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Team9000 Health Blog #1 - Hydration

Ok, so as promised, I am going to start a "health blog". It took longer to get around this because of my sudden ability to go to PAX East, but I would like to make this a weekly thing. Every week, I will post around a certain subject that people usually don't know much about but can incorporate said advice in the most common workouts. If you ever have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

So, I am going to start with something simple.

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Most people don't realize how important this is, but water is the MOST IMPORTANT change you can make to start living healthier. You will see this continually, as hydration is key to top performance in everything from marathon running to making it through the day.

If you don't like water, thats fine. There are plenty of flavorings out there you can buy that will help you overcome that, such as Mio and Crystal Light. However, I would suggest drinking plain water at least once a day until you can deal with the taste, as you will find yoiu can sit there and drink it all day without it bothering you.

Water is an amazing thing. Sadly, most people don't realize that, and it is a serious problem involving an estimated 75% of Americans. Dehydration can lead to Short term memory loss, fatigue, confusion, weight gain, poor blood flow, premature aging in the skin, decrease in strength and endurance performance, coordination, and many other things.

Are you drinking enough water? Most people don't realize that dehydration is all too common these days. You may find this gross, but the best way to check for hydration is simply to pay attention to the color of your urine. If it isn't clear, you aren't hydrating enough.

A lot of you are looking to lose weight, and you can help yourself do that faster is you drink more water and cut soda/high sugar content from your diet. If you drink more than 3 sodas a day, everyday, I promise if you cut those out alone, you will drop 5 pounds in two weeks; without doing anything different. I don't mean replace them with Gatorade, juices, or anything of that sort, just cut the high sugar drinks out and drink water. After the first couple of days, you wil feel better and have more energy simply from the hydration alone. This is something I have actually experienced, although I dropped about 8 pounds in a little under 2 weeks, so the results will change depending on the person.

So the biggest reason most of you guys need to start drinking water is simple, when you don't hydrate enough, your kidneys pass some of there functions to the liver, which under the abnormal stress, forces it to store more fat. Drinking more water increases your metabolism and helps your body deal with waste on a more efficient level.

I know this is all dry and boring for most people, and I apologize, but I am starting this with proper hydration because proper hydration is the most essential thing you can come to accomplish if you wish to live a healthier lifestyle. If you decide to work out, then drinking more water is no longer essential, but required. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day is stupid, instead study the chart below and make sure that your urine stays the same as the colors towards the top throughout the day.

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Additional Health Benefits to drinking more water:

Healthier Skin.
Ensuring that you are properly hydrated will prove to be a far better solution to preventing or decreasing wrinkles than the many expensive and in most cases barely effective products being marketing to the public.

Healthier Teeth & Bones.
Water also makes teeth and bone stronger. The additional fluoride added to our water supplies provides extra strengths and bone density to our teeth and bones.

Healthier Mind & Body.
Water is essential for nutrient absorption and many chemical reactions in the body for overall health, including proper brain function and improvements in memory.

Interesting Facts to Consider:

By the time you are thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. Once dehydrated endurance is diminished, strength can drop, and the effect can last into the following day(s). Instead of relying on a signal, drink water at regular intervals regardless if you're thirsty or not.

Common Causes of Water Loss:
Caffeine/alcohol consumption (diuretics)
Increased Stress. Can cause water loss.
Hot environment, increases sweating.
Increased physical activity (water loss from sweating)

The average amount of water lost per day includes:
16 ounces through respiration (average)
16 ounces through invisible perspiration (more if sweat is visible)
48 ounces through elimination
(Note: the more food you eat, the more you eliminate, the more water will be lost)

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**Disclaimer**
Team9000 does not officially recognize this program. If used, the participant is taking his/her own personal risk and will not hold Team9000 liable for any issues that may arise. The individuals running the program are not certified in any program, nor do they hold a degree in any of the subjects mentioned above. Any complications arising from pre-exsisting medical conditions not disclosed at time of consultation will not fall on the individual in charge, but on the participant, All individuals participate at their own risk
**Disclaimer**


More Information regarding water, along with the source article, can be found here.
 
