NEXT TIME YOU’RE ON A PLANE
SPILL SOME WATER ON YOUR PANTS

Air-conditioned environments like planes, offices and hotel rooms are dehydrating our body at an accelerated pace. Balanced hydration is one of the keys to assist and support the traveller and business person. Next time you're on a plane just spill some water on your pants, you will be amazed how quickly it will dry out. Your body is also drying out as quickly.

Correct hydration will make your body function more effectively, think with greater clarity, increase your energy, reduce stress, promote regular elimination and assist your muscle movement. Water makes up 70% of the planet we live on, 70% of the body we live in and should be 70% of the food we eat. A shortage of 1% or more can lead to dehydration symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite, heat intolerance, feeling light headed and muscle cramps.

Ask yourself whether your food and liquid intake has water content of 70%? If the answer is no, you may find yourself to some degree dehydrated.

Most people think, "I have enough water, it is in drinks (coffee, tea, soft drinks or alcohol - all containing caffeine) I consume during the day". Sure they all have water in them, which is hydrating and after consumption your bodies system goes above the hydrated line into optimum hydration, but at the same time the caffeine has a diuretic effect from those drinks and pulls you down slightly below the hydrated base line.

Then, if you have another drink you will go above the hydration line again, but then if the drink has caffeine in it you come down further than you did before, so your thirst continues, and it goes on and on and on. So by the end of the day, you get to the point that you are so far below the base line that not even hydrating liquids in the drinks is going to elevate you above that base line into optimum hydration.

When you spend most of your time living and working in air-conditioned environments like planes, offices and hotel rooms your body loses more fluid through your skin, breathing and talking than it does through normal elimination.

If the food that you consume during the day has low water content it will compound and accelerate your body's dehydration. At the end of the day you go to sleep for eight hours and most people don't have any liquids at all during the night. You wake up unaware you are to some degree dehydrated.

Traditionally, people start the day with breakfast of a cup of coffee and a couple of pieces of bread, which have little or no nutrients and this further contributes to your dehydration and the result is your system is dry, dry, dry.

The other popular breakfast option is a bowl of cereal with milk. If you have ever been interrupted during breakfast and come back you have to add a lot more milk to the cereal to make it palatable. With processed cereal's so eager to soak up the milk just think what must be happening to your body's hydration levels when you have too much dry processed food.

To best support your body start the day with a glass or three of just water (preferably filtered). Then consume a very hydrating breakfast with lots of real whole fruit which have high water content. This will assist in re-hydrating the body's biological system and moving towards optimum hydration. The soluble fibre in the fruit will also assist the body's ability to eliminate all the dry food from the previous day and prepares it for the day's intake of any dry food and environments that are dehydrating.

If you can get the body in an exceptionally hydrated state at the start of the day, you are starting well above the hydration line and can cope much better during the course of a normal day intake of breads, biscuits, coffee and tea without tipping the body into dehydration.

We are all aware of proper water levels as shown in other areas of our life. If you spend most of your time inside climate controlled environments have a look at any live plants which are there. They will be a reflection to what degree you are drying out. You also have to ask why imitation plants in air-conditioned environments are on the increase, it is because if they do not get constant attention by massive amounts of water they dry out and die.

Also if most people ran their cars like they ran their body, with just enough water in it so it would start and run, we would think they were crazy! We all know that if we ran our car with just enough water in it so the motor would start it would run hotter even over a short period of time. The extra heat will dramatically increase the wear and tear on the motor and the internal parts. However we seem to have different values for the motor car than we do for the human body. If you are dehydrated ask yourself which parts are wearing out, right now.

Once again, you must hydrate; really over-hydrate with appropriate food and additional water, just water.

If your body is consistently getting hydration throughout the day, your body is going to function and perform at a higher level in all areas when in balance. With constipation and laxatives on the increase the body is just a creature of habit, so if you are eating more often and drinking more often, the body will eliminate solid waste more often when your are properly hydrated.

A tip for weight loss, next time your are feeling hungry ask yourself am I in need of food or are these signals telling me am I dehydrated and in need of water.

Recommended for optimum hydration for 80kg person in addition to a balanced high water content food intake is 8 to 12 (10oz glasses) of additional water. When travelling by air, an additional 400-550ml of water per hour while in the air will also assist in avoiding or minimising any jet lag. In a climate-controlled environment like an office, hotel or home, increase your normal intake by 50 percent.

I imagine you may be saying to yourself, "I will be going to the toilet every five minutes". You will if you have diuretic drinks like coffee, tea and alcohol. Proper hydration with additional water will leave your body in proper balance.

The question is, would NOW be a great time to feel even better from the benefits of optimum hydration?

John Gearon