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Did you know that by the time you are thirsty you are already dehydrated? Dehydration, as little as a 2% loss in fluid, negatively impacts your body and your mind. Dehydration can cause confusion, irritability, constipation, drowsiness, fever, and thirst  More signs and symptoms of mild to moderate dehydration include dry, sticky mouth, muscle weakness, stiff joints, headache, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, cramping, decreased urine, cool extremities, slow capillary refill, and sunken eyes. You can usually reverse mild to moderate dehydration by increasing your intake of fluids

 For athletes or those with physical jobs, the inability to perform and focus as a result of mild dehydration may increase the risk of injury. Athletes and those with physical jobs may suffer a loss of performance of up to 30%. They may experience flushing, low endurance, rapid heart rates, elevated body temperatures, and rapid onset of fatigue. It is imperative that you drink enough fluid before, during, and after your workout or work shift.

Severe dehydration is the loss of 10-15% of body fluids and is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical care. The signs and symptoms of severe dehydration include extreme thirst, irritability and confusion, very dry mouth, dry skin and mucous membranes, lack of sweating, little or no urination, any urine that is produced will be dark yellow, sunken eyes, shriveled and dry skin, rapid heartbeat, fever, coma, and even death. Dehydration of any kind will not correct itself.

How much fluid should your drink? It is recommended that you drink the number of ounces in fluid that is equal to half your body weight each day. For example, if you weigh 100 pounds, your hydration goal would be approximately 50 ounces per day with normal activities. You would adjust accordingly for days that you exercise intensely, drinking more.

Most active individuals have some level of dehydration at the end of a workout or work shift. Here is another hydration tip… It is recommended that you drink enough fluids to replace approximately 150% of the weight lost during exercise. 

Other than the symptoms of dehydration, how do you know of you are dehydrated? One easy way to detect dehydration is to check urine color. It should be clear or very pale yellow. If it begins to darken in color, fluid intake should increase. Another way to check for dehydration is to weigh yourself immediately before your workout and immediately after your workout. It is important to use a scale at the gym to be sure your weigh in occurs at the correct time. If you have lost weight during your workout, you are dehydrated. If you have gained weight during your workout, you may have taken in more than enough fluid. If your weight is unchanged, GREAT JOB! You likely drank an appropriate amount of fluid.

It is important to replace fluids lost when exercising, but drinking pure water exclusively isn’t always the safest choice for those who participate in very strenuous or long-duration exercise. When significant amounts of fluid are lost through high-intensity exercise, just replacing water can lead to a chemical imbalance in the body and deficiencies in electrolytes (hyponatremia). Sports drinks, like Gatorade, can help restore electrolytes. These drinks should contain carbohydrates, sodium, and some potassium. The electrolytes in our body include sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphate, but sodium is the substance of most concern when replacing fluids lost through exercising. Electrolytes are essential for proper organ function. The loss of electrolytes may contribute to dehydration headaches. It is imperative that you take in the proper balance of water and electrolytes, especially during exercise.

How do you prevent dehydration? Drink plenty of fluids, especially before, during, and after exercise. Sports drinks can encourage active people to drink more fluids because they are flavored and are higher in sodium. Avoid caffeine and alcohol because both will cause dehydration. Avoid carbonated beverages because the carbonation may cause bloating or a feeling of fullness and prevent adequate consumption of fluids. For most of us, being aware and prepared is the easiest way to prevent dehydration from occurring.

By Karen Goeller, CSCS

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In the United States, millions of people are living with pre-diabetes or diabetes and don’t even know it. Pre-diabetic individuals have too much sugar in the blood, but not enough to be classified as a diabetic. The diabetes prevention diet has the ability to reverse and prevent the progression of diabetes as it promotes a relatively stable blood sugar.

Making bad dietary choices must be avoided simply because food is the main source of energy for the body. Therefore, gaining a clear understanding of nutrition and dietary prevention strategies is essential.

Arbitrarily, the most relevant goal of treating diabetes is to control blood sugar levels. More so, it is imperative that the blood sugar remains at acceptable ranges to avoid hyperglycemia (high) or hypoglycemia (low).

