A BRIEF LOOK AT HYDRATION...

Did you know that the adult human body is 60-70% water with athletes having a higher percentage of water than non-athletes?1 Water is plays a role in maintaining blood volume, regulating body temperature, cellular reaction, nutrient transportation and absorption, and digestion and excretion [1]. That is why it is important for athletes to be well hydrated before, during, and after they perform. If an athlete finds themselves in a state of dehydration they are likely to experience the onset of fatigue more quickly than an athlete who is properly hydrated [2]. 

​Our environment influences our hydration status and needs [2]. Many performers spend there summers participating in summer stock theatres and some even have the opportunity to perform outside! 

Abbi and I have been lucky enough to grow up doing theatre under the stars at night. It’s a magical experience, but also a lot of hard work as rehearsing outside in the heat is demanding on the body. I’m sure all of you have experienced intense sweating along with the early fatigue that occurs when you are being physically active in hot conditions. 

Luckily, our bodies are very smart. On these hot and humid summer days, the body excretes sweat to cool down our temperature, resulting in fluid loss. The hot environment also causes our veins to dilate in size [2]. Between the fluid loss and the dilation of our viens, our blood pressure decreases, causing the heart to work harder to pump blood through the body. This is the process that causes that increased heart rate and fatigue you feel after a good sweaty workout. As your fatigue increases, your performance decreases. 

So, how do we make sure that we are adequately hydrating ourselves? That is exactly what we are going to be covering over the month of July! Stay tuned to learn on how to analyze your hydration status, try out methods for replacing fluids, and discover some of Abbi and my favorite hydrating products. 

Best, 

Sophia MS

References: 
1. Raymond, J. L., Morrow, K.  (20200503). Krause and Mahan’s Food and the Nutrition Care Process, 15th Edition. [VitalSource Bookshelf 10.2.1].  Retrieved from vbk://9780323636568
2. Kreider, R. B. (2019). Water & Fluid Replacement. In Essentials of Exercise & Sport Nutrition Science to Practice (pp. 173–185). essay, Lulu Publishing Services.