WELL BEING
Fuel yourself with water
DR. KAJAL PANDEYA
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Summer is here, so make sure you stay well hydrated.
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Summer has barely started after the dawn of chill winter. Now comes the hot, humid weather, the perfect time for outdoor activities. Your browser may not support display of this image. But active people beware! All fun of summer sports and activities can quickly evaporate in the heat if you do not properly hydrate yourself before, during and after a workout. Without proper hydration, the body can lose water and essential elements. Dehydration hurts your performance, and slows your ability to recover for the next workout.
Dehydration
Heat-related dehydration is a big problem in summer. Studies have found that a loss of two or more percent of one’s body weight due to sweating is linked to a drop in blood volume. When this occurs, the heart works harder to move blood through the bloodstream. This can also cause muscle cramps, dizziness and fatigue.
Thirst isn’t always the best clue that it’s time to take a drink. Once dehydration starts, the deterioration can be quick making it difficult to treat.
Staying hydrated is fundamentally important to a successful summer exercise regimen, in fact, for any activity, While we tend to focus on hard, sweaty workouts and long jogging sessions during summers, even a brisk walk or a basketball game in the hotter weather puts demands on the human body, and without the ‘fuel’ (water) the engine runs dry.
The writer is a Dietician based in New Delhi.
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