Pre-diabetics can prevent the development the type 2 diabetes if precautions are implemented and symptoms treated properly. More so, the individual must make lifestyle changes and increasing the level of physical activity. A good nutritional plan, to include natural diet and supplements are safe, effective, and non- toxic.

The American Diabetes Association provides information that identifies the risk of pre-diabetes and what is necessary to stop the progression of diabetes all together. Making healthy food choices promotes a diabetes prevention diet that reduces the risk for further complications such as heart attack or stroke.

Having pre-diabetes gives you the opportunity to lose weight, and reverse high blood sugar levels. A diabetes diet consists of a variety of healthy foods that are goal-effective.

• Vegetables and Fruits: be sure that they are non- starchy veggies such as spinach, carrots, broccoli, or green beans

• Whole Grain Foods: such as brown rice or whole wheat spaghetti

• Dried Beans: such as kidney or pinto beans, lentils

• Fish: 2- 3 times weekly

• Lean Meats: such as cuts of beef or pork that end in loin- pork loin or sirloin and remove skin from chicken and turkey

• Non-fat Dairy: such as skim milk, non- fat yogurt, and non- fat cheese

• Liquid Oils: for cooking instead of solid fats, foods high in saturated or trans fat (which is high in calories)

• Low Calories: cut back on high calorie snack foods such as chips, cookies, cakes, or full fat ice cream

• Choose Water: or calorie free diet drinks instead of high calorie drinks

Along with your diabetes prevention diet, include physical activity in your daily routine. Nutrition, diet, and exercise go hand in hand to prevent and reverse the effects of pre- diabetes.

A national awareness campaign was designed by the National Diabetes Education Program to target individuals at risk for type2 diabetes. This campaign identifies specific lifestyle changes that are guaranteed to normalize blood sugar levels.

What is addiction and why so many people are worried about this? Well, it’s a word addiction that haunts many people. It is a disease that millions of people around the world consumes annually. The drug for a long time and always physically and psychologically dependent, it is addiction. Addiction is caused by drugs primarily psychological dependence on it. Many people start taking drugs just for fun, which is subsequently taker of life. It has also been observed that those addicted to drugs inadvertently in some cases. The most lethal drugs found by the people are so far away from opiates. Opiates are primarily to be snorted or injected. The consumption of opiates is practiced around the world. Millions of people dependent on opiates know. permitted to adjust the situation in many countries, opiates such as heroin, cocaine, etc., but addicts have found an alternative for opiate addiction – painkillers. Analgesics may not be as strong as heroin or cocaine, but the small amount of opiates present in him enough to give a greater sense. The consumption of analgesics can 8-10 per day is enough to please a person. Even pain is not a problem for every person, he or she can get in any medical store. All they need is to acquire a doctor’s prescription. Dependence on pain relievers has reached alarming levels in recent years. The painkillers are not really reduce the pain, but it sounds the work of some nerves and parts of the brain temporarily. Consequently, people can not feel pain after taking painkillers. Painkiller addiction results when the initial dose of drugs against pain does not work and people start their overdose, without consulting a doctor. Gradually, they are physically and mentally dependent on them to respond to addiction to painkillers. Once a person becomes addicted to painkillers, it is very difficult for him out of it. If he can make a step forward, then the effect of opiate withdrawal is forcing him to take two steps back. Proper treatment can help with a reputation for rehabilitation opiate that person get rid of addiction. Rehabs such as luxury drug rehab have proven very effective for the rehabilitation of addicts. Three important factors for treatment of complete rehabilitation, comfort and care. Very few rehabs can meet all these criteria. Rehabs, all of these three systems can provide only a fanatic can heal completely available. In addition to appropriate treatment, the most important factor, comfort and care is also very important during treatment if withdrawal symptoms appear. There is no cure for millions of addicts every year, but what we can do it drug addicts and others on the negative effects of analgesic addiction. It should also take into consideration the families of addicts. They are the only people who are addicted person can monitor. Stop the addiction to painkillers can be very difficult but not impossible.