Welcome back to Carol's Corner. Ok trying to think Spring, Spring, Spring. Snow is on it's way to being gone, but now we have to contend with rain. I sure hope there are some days between now and the 10th of May that aren't rainy. Need to practice some outdoor walking to participate in a 5K walk. My picture today reflects my love of color. I've titled this, ” Colors Abound In Glorious Blooms”. Love how I was able to mix two beautiful colors harmoniously.

Again I was able to combine the two hues together. Decided to go with gold accessories today to be able to wear this beautiful bracelet I got from my daughter. It's part of my Mother's Day gift. Got this one early. It's neat that it picked up both hues from my blouse and pants, along with my FitBit combo and my ring.

The topic I've decided to pursue tonight is that of hydration, especially as relates to exercise and the coming of warm weather. I'm going to start things off with something from FamilyDoctor.org and then provide some other useful links on the subject. The article is titled,” Athletes: The Importance of Good Hydration”.

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO STAY HYDRATED?

Whether you're a seasoned athlete or a recreational exerciser, it's important to make sure you get the right amount of water before, during, and after exercise. Water regulates your body temperature and lubricates your joints. It also helps transport nutrients to give you energy and keep you healthy. If you're not properly hydrated, your body can't perform at it's highest level. You may experience fatigue, muscle cramps, dizziness or more serious symptoms.

A simple way to make sure you're staying properly hydrated is to check your urine. If your urine is consistently colorless or light yellow, you most likely are staying properly hydrated. Dark yellow or amber-colored urine is a sign of dehydration.

HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD I DRINK WHILE EXERCISING?

There are no exact rules for how much water to drink while exercising because everyone is different. You need to consider factors, including your sweat rate, the heat and humidity in your environment, and how hard and long you're exercising.

The American Council on Exercise has suggested the following basic guidelines for drinking water before, during, and after exercise.

1). Drink 17-20 ounces of water 2-3 hours before you start exercising.

2). Drink 8 ounces of water before you start exercising or during your warm-up.

3). Drink 7-10 ounces of water every 10-20 minutes during exercise.

4). Drink 8 ounces of water no more than 30 minutes after you exercise.

I so am not doing this at all. I do have a bottle of my flavored water handy and sip some from time to time, but don't see how to drink that much and continue with the walking workout I'm in the midst of. Since I 've never entered a 5k walk till now , the whole hydration thing should be interesting. Not sure how that works, will have to talk to my daughter and daughter-in-laws, who are both runners.

Athletes may want to measure how much fluid they lose during exercise to get a more specific measurement of how much water to drink ( 16-24 ounces of water for every pound of body weight lost).

WHAT ABOUT SPORTS DRINKS?

For most people , water is all you need to stay hydrated. However , if you're exercising at a higher intensity for longer than an hour, a sports drink may be helpful. The calories, potassium, and other nutrients in sports drinks can provide energy and electrolytes to help you perform for a longer period of time.

Choose a sports drink wisely. They are often high in calories from added sugar, and may contain high levels of sodium. Also, check the serving size. It may contain more than one serving. This is a mistake I find many people make. You need to read labels on everything. Things you think are one serving, many times are not. Also some sports drinks contain caffeine, so watch that you don't get too much caffeine in your diet.

WHAT ARE SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION?

Dehydration happens when you lose more fluid than you drink. When your body doesn't have enough water, it can't work properly. Dehydration can range from mild to severe. Symptoms of dehydration can include the following:

1). Dizziness or lightheaded feeling

2). Nausea or vomiting

3). Muscle cramps

4). Dry mouth

5). Lack of sweating

6). Hard fast heartbeat

Symptoms of severe dehydration can include mental confusion, weakness, and loss of consciousness. You should get emergency medical attention if you have any of these symptoms.

WHAT IS HEAT ILLNESS?

Heat illness can occur when the body is dehydrated and can't cool itself effectively during exercise during hot or humid weather. There are three stages of heat illness:

1). Heat cramps

2). Heat exhaustion

3). Heat stroke

Symptoms of heat cramps include painful muscle spasms in the legs, stomach, arms, or back. Symptoms of heat exhaustion are more serious. They include faint or weak feelings, nausea, headache, fast heart beat, and low blood pressure.

The most serious of heat-related illness is heatstroke. Symptoms can include high body temperature( Higher than 104°). Little side note here. Finally googled and figured out how to get a degree sign on my I Pad keyboard. Was simple once I knew how to get to it. Ok, back to heatstroke. Other symptoms are fast heartbeat, flushed skin, fast breathing, and possibly even delirium, loss off consciousness, or even seizures. You should get emergency medical treatment if you exhibit any of these symptoms of heatstroke. Untreated heatstroke can lead to death.

WHAT IS HYPONATREMIA?

Hyponatremia is a rare condition that happens when there is too little sodium in the body. It can occur when athletes drink too much water. Athletes who participate in endurance activities, ( for example marathons or triathlons) have a higher risk of hyponatremia. When sodium levels in your body are too low, your cells begin to swell with water. This can cause your brain to swell. It can also cause your brain to fill with fluid. Symptoms can include confusion, headache, vomiting, and swelling of the hands and feet.

HOW MUCH WATER IS TOO MUCH?

This depends on your body and the kind of activity you're doing. Talk to your family doctor if you have questions about the amount of water you should drink during exercise.

This has been pretty interesting and informative, and maybe at times a bit scary. But as I have said before knowledge is power.

Before I close, I am going to provide you with further links on the topic to pursue at your leisure. Make sure you bookmark ones you are interested to return to.

http://greatist.com/fitness/hydration-during-exercise The 10 must know tips to stay hydrated during your workout.

http://www.active.com/nutrition/articles/how-to-hydrate-before-during-and-after-a-workout. How to hydrate before, during, and after a workout.

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/drink-up-sports-fitness. Drink up for sports and fitness, the best beverages to keep you hydrated.

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/tips/everything-you-need-to-know-about-staying-hydrated.html#b. And lastly, everything you need to know about staying hydrated.

I hope you will find all this information useful, especially with warmer weather somewhere on the horizon. At least that's what we on the east coast are hoping for. So stay informed, stay motivated, and remember, ” Giving up is not an option”. Till next time, God Bless.