Adventure Doc ReHydrate

Being in the heat means your body will sweat more. Exercising also makes your body’s temperature increase and sweat. Sweating is your body’s way to cool itself, naturally. The sweat forms a thin layer of moisture on the top of the skin. When the air moves over this little moisture layer, it cools the skin down through evaporation. Evaporation is the change water makes from liquid to gas form and is the most effective for releasing heat. However, your body sweating means that it is using valuable water from its storage. This water needs to be replaced.

In hot weather or with exercise, the amount of water that your body uses can be a large amount, indeed. Further, a dry environment takes an additional toll. As you breath out, your air carries with it moisture from your lungs. This is more water loss that most people are not even aware of. The dry air also dehydrates your skin, causing more water to be required to keep the skin moist. All this means that if you are in a hot, dry climate, you had better drink a lot of water. Remember that section about how much water people should be drinking per day…about 2-3 liters? Well, be prepared to double that, or even more if you are physically active.

When I exercise in a hot environment, I find myself drinking 6-7 liters of water a day, just to keep up with what I am sweating! The method I use to determine if I am adequately hydrated is to make sure my urine is clear when I go to the bathroom. Also, the number of times you urinate says a lot. If you are going only 2 times per day, that is too little. Ideally, 4-5 times per day of urinating in a hot climate means you are hydrating well. Plus, remember that alcohol dehydrates your body. That gin and tonic may be great for refreshing you, but it will actually dry you out! Remember that alcohol in the desert means you’ll need to drink even more water to compensate for the losses!

After you are very sweaty and cool off, the skin feels gritty, like sand, with the salt crystals on it. The taste of sweat is salty. Salt/Sodium is a vitally important electrolyte to your body. Salt, along with potassium, needs to be replaced in hot weather. Further, if you are drinking plain water in large amounts you are diluting your body’s level of electrolytes.

This is a common problem with long distance runners in hot weather. They drink lots of water but do not replace the electrolytes. This causes cramps and muscular problems. At severe levels of electrolyte imbalance, your heart rhythm may become irregular (arrhythmia). The way to counter this problem is to drink a fluid that contains electrolytes. Check the section on traveler’s illnesses about Cholera to see more about this.

Here is another quick rundown. Gatorade, Emergen-C, Power-Aid and all these sports drinks contain electrolytes. I advise mixing them with water in a one to one ratio. Fill the glass half full with water and the rest with your sports drink. Most people that have a normal, healthy diet get enough electrolytes from their food. However, if you are in a hot climate and exert yourself even a tiny bit, you might need some additional electrolytes. I try to drink 2 glasses that are half water/half sports drink, per day, in a hot climate. This is the minimum and if you are not exerting yourself. When I am exercising in the hot weather, I drink a lot more electrolyte fluid, liters per day. The glucose (sugar) is also great for helping speed up the rate at which your body absorbs water from the intestines.

When you are traveling by car in the desert, make sure to carry extra water with you. A simple flat tire can cause a problem. You have to get out and change it, which makes you work hard, in the heat. This means you need to replace the water you loose with sweating. Also, if you suffer a more serious breakdown, you may need to wait a while for a tow-truck. The whole time you are sitting there, baking in the sun. Those extra water bottles you put in the back of your car will be a lifesaver in a time like this! I advise people to carry at least one liter of water per person, extra. Preferably two liters per person.