Thursday, November 18, 2010

Vitalyte + Water = Success

You've probably heard the statement, "our bodies are mostly water". It's true. Water can make up 45% to 75% of the total body weight. While the top end of that scale applies mostly to babies (infants have a high percentage of water - up to 75%!) but adult women and men average about 55% to 60% respectively. (It just feels like more when there's a line for the bathroom.)

But no matter what, it's important to stay well hydrated during times of exertion. Even working outside in your backyard, you're going to sweat - and maybe not realize how dehydrated you are. What should you reach for - Vitalye sports drink.

Do electrolytes matter? Yes, Vitalyte sports drinks and soft drinks that can replenish electrolytes - in this case, minerals, that conduct electricity (read: impulses) when dissolved in the "water" (bloodstream and other fluids) of our bodies. The best bet is to buy the powdered mix and make them up at home, rather than spending the cash on pre-mixed bottles that usually taste too sweet to begin with. But - and this is crucial - follow that drink mix electrolyte recharge with more water. After all, those electrolytes - lost from the body when we sweat - still need a home base to operate from.

Avoid the "extremes" of sports drinks. It's best to avoid caffeinated "intense" or "extreme" sports drinks altogether, though. The caffeine will probably just rev you up unnecessarily, and again, these drinks generally come with a high price of admission in the form of sugar and calories.

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