Have a Glass of Water, seriously, NOW!

So here's a little fun fact, you are 75% water! I know a few people who can't be 75% water because they are 80% bullshit but that's another story.

We're all dehydrated, you know when you are thirsty and you are sitting at your desk but you are too busy to walk to the water cooler so you sit there for hours wishing you had a drink but working away like a Cub Scout, well you aren't doing yourself any favours.

The symptoms of dehydration are: dry mouth, inability to sweat, cramping, heart palpitations, nausea and lightheadedness. I'm not talking stranded in the middle of the desert dehydrated, I'm talking everyday run of the mill dehydration. If you exercise regularly you are even more likely to experience dehydration. If you ever weigh yourself before and after exercise what you are seeing on the scale is fluid loss, a weight-loss of even 2% (3lbs for a 150lb person) can elevate your resting heart rate, cause cramping and more. Studies have shown someone with a resting heart rate over 78 beats per minute is more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than someone with a heart rate under 58 beats per minute. Take your pulse in the morning before you get out of bed, over several days you should have an accurate resting heart rate, any variation in your heart rate should be investigated by a health care practitioner.

So drink up my friends. Your urine should be lightly tinted yellow and you need about half your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of fluid per day (ie. 75oz of fluid for a 150lb person). There is a lot of debate about beverages with caffeine and alcohol being diuretics and therefore don't contribute as much to hydration.  So my rule is to make the majority if not all my beverages caffeine and alcohol free. If you exercise you need more fluid.

Resources on sport hydration:
http://www.medicdirectsport.com/sportsnutrition/default.asp?step=4&pid=60