I drink water all the time, more than 8 glasses. Water helps for a better lifestyle altogether. Water is super cool.
 
As a former Royal Canadian Army Cadet, I know well the importance of water. A few added benefits include reducing the effects of trauma shock, should your body enter it, faster wound closing, less obvious scarring, stronger skin to prevent cuts and abrasions, easier maintained body temperature, and in general better health.

You might think a lot of that is unimportant in a fitness program, but even something as simple as jogging in the winter will bring up almost every one of the above benefits. Getting hit by a car or falling and breaking a bone can cause trauma shock, for example.

EDIT: Of course, if you are looking to build muscle, you have to tear it. Being properly hydrated assists in the healing process so you can safely continue training that muscle group sooner.
 
I can definitely say that I have been dehydrated over the past couple of weeks even though I love water.....the stress point is very true as I am in exam week and have been under stress and thus have been needing to drink more water than I thought I did
 
Keep in mind, that the above is but a small fraction of why water is important. There was so much more that could have been added, but I wanted to keep it short soa s not to lose too much interest.
 
Jesus Christ. I am going to go find the biggest glass of water I can. According to the urine chart, I am seldom hydrated and spend most of my time down near severe dehydration. Thank you, Casey, for this informative and somewhat terrifying blog.
 
I have a slightly harder time telling if I'm getting dehydrated due to the fact that my urine is almost always the last three to four colors as a result of my diabetes. I always know when I /AM/ dehydrated though... that's when I'm nauseas and/or throwing up and heading to the hospital :p
 
Due to my liver being trashed thanks to childhood ailments, I'm screwed about losing weight. :/ I can, at least, prevent myself from gaining more weight and having it seriously mess with my health. :thumbsup:
 
I have the flu at the moment, and I've been losing most of my water through mucus. Being sick really saps out your fluids.
 
Did you guys know that you can freeze water for easier handling. You can basically turn the water solid into cool shapes like cubes or cylinders. I do this in the morning then carry around the frozen water in my bag during school and when I need I just put it in the microwave and I have drinkable water! It's really convenient I suggest everyone try it.
 
The darker your urine is, the more crap your kidneys are getting rid of. While it isn't a 100% sign of dehydration (Could be a result from taking supplements or medication) it wouldn't hurt to drink more water and help your kidneys out a little :) Also, its never impossible to lose weight, sometimes just a LOT more difficult and time consuming, so losing it may take more effort then its really worth. If anyone wants help or advice on a more one on one level, feel free to message me. The more this picks up, the more I will get involved with it, and the more people I can include to help out like Conrod.
 
I used to drink water all the time. Now, I drink at least like a bottle a day—which is pretty bad since I'm involved in athletics. ._.' The thing is, I don't feel dehydrated at all. I'm trying to get back into my old habit of drinking more, but it's kind of hard when I don't feel the need to drink.
 
This is all excellent advice, but keep in mind if I lose five pounds people will start mistaking me for a broom and start sweeping the floor with me..
 
Here's how I like to drink water: VERY cold, from one of those water coolers, several dozen cups a day. I don't like to drink more than 5-8 ounces at a time. I like to take water "shots". Quick get it over with, cool down, move on. So I think, in light of this article, I'm going to get a water cooler tomorrow. TBH, soda is awesome and taste great, but it's terrible for me. I only drink it when its available, so I need to make it scarce.
 
I have a 20oz (650ml) bottle at my desk here at work that I fill up and drink about three times a day (one bottle before lunch, one during lunch, and one after lunch). This does not include the water I drink at home for dinner, which is about another 20oz. Couple this water with the cup of coffee I have every morning at work and I'm peeing a lot.
 
I take a few supplements everyday like water and glutamine, so I drink a little more water than normal, usually 1-2 gallons a day. I find the bigger the container of water you have, the more you tend to drink. I have one of those liter bottles of smart water, and fill it up continually. I usually drink 5-9 of those a day depending on how I feel.
 
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