Most people think of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and minerals as nutrients for their body. But water is actually the most critical nutrient of all, necessary for facilitating all metabolic reactions in the human system. In fact, there’s not a single reaction in your body that doesn’t have a water molecule associated with it, from regulating body temperature to cushioning joints to eliminating waste products. The human body is made up of 70% water and even a loss of as little as 2% can precipitate a drop in performance. Proper hydration is key in maintaining energy, mental focus and strength.

Amy Rauworth, Associate Director of the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability, advises that staying hydrated is especially important for those persons with spinal cord injuries. “People with SCI should drink plenty of fluids to avoid a drop in blood pressure called orthostatic hypotension. The cause of orthostatic hypotension is the pooling of blood in the lower extremities and abdominal region. Paralyzed muscles are unable to pump blood back to the heart, which results in a decreased blood flow to the brain. This can cause nausea and dizziness,” Ms. Rauworth explains. “Individuals with SCI may also experience thermoregulation issues that make it difficult to regulate body temperature and proper hydration can assist in avoiding hyperthermia.”

What Are the Signs that Your Body is Becoming Dehydrated?

High Tech Fluid Check

A quick glance at your wrist is all you’ll need to monitor key elements of fluid loss with Acumen’s Hydra-Alert dehydration watches. Once you program the watch with your personal health data, including age, weight and heart rate, it uses built-in temperature and humidity sensors to give you readings of sweat loss in ounces and your percentage of body weight lost in sweat, alerting you to replace your lost fluids. They also contain a “heat index” function that monitors and cautions wearers on their exercise environment. The watches are available in four models (Hydra-Alert Jr., Hydra-Alert HRM, Hydra-Alert PC and Hydra-Alert PC HRM) and range in price from $150-$350.  All models have dual displays for analog and digital time, a weekly and annual event reminder, date and date display and alarm and light functions and three models feature combinations of heart rate monitors and/or two-way PC communication.  

Thirst Tips

Your body absorbs water best in more frequent, smaller quantities so hydrate often.

Your thirst mechanism or sensation operates much slower than your body’s need for hydration.  In other words, by the time you feel thirsty, your body is already suffering, so try to drink before you get parched.

Most health care professionals recommend at least 8 – 12 eight-ounce glasses of water consumed throughout the day. However, many persons with SCI benefit from even more fluid consumption, especially when exercising, during warm weather, in high altitudes, traveling, or when they’re sick.  Remember, it’s always important to check with your urologist or spinal cord doctor before making changes to your recommended bladder management program.

What you drink is important as how often. Drinks with caffeine, such as coffee, tea and colas, do not help meet your fluid intake requirements - they can actually cause you to lose water by increasing your urine output. Consequently, you may need to drink even more water to make up for what caffeine causes you to lose. Sports drinks can be used to replace water, but they contain calories, sugar and are expensive.

No More Sloppy Sipping

Transporting water has come a long way since the canteen. Today, water bottles with one-handed flip top spouts and carabiner loops fit the bill for a short hike. Some even collapse when empty, rolling up to the size of an energy bar. For more ambitious treks, try a hands-free hydration pack. What makes a good pack?  Consider the following features: