Hydration Maintaining a balanced level of fluids in your system is key to performance. This primarily means drinking water continually throughout the day, in addition to when you're exercising. Usually, by the time you realize you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. As with injuries, prevention is the key. Take a look at this excerpt, "Water or Coca Cola?" for a better picture of what soda does to your body, as opposed to water. Avoiding Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke When exercising in very hot or humid weather your body can become overheated and problems such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or heatstroke may occur. During exercise your body produces heat and your temperature rises. Your body has ways of cooling itself naturally, one of which is by sweating. When the sweat evaporates, it cools your skin. When the temperature is too hot or when there is too much humidity, sweating may no longer cool your body enough to keep your temperature from rising to dangerous levels. If your temperature goes above 104 degrees Fahrenheit, your body can lose the ability to cool itself. As your body gets hotter and is unable to cool down, symptoms progress. First, you may become dehydrated and get heat cramps. If not treated, your symptoms could become more severe and you could eventually develop a more serious problem, such as heat exhaustion or heatstroke. The symptoms of heat cramps include cramping or spasming of muscles during or after exercise. The symptoms of heat exhaustion include: rising body temperature, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, headaches, and increased sweating. The symptoms of heatstroke include body temperature of 104 degrees F or higher, no sweating, confusion and disorientation, erratic behavior, agitation, seizures, coma, and injury to body organs. To treat heat cramps, drink a lot of fluids, massage the cramped area and stretch the cramped muscles. Heat cramps may improve more rapidly if you drink a sports drink that contains salt and other electrolytes, rather than water. It is important that any exercising athlete with heat exhaustion or heatstroke immediately stop any activity. In addition, the person should be removed from the heat by either bringing the athlete inside or into the shade. Then, the person can be wet down with moist towels or a spray bottle and fanned. The person may be placed in a cool tub or packed in ice until his or her body temperature is below 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Have the person take in fluids. If the person cannot sip fluids, medical personnel may administer intravenous fluids. It is very important for you to accustom yourself gradually to exercising in the heat. In hot or humid conditions, exercise early in the morning or later in the day. It is also important to drink lots of fluids and avoid dehydration. Thirst or the lack of it is not an accurate indication of dehydration. You may lose up to 2 quarts of water for every hour that your exercise. It is a good idea to drink 2 cups of water about 30 minutes before exercising. While you are\exercising, stop every 20 minutes and drink a cup of water. If you are exercising for more than 1 hour, a sports drink may be useful before and during exercise. Sport drinks contain salt and potassium that is lost through sweating. It is important to avoid fluids that contain caffeine or alcohol because they will cause your body to lose more fluid through urination. To be sure you are drinking enough fluid during exercise, weigh yourself before and after your workout. If you have lost weight you have become dehydrated and need to drink more. Your urine should be light-colored. If it is dark and concentrated, you need to drink more. Wear loose fitting, light colored clothes. If you take medications, talk to your doctor to see if these medications could make problems in the heat worse. Most importantly, if you feel ill while exercising in the heat, STOP EXERCISING. Back