The following is excerpted from the
Occupational Athletics (OAI) monthly “Partners in Prevention” newsletter.
- Eat water-filled foods
such as tomatoes (94%
water), watermelon (93% water), spinach, (92 %) red cabbage (92%)
Strawberries (92 %), Grapefruit (91%), Cantaloupe (90%), Peaches (89 %),
Raspberries (87%), Pineapples (87 %), Apricots (86%), Blueberries (85%),
and Carrots (87%).
- Hydrate before, during,
and after exercising. Once you are
thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
- Have enough water on hand
for whatever you are doing. If you are away
from home: camping, hiking, biking, etc., make sure you have enough to
last the whole time you are away.
- If you're traveling, don't forget to drink plenty of water, especially if you
are traveling by plane. Humidity on a plane is low, so staying
hydrated allows you to maintain that mucosal lining, which in turn,
prevents your immune system from becoming compromised, so drink before,
during, and after your flight. *Tip – Bring bottled water. Tap water
from the plane isn’t your best option.
- Stay hydrated at work. Even when working indoors, it's important to
drink. Keep a bottle of water within arms’ reach, and sip regularly
throughout the day.
- Drink water before
meals to help you stay
hydrated AND with the added bonus of helping you not to overeat.
(Note: many times we think we are hungry, when in fact, we need to
hydrate.)
- Make it a point to drink a
glass of water when you wake and before bed.
- Have enough water on hand. When you're spending the day camping or
biking, it's important to bring enough water to last the trip.
- Spice it up. If you're having a hard time getting enough water
because you just don’t really like it, make it
tastier with some natural flavoring such as a squeeze of a
citrus fruit or a splash of juice.
- Keep a reusable bottle with you. Having a water bottle with
you at all times is the easiest way to stay hydrated without even thinking
about it. Make your water even more inviting (and easy to find) by
getting a bottle or two that are colorful and fun to look at.
- If you are drinking alcohol, always pair it with a glass of
water to offset its
dehydrating effects.
