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Importance of Hydration

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We've all experienced it at some point when working or playing hard – fatigue sets in, your mouth feels dry and your legs are heavy and maybe you even get a headache. These are all common signs of dehydration.

When you are working hard, body fluid is lost through sweat. If the fluid lost through sweat is not replaced, dehydration and early fatigue are unavoidable. Losing even 2% of body fluids (less than 3.5 pounds in a 180-pound person) can impair performance by increasing fatigue and affecting cognitive skills. During the summer heat it's easy for to become dehydrated if you don't drink enough fluids to replace what is lost in sweat.

However, dehydration can easily be prevented

Many people ask how much to drink and that truly depends on your activity level and how much your body is losing fluids. In general, when you are working and sweating, you should drink at least every half-hour. Ensure you are drinking enough to replace your lost fluids. A good rule of thumb from a wise man says: “if you aren’t urinating, you’re not drinking enough”.


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