Wet Your Whistle
How to avoid dehydration before it sneaks up on you
By Gerry Godsoe
bit. Diluted sports drinks with electrolytes would be even
EVER been hiking, biking, canoeing, better. More severe cases may need medical treatment.
snowshoeing or ice climbing and noticed Yes, you can drink too much water when you have a
somebody — including yourself — isn’t quite large supply. But it’s unlikely you’ll drink too much if you
themselves? The reason could have a lot to do are pumping it through a filter or purifying it through
with water. Without it, that off-balance person boiling or other treatment. Get
is likely suffering from mild dehydration, an to know what your body
imbalance between water molecules and other needs under various
dissolved solutes. temperature conditions
While we can survive without water for several and activity levels and
days, most of us would be in pretty bad shape if stick to that need
we were without water for even 24 hours. Bread level.
may be the staff of life but “Adam’s ale” (aka H2O) For hiking,
is essential for our bodies and brains to function drink your fill at
properly. Among the many functions carried out the trailhead and
by water in the body, it helps lubricate the moving carry more
parts, clean our cells, digest our food, regulate our water than you will need.
temperature and keep us thinking straight. When canoeing attach a
Outdoor enthusiasts (especially those keeners water container to your boat
who think nothing of running many kilometres with a carabineer and make it
before breakfast or racing 24 hours at a stretch) easily accessible. If you are the trip
have probably learned the importance of water leader (or a parent), part of your job
and have your own recipes to replace sodium, is to encourage your group to
potassium and other electrolytes. keep well hydrated.
For the rest of us, the need for water may be Be aware that the sense of
something that we do not fully appreciate until thirst decreases with age (over
things start to go wrong. A missed trail junction, 50) and higher altitudes and
a sudden storm, inadequate equipment and a cold weather require more
shortage of drinking water and food can combine water. Caffeine, alcohol
to make a bad situation worse very quickly. and snow all exacerbate
Even a small reduction in the body’s percentage dehydration.
of water is enough to cause irritability, fatigue, Remember the outdoor
headache, dizziness. An early clue is decreased or survival rules: Tell tell
dark urine. Increasingly severe symptoms are dry someone where you are
mouth, skin “tenting” (dehydrated skin, if pinched, hiking. If you get lost, stay
stays pinched), lack of perspiration, grogginess and, put and keep warm and dry. dry.
near the end, delirium. Help searchers find you. And
The best way to treat dehydration is to prevent enjoy that extra water you
it. At a minimum, you should drink two litres a brought along. ~OO
day. Mild dehydration can usually be treated with
drinking water and rest or at least slowing down a
7
Gerry Godsoe’s outdoor experience comes from
on00
Scouting, canoeing, camping and search and rescue.
He’s an instructor with the Ottawa Y Canoe Camping
k
amele
Club and a search manager with Search and Rescue
t
o-
Global 1
www.sarglobal1.ca.
t
ockpho
y
: is
t
o b
pho
www.ottawaoutdoors.ca OTTAWA magazine summer/fall 2009 5
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50