate degree and heading off to law school. I decided to run in a marathon that summer. This was my first marathon and I really didn't know what I was doing. I trained the best I knew how. I would go out and run 10-15 miles and try to eat healthy. When the day of the marathon came I was fairly confident I would do well and ran hard out of the gates. Mile after mile I kept passing up the hydration stations because I didn't want to slow down to take a drink, worried that stopping to drink would hurt my overall time. Well I did finish the marathon in under 4 hours, which was my goal time. However, by the end of the marathon and afterwards I was exhausted, sore, and just wiped out.

Doing Okay

I wish I could say I learned from my mistake, but nope. The next year I decided to run another marathon and had the same results. I guess I was a slow learner. However, before the next summer's marathon I decided to figure out how to make the marathon less painful. I read up on different people's experiences and advice and came to the conclusion the best thing I could do was to take a few seconds at the hydration stations each mile and rehydrate myself. That is what I did my next marathon. Wow, what a difference. Even with less time to train given my busy law school schedule and a new child to take care of, using this "new" strategy I was able to run a quicker marathon (okay by just a couple minutes) and I was not nearly as sore and wiped out at the end of the marathon. Don't get me wrong, I was still tired afterwards, but I wasn't nearly as sore and was able to begin my normal running schedule the next week.

Not so Okay

So with this hard learned lesson about hydration, I am a convert to hydration. After learning of the importance of hydration in running in marathons, I continued to learn the importance of hydration in my daily life. I started to notice those days I had a little headache or was dragging a bit were the days I hadn't drank much. The more I started to pay attention the more I noticed the direct correlation between my hydration level and my health.

Why did I do this?

This has led me to starting this blog. I wanted to share what I have learned about the importance of hydration, ways to stay hydrated, technology developments, hydration related issues. I also wanted to learn from others, what they know and their experiences. I hope I am able to share what I know and hear from others about what they have learned, thereby helping everyone to better their lifestyles by staying hydrated.