Hydrate !!

hollowdweller said:
I think I only peed once so we still werent' taking in a lot. IMO sometimes you almost can't take in enough to stay hydrated unless you really work on it, but it's mega important.
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Yeah, we need to be sipping water continuously to help keep body temp regulated. Sometimes it's hard to do that when you're busy(or hiking) and your mind is occupied, because you don't think about it, and don't "feel thirsty". Then when you do get overheated, you end up guzzling a lot at once trying to get cooled off, which can be bad for a number of reasons. I still do this sometimes even after having worked for years in extreme temperatures, and knowing better, because I hate stopping in the middle of working on something.
That might be fine on the job, or mowing the grass, but on the trail it can be dangerous, especially if you were estimating your ability to make the next water source(and maybe even skipped a chance to fill up, BTDT) based on having used very little water to that point-and then suddenly those few liters you were carrying are gone when your body demands cooling to keep functioning.

I see a lot of people making little survival kits where they can boil water and/or carrying Micropur tabs, but little talk of filters and purifiers. I carry Micropur tabs and a SS cup that I can boil water in, too, but those things take time, and are not conducive to topping off your water as the opportunity presents itself. A water filter that pumps directly into your bottles like the Katadyn Hiker makes for quick and easy refills regardless of how much water is or isn't left in them.
Water usually isn't a problem around here, but I have the old PUR Voyageur pump with Katadyn Hiker filter, and have been trying to get in the habit of tanking up and topping off whenever I stray from a waterway.
This time of year I consider that filter my most important piece of gear. I carry a collapsible bucket in case I have to get water from a trickle somewhere, and use a paper coffee filter in addition to the stock pre-filter to help ensure against clogging.
Anything that helps the water keep coming is a good thing, IMO.

fmajor007 said:
However, do other people who are accustomed to dryer climates - desert dwellers - Tuareg/Bedouin peoples - require as much hydration as those of us from "moister" climates?
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Humidity makes both heat and cold much worse.
In high humidity, we don't get the evaporative cooling effect during hot weather because of the moisture content in the air, and sweating doesn't cool us down-but we keep sweating more and more as our bodies try to cool themselves.
That's what happened to me yesterday. It was like every pore in my body opened up and started pouring water, but I had to get out of the sun and pour cold water over myself to keep from falling out, because sweating alone wasn't enough to regulate my body's temperature.

I don't think it's possible to put too much emphasis on proper hydration and maintaining electrolyte levels at any time, but especially for those of us in regions that combine high temps with high humidity.
 
mete said:
Gen. Patraeus passes out at hearing !!
He said he was dehydrated ! With all the training of troops in the desert in recent years ,they are told to hydrate , hydrate ! Even if you don't feel thirsty .If you're not pissing you're not drinking enough water .
Somehow he thinks it doesn't apply to him ??
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This is a great lesson for soldiers. I suspect he got busy and was not thinking about hydrating since he was preparing to meet with the committee, traveling, etc.

I also think this tends to be drilled in our heads when we are deployed. With all of your battle rattle on and the temp running in the 100s the idea of staying hydrated (and alive) are the two top items of concern for you.

Coming back into a non-combat environment we tend to let our guard down.
 
As the temperature has now been above 70 degrees consistantly for the past two weeks, I've made a concious effort to stay more hydrated although I'm still feeling dizzy and lethargic compared to usual. Salt intake is huge, it helps you retain water-it's especially important in arid or desert climates. I've made a point of adding a healthy amount of sea salt to my meals to help water retention. Gu makes my favorite electrolyte replacement mix, although cera-lite packs are handy and work well too.
 
I have water bottles everywhere, and try to use them to remind myself to drink constantly. I sometimes buy Nuun tablets from REI, but they are a bit pricey for what they are. I try to avoid Gatorade because it's just as bad as a soda in terms of sugar.
 
OwenM said:
Humidity makes both heat and cold much worse.
In high humidity, we don't get the evaporative cooling effect during hot weather because of the moisture content in the air, and sweating doesn't cool us down-but we keep sweating more and more as our bodies try to cool themselves.
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Good point :thumbup:

The amount of subcutaneous fat will also have an effect.

The more fat under the skin, the more insulated an individual is and the less heat is lost through radiation.




Kind regards
Mick
 
Lets dumb it down a little people maybe he should have been drinking Brawndo "it's got lectrolites in it" as heavily consumed in the greatest movie ever about future events Idocracy.
 
MustardMan said:
I have water bottles everywhere, and try to use them to remind myself to drink constantly. I sometimes buy Nuun tablets from REI, but they are a bit pricey for what they are. I try to avoid Gatorade because it's just as bad as a soda in terms of sugar.
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Gatorade works better than Nuun or camelbak tablets. I have tried many sport drinks, energy bars, and gels through the years while running,jogging and mountain biking. Gatorade performs best for me. I notice it most during the second hour of activity.

