Wednesday, August 14, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Health & Fitness
Fit For
Sisters
Andrew Loscutoff
Columnist
HYDRATION:
Do you know if
you’re getting
enough fluid?
Hydration is critical, yet
it is often misunderstood and
overlooked.
A body at just two per-
cent dehydration levels drops
in both physical and mental
aptitude. Once someone
reaches 3 percent dehydra-
tion, power (the amount of
output they can produce via
exercise) drops by 45 per-
cent. A body that is dehy-
drated has higher blood pres-
sure, poor digestive function,
and kidney dysfunction.
Headache, delirium, and
clouded thinking will affect
the dehydrated subject.
How do you know how
much water to drink? For
a period of time, experts
pushed simply drinking
more. While this will help
dehydration, it actually can
cause over-hydration and
create imbalances the body
must work to overcome.
Sodium levels, carbohydrate
utilization, and other pro-
cesses will suffer.
Want a good rule of
thumb? Consider urine color
— from dark clouded yellow
(dehydrated) to clear (well
hydrated). Don¾t rely on
thirst. Studies have shown
that just drinking when
thirsty results in poorly
hydrated athletes. An athlete
who relies to drink by thirst
has been shown to miss the
mark by under-hydrating.
Often thirst is a sensation
that is slow to be recognized
and reaction may be delayed
too far to stay on top of the
conditions.
The amount of water
ingested per feeding is also
important. The absorption
rate of 20 oz. of water all at
once was faster than when
13.5 oz. was consumed,
which was also faster than
7 oz. This is likely an upper
limit, so try for 16 to 24 oz.
per interval when stopping to
drink.
A glass of water before a
meal is a good idea; it allows
the stomach and small intes-
tine to digest and absorb
food more efficiently. The
stomach needs hydrating
water to have the proper
osmolality of fluids. This is
also important for digestion,
as breaking down fibers and
absorbing the carbohydrates
requires water.
When exercising or sim-
ply playing, consider fluid
losses; consider replenish-
ing fluid and some minerals
along the way. Intensity of
activity, the weather (hot, or
humid), and the individual
do matter. A Tour de France
cyclist may drink three 16
oz. bottles per hour. For the
average person at an aver-
age ambient temp and rela-
tive humidity, one 16 oz.
bottle per hour serves well
for moderate activity. If it¾s
a hot or humid day, up to 24
oz. will be required.
For longer sessions of
moderate intensity (hik-
ing, cycling, running, etc.)
accompanying the water
with a simple carbohydrate
ensures that the exercise can
be maintained. This is where
a sport drink is important, —
but many off the shelf need
to be slightly diluted. This is
because the body will actu-
ally need to pull water out of
the gut in order to match the
osmolality of the body and
absorb the drink. Usually
adding a few ounces of water
21
per bottle of sports drink
100%
will do the trick.
Performance
Also consider sodium.
Capacity
Sodium helps the body
regulate how much
water a cell can hold.
If sodium drops
too low, then the
Full Hydration
3% Dehydration
body takes on
60% of Body Weight
too much water
and begins swell-
ing. This will also
decrease perfor-
mance. Understand
Power Drop
this with intuition:
of 45%
If you are a salty
sweater who tends
to sweat a lot, a
sodium replacement
should be considered.
Conversely, too much
sodium doesn¾t allow
the fluid to be utilized; a
proper balance must be
achieved.
Proper hydration is
essential for day-to-day
function and for exercise
performance. Healthy
blood pressure, mental
acuity, and proper diges-
GRAPHIC BY LISA MAY
tion rely on proper hydration.
Continued exercise — with-
out fading — and recovery
…at The
You meet the
also are reliant on hydration.
Hair Caché!
Remember the basics: 16-24
nicest people…
oz. per hour. For longer ses-
sions, use a carbohydrate
to supplement. Sodium is
important, and should be bal-
anced. Drink throughout the
day, in moderation; around
8 oz. per hour, and take in
an extra glass with every
152 E. Main Ave. • 541-549-8771
meal.
Gypsy Wind Clothing
Prefer Sleeves?
We’ve got you covered!
Smalls to 2X.
Open Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Sun., 1-4 p.m.
351 W. HOOD AVE.
5TH ANNUAL
STONE
SCULPTURE
SHOW
Saturday, August 17
11am-4pm
Suttle Lake Camp
29551 Suttle Lake Rd.,
Sisters, Oregon
Come join the members of
the NorthWest Stone Sculptors
Association for an outdoor sculpture
show and exhibition. Visit with artists
to learn about the tools, techniques,
and stones used to create the art.
Many of the art pieces are for sale!
W E D N E S D AY- N I G H T
C O O KO U TS
— WITH SPECIAL “GUEST” CIDER —
AUGUST 21 | BAUMAN’S CIDER
W I N E TA S T I N G !
T H U R S DAY, AU G U ST 1 5
R. ST UA RT & CO.
B I G L AW N M U S I C
F R I DAY, AU G U ST 16
A L E L A D I A N E W I T H W E E Z Y FO R D
Aug. 11-18, 1-4pm
Come watch us carve!
Free to the public.
WWW.NWSSA.ORG
13300 Hwy. 20, Sisters, 97759
www.thesuttlelodgecom/happenings