Your Health

Fuel for the fire

Hydrating yourself and having some nourishment before physical activities and sports doesn't mean a beer and a burger.

Athletic therapist Michael Arbez offers these hydration and food tips for athletes and active people.

Hydration

Signs of dehydration include being thirsty, skin that's flushed, a dry mouth and feelings of fatigue, Arbez says. More serious dehydration can include increased heart rate, muscle cramps, headaches and decreased sweating and not urinating.

If you're wondering how much to drink, check the colour of your urine, he says. If it's clear, you're probably pretty hydrated. If it's dark, you may be dehydrated.

Weigh yourself before your activity. If you're 170 pounds before a baseball game and 168 after the game, the loss is from losing water, not losing fat. To rehydrate, have about 20 to 24 ounces of water for every one pound of weight loss.

Two to three hours before an activity, experts suggest drinking 15 to 20 fluid ounces of water. Ten to 15 minutes before a game or activity, have eight to 10 ounces. During a strenuous activity such as soccer or ultimate frisbee, drink eight to10 ounces every 10 to15 minutes. For less physical activities, you can decrease the amount, but also keep in mind how hot the weather is.

Signs of heatstroke may be headaches, slurred speech, dizziness, faintness, skin that's dry to the touch and even seizures. Those severe symptoms may be life-threatening and an ambulance should be called.

Food

Yogurt, bananas and chocolate milk after an activity will give you a bit of fat, potassium, calcium and protein, which will help you when your body's supplies diminish during exercise, Arbez says.

Sports drinks can replenish electrolytes and sugars in your body.

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	About Wave Wave is published six times a year by the Winnipeg Health Region in cooperation with the Winnipeg Free Press. It is available at newsstands, hospitals and clinics throughout Winnipeg, as well as McNally Robinson Books. Read the Summer 2010 issue of Wave