If you’re an athlete, are the parent to an athlete, or are just someone who likes to work out occasionally, hydration is essential to your performance. But you may be surprised at how many athletes seriously impair their performance by not drinking enough water and not drinking the right type of water.
Athletes and good hydration should be synonymous with each other. Good hydration helps an athlete regulate their body temperature, it distributes nutrients to their muscles and other parts of their body that are being stressed during exercise, water lubricates joints and reduces friction that leads to a buildup of lactic acid, which is pain. Most of all, good hydration gives an athlete more energy than anything else they can put into their bodies.
Conversely, poor hydration can cause an athlete to become dizzy, give them muscle cramps, make them feel tired, and not perform at their optimal level even if their body is in shape. Poor hydration can also lead to poor sleep, can impact your metabolism so you’re not getting as much nutrients from the food you are eating, and can even negatively impact your mood making you cranky. Most athletes know that frame of mind and belief in oneself are essential to a good athletic performance.
How do you know if you are dehydrated? The easiest way to tell if you are dehydrated is if your urine is yellow or amber in color. A properly hydrated body will have clear urine and you should be urinating rather frequently. Another sign of dehydration is a dry mouth. But if you wait for your mouth to get dry before drinking water, you are already seriously dehydrated.
There are no set guidelines for how much water and athletes should be drinking but studies have shown that drinking 20 oz of water two to three hours before your athletic performance and then drinking 6 to 8 oz every 20 to 30 minutes, and then another 20 oz an hour after your athletic performance has yielded some very impressive results. Athletes following this regimen have reported more energy, more focus, more endurance, and have been very satisfied with their athletic results.
One of the worst things you can do is drink the wrong kind of water. Many bottled waters, for example, are distilled water or reverse osmosis filtered water, which means that they have been stripped of all of their oxygen, all of their important essential minerals, and are in an acidic state. The acid in these waters will strip nutrients from your body and even break down your bones over time.
It is also not a good idea to drink sports drinks or anything else with sugar. Sugar burns quickly and provides a quick burst of energy but then you crash afterwards. The artificial colors and preservatives that are in those drinks are also toxins to your body. If you want to perform at your highest level, you need to concentrate on a diet that detoxifies your body, not contaminates it.
The best water to drink is alkaline ionized water. The alkalinity of the water neutralizes acid waste in your body, which means that it will reduce lactic acid so you don’t feel so much pain. Ionized water is also micro clustered meaning that it is three times more hydrating than tap or bottled water. This will lubricate your joints and help your body recover much faster. Alkaline ionized water is also full of antioxidants that detoxify your body and help it perform at its highest level. The antioxidants also improve your metabolism and energy level and help your body recover quicker from any injury.
Every athlete’s home should have a water ionizer in it. When it comes to athletes and good hydration, a water ionizer is an athlete’s best friend.
To your health!
