A Conversation About Hydrating

We’re just finishing the third heat wave so far this summer, so they say. Whether you are a believer in global warming as a “thing,” there’s no doubt about how hot it is. Along with the hot comes, usually, the dry. Even random flooding and torrential rainstorms are rare, and seldom deposit meaningful amounts of usable water into the aquifers. There’s not a whole lot we can do to change the weather as it comes at us, but there are time honored methods to make the best of what we have.

In the not so distant past, almost everybody got their water from a well. Certain behaviors were accepted as appropriate, since a dry well was a disaster of colossal proportions.  “Grey water” from bathing and dishwashing was recycled to water gardens. People didn’t wash their hair daily (or themselves, sometimes), or let the water run while doing chores. We may not be there yet, but those of us relying on well water are always aware on some level of drought conditions around us, and tend to be less extravagant with water use. Some of us habitually avoid drinking water.

So now comes the dilemma. How much water should we be using to stay healthy in this record heat? And what fluids are okay to use to hydrate?  Starting with timing: we should start the day being hydrated. Most of us don’t tend to drink between going to bed and getting up. Be sure to include a beverage with breakfast.  If you start work or exercise when you’re already dehydrated, you’ll have a hard time catching up. The CDC puts it this way: hydrate before, during and after exertion in the heat. Water is the best. Energy drinks and sports drinks have very limited, specific value. And they’re fattening!  Oh, and that nice cold beer or cocktail… they’ll create problems if you’re not hydrated, so make sure beforehand that you’re not actually parched when you treat yourself to alcohol.

Okay, in today’s world of countless personal water containers and individual sized water bottles, how much water do we need to consume when we’re exerting ourselves? The experts say to keep a steady intake of about a quart or liter per hour. This should be pretty easy to monitor nowadays with all those individual portion containers. The most important way to keep track is simply to avoid getting to the stage where you feel thirsty. Don’t ignore thirst, it’s a pretty important guide to your health. Another pretty obvious indicator of dehydration is to just check the color of your urine. The darker it appears, the more you need water. Just being aware of these things can head off heat stroke, severe muscle cramping or heat rash. 

 There is also a responsibility for others that many of us must deal with. Children, seniors and disabled adults, and animals are all influenced by the heat even if they can’t tell you so. Be observant of those around you. Watch for flushed skin or rashes, unusual fatigue or mental tiredness with people. With pets, excessive panting may indicate thirst. Be sure water dishes or other containers are available to all animals, from chickens to kittens, dogs to donkeys. Lots of them are wearing fur coats, you know. I’m sure many of you are saying, “yeah, sure, I know all that.” But it never hurts to double check and avoid “oops, I forgot” scenarios. If you’re curious about climate change science, see what some of our neighbors have been doing at https://ccecolumbiagreene.org/climate-change-and-the-environment/climate-change-adaptation-and-resilience-plan-carp.