The Other 30%

Our bodies are made up of mostly water. In fact, our bodies are comprised of nearly 70% water! That's a LOT of water Dear Readers! There is water in cells, blood, waste, sweat and even in the bacteria we all carry around. The bacteria out number our own cells! But, lets not focus on the that.

The other "30%" of our body is basically oxygen and well, nothing. This is kind of frustrating to think about because when I say to someone (usually my husband Russell) 'Use that space between your ears for once!' (Not that I would ever say this! Come on...) He, I mean they, can't! Oh God! Life just got complicated! Lets not focus on that bit of enlightenment either. Instead, lets focus on the 70%. What do ya say? Okay? Good.

Getting back to the 70%...

Yesterday, our youngest daughter, Mia, stayed home ill. She came home Monday evening and began vomiting. Understandably, she was weak and tired but had no other symptoms. She woke the next morning, feeling even more weak and tired and I started to think. 'I wonder if she had become dehydrated?' Dehydration is one of those silent but deadly experiences. It sneaks up on you, ever so stealthily and then WHAM-O! You're knocked over by it and it can be very scary. We are experiencing a heat wave here in the East and it's been a challenge to be active, believe me. Mia is a very active kid. She is in choir and band, both very physical activities and both conducted without much opportunity to drink as much as she should. (I work in a commercial kitchen and it is painfully hot in there before I even turn on my equipment! Once ALL the equipment is going, forget about it!) Those things, coupled with the fact she is a kid, combine to make the perfect opportunity for the silent killer to strike.

I began to ply Mia with electrolyte water and sports drinks. I fed her foods with salt on them, like organic popcorn and I made certain she ate meals that contained a balance of protein, sugars and carbohydrates to give her body the energy she needed to recover from a trauma. I sent her to school today with electrolyte water and a good lunch and strict instructions to hydrate ALL day and to eat. You see, Dear Readers, if you do not know, over-hydrating can be equally as dangerous as not drinking enough. If a person drinks too much fluid without eating enough food, their sodium and potassium levels will get thrown off and this is very dangerous! (I know because this is what happens to me quite often.) My levels are very sensitive and I have to monitor myself all the time. When my levels get off, it feels like I am spiraling down a tunnel and no amount of water will help so I have to supplement my fluids. It's a horrible feeling and sneaks up on me, even though I know to be careful.

Anyway, here are some symptoms of dehydration to keep an eye skinned for:
1. Fatigue
2. Dark pee
3. Lightheadedness
4. Increased pulse
5. Overheating
6. Cramps
7. Thirst (big dah right?)

Here are some symptoms of over-hydration to keep an eye skinned for:
1. Nausea
2. Headache
3. Disorientation
4. Weakness

Do you have a great tip for keeping hydrated? Please share it in the comments section.

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