{"id":2899,"date":"2015-10-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-10-12T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prd-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=2899"},"modified":"2024-02-16T21:05:41","modified_gmt":"2024-02-16T21:05:41","slug":"tips-for-staying-hydrated-during-fall-sports-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/tips-for-staying-hydrated-during-fall-sports-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for staying hydrated during fall sports season","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s football season once again, as well as the return of many other school sports.\u00a0 And despite the decrease in temperature, staying hydrated is still key to good performance \u2014 and health.<\/p>\n

Adequate hydration is important for delivering nutrients and removing waste products from the body, says Lisa Lovejoy, MEd, RD, CSSD, CD,<\/a> a sports\/wellness dietitian for the MultiCare Center for Healthy Living.<\/p>\n

Water also plays a vital role in cooling the body during exercise, because fluid losses through sweating can be significant, Lovejoy says.<\/p>\n

Even a little dehydration during athletic training or workouts can affect performance, as well as how you feel, says Joshua Purses, DO<\/a>, an orthopedic and sports medicine specialist with MultiCare Health System.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can be as little as 1 percent dehydrated and start to see performance affected,\u201d Dr. Purses says.<\/p>\n

Staying properly hydrated is also an important part of preventing heat illness or heat stroke.<\/p>\n

How do you know if you\u2019re dehydrated?<\/h2>\n

Urine color is one indicator, Dr. Purses says. If your urine is the color of lemonade or lighter, you\u2019re hydrated. If it\u2019s darker yellow, you may be dehydrated.<\/p>\n

Caffeine can dehydrate you, but in reality you\u2019d have to drink quite a bit before it significantly affects you, Dr. Purses says. Still, avoid drinking energy drinks or other caffeinated beverages before a workout.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re cramping during a workout, you may be dehydrated \u2014 but you may also need more salt in your diet.<\/p>\n

Increasing your intake of sodium\/salt can be achieved by eating salty snacks such as pretzels or adding salt to prepared foods. Athletic trainers\u00a0have been known to give their athletes\u00a0pickle juice or mustard on the sidelines during games because of\u00a0their high salt content.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, preventing dehydration is better than treating it, Dr. Purses says. It takes a while for the body to rehydrate once it\u2019s dehydrated.<\/p>\n

Tips for staying hydrated<\/h2>\n

To avoid dehydration (and overhydration), Lovejoy recommends these tips before, during and after exercise:<\/p>\n