Don't take my word for it, plenty of other athletes swear by it as well. There might be something better, but it works and is readily available
 
The gatorade high fructose corn syrup is a killer on the digestive system, and renders it all but useless as a hangover remedy. That said, it gets the job done, and I reuse the plastic bottles alot instead of dropping 20 bucks on a Guyot....
 
Well I gotta tell ya guys... I'm a bit embarassed and shocked. All this talk of dehydration and surfing through the net, got me wondering if I was suffering from it. I have all the symptoms. At 330pm today, I started drinking the recomended rehydration mix (8tsp sugar, 1tsp salt and a 1/3 fruit juice in a 32oz Nalgene) I'm on bottle 3 now, and I still haven't urinated, That is roughly (1) Nalgene per hour and counting........ What's up with that!!! Am I that dehydrated?
 
Rick, I think a big part of it is the seasonal shift-It's been a miserable rainy cold spring for alot of the Northwest and now that we're starting to see dry days and sun, we haven't really climatized to it or realized it. I've been sweating my butt off and it's only 76 degrees...
 
PayetteRucker said:
The gatorade high fructose corn syrup is a killer on the digestive system, and renders it all but useless as a hangover remedy. That said, it gets the job done, and I reuse the plastic bottles alot instead of dropping 20 bucks on a Guyot....
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Only some have high fructose corn syrup
 
dd61999 said:
Only some have high fructose corn syrup
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true and soon none

"Does Gatorade include High Fructose Corn Syrup? Why or Why not?
Currently, G2 does not contain HFCS, and the remaining products from The Gatorade Company will soon be following suit. We are changing the source of carbohydrate in Gatorade Thirst Quencher in 2010 to a sucrose-dextrose blend, which still serves the important functional purpose of providing energy to fuel athletes’ working muscles during activity. What’s important to note is that from a scientific efficacy standpoint nothing will change, and our research shows the taste with the sucrose-dextrose blend is actually preferred by many athletes."


my wife an I always each pack two of the Gatorade powder packs/day when backpacking- they are mixed w/ 8oz (1/2 liter) of water

one consumed at our morning break, the other at our afternoon break- they taste good and seem to work
 
Last year I was too caught up in my work and financial problems that I forgot to drink for a day or two. I was in North Carolina and Virginia in the middle of summer and simply forgot to drink.
I was totally disoriented, my usually quick, intelligent brain(insert hysterical laughter here) was completely lost.
It probably took a week of drinking as much water and Gatorade as I could stomach for me to get back to normal.
I hope to never go through that again.
 
5hrs.... I'm on 32oz Nalgene number 5!! I have peed once.... still yellow.... This is ridiculous!!!

Just call me "Dusty".... lol.

Rick
 
Magnussen said:
5hrs.... I'm on 32oz Nalgene number 5!! I have peed once.... still yellow.... This is ridiculous!!!

Just call me "Dusty".... lol.

Rick
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Rick, you're PMSing...a common symptom is water retension:D

I feel I do have to defend General Patraeus as I've served under him twice. The guy is in incredible shape and is a work-aholic; he's a Soldier's Commander and lives/leads by example. I've seen some of these senior guys travel/work 18-20 hours a day for months. Whoever mentioned the fact that once you leave the sand-box and get into a more controlled environment is correct in that you do tend to let your guard down with regards to such things as hydration. Even though he most likely worked in a air conditioned building, the environment (both heat and stress) keeps one thinking about hydration more often than when "back home".

I would be willing to bet it was more exhaustion than hydration, but regardless, it's pretty embarrassing yet a good point that nobody is above the biological needs of hydration and monitoring your own health. Food and electrolytes is another critical item that must be incorporated into hydration.

Good reminder though that effects of hydration impact us all, even if we're experienced. Water is an "essential" for a reason:thumbup:

ROCK6
 
mete said:
Gen. Patraeus passes out at hearing !!
He said he was dehydrated ! With all the training of troops in the desert in recent years ,they are told to hydrate , hydrate ! Even if you don't feel thirsty .If you're not pissing you're not drinking enough water .
Somehow he thinks it doesn't apply to him ??
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The way you word this last part indicates that you clearly don't know much about this man's personality. I lived two blocks from him when I lived on Fort Leavenworth about 4 years ago. He cares more about the common Joe and their family than anyone I have ever known. He is the one who has tried to go to bat for them when Washington tries to through them under the bus. General Patraeus is the best leader in the Army we have right now.
 
My 80 year old dad was taken to the hospital a few weeks ago after an "episode" where he was losing consciousness, zoning out, had compromised vision, etc. He thought he was dieing. Hospital said he was dehydrated. And he is overall pretty healthy and active for his age.

All of us should keep a bunch of fluid going through us, irrespective of where we are or what we are doing. Thats especially true when we are away from civilization.
 
Having spent some cold nights in the bush, I can attest to the importance of hydration when temperatures drop. Give me a fire and a pot to melt snow.... and I'm good to -40F, regardless of shelter.
 
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