WATER,
WATER, WATER, Hydration Dehydration is a major concern in winter. Because the
air is as dry as a desert, your body loses its water at a greatly accelerated
rate. Breathing through the mouth during exertion exposes a large area of
moisture rich mucous membrane to this super dry air, speeding dehydration even
further. Even when you are inactive, the body loses moisture through a process
known as insensible sweating. It tries to stabilize humidity levels at the
surface of your skin, and ends up giving away still more water.
Compounding the problem of keeping hydrated is
the fact that the body hoards its warmth during cold weather by
vasoconstriction by reducing the blood plasma volume. It tries to pool much of
the blood to the body core to provide an extra measure of insulation (which is
why you have to pee so much when you first go out). Because of this it is
normal for your hands and feet to be colder than the rest of you. The body,
faced with cold, says 'Brain and innards come first. Hands and feets yer on yer
own!" This can become a critical situation when you are dehydrated because the
thickened blood won't reach to the constricted capillaries of the extremities.
The chances of getting frostbite and becoming hypothermic are increased
considerably. Proper hydration will held
you stay warmer. As a matter of fact, the old saw "If your feet are cold, put
on a hat" should be amended to include something about having something to
drink also. Many high altitude climbers credit proper hydration with their
ability to acclimatize (and also come back with all their toes).
In summertime, when the body is
dehydrated, we feel thirsty. This is not so in the winter. Staying hydrated in
the winter, especially during great exertion, must be a conscious and
deliberate act. Must be a conscious and deliberate act. And so I invoke the
grand mnemonic again; drink BEFORE you are thirsty. Drink as much water as comfort allows, and that will
probably be enough. Some books recommend a specific amount that you should
drink, such as 4 quarts a day, but in reality, it depends upon how active you
are and to a lesser extent, on your personal metabolism. There is a saying
that's used for determining proper hydration: "CLEAR AND COPIOUS" refers to the
color and volume of your urine. Ideally your urine should pale yellow or
colorless, signifying that you're drinking enough. If you are peeing orange
colored urine, especially during the day, drink!
HEAT
EXHAUSTION Hot
Temperatures, humidity, physical activity is a recipe for heat illness. When you can`t keep your
body cool through sweating, serious illnesses can happen. The most severe being
heat exhaustion and heat stroke. If the warning signs are not heeded then heat
exhaustion could lead to heat stroke and quite possibly be
fatal. Symptoms Headache, dizzy,
light-headed, weak, moody, irritable, confusion, not thinking straight, upset
stomach, vomiting, urine output is low and dark, fainting passing out, clammy
skin.
Actions To Be
Taken Act immediately to avoid heat
stroke or possible death
Place the person in a cool place
in a shaded area away from the sun and keep the person company.
If the person is dizzy or
light-headed lay them on their back, raising the legs six to eight inches.
If they feel sick to their stomach lay them on their side.
Loosen heavy bulky clothes and
remove.
Have them drink a cup of cool
water every 15 minutes unless they are sick to their stomach.
Fanning along with spraying a
mist of water onto the person or apply a cool wet cloth to the
skin.
GET HELP IF symptoms do not
improve within a few minutes.
HEAT
STROKE Symptoms Pale dry
skin with no sweating, hot and skin that resembles a sunburn, moody, irritable,
confusion, not thinking straight, seizures and and fits, unconsciousness with
no response.
Actions To Be
Taken GET HELP!
Place the person in a cool place
in a shaded area away from the sun and do not leave them alone
Move objects that are near the
person if seizures or fits are present. If they feel sick to their stomach lay
them on their side.
Loosen heavy bulky clothes and
remove.
Have them drink a cup of cool
water every 15 minutes (if they are alert) unless they are sick to their
stomach.
Fanning, along with spraying a
mist of water onto the person or apply a cool wet cloth to the
skin.
Place ice packs under the armpits
and groin area
Protect
Yourself
Learn the Symptoms
Teach yourself and others about
heat sickness
Drink plenty of water, at least
8oz every twenty minutes whether your thirsty or not.
Wear loose fitting
clothes.
Take breaks in the
shade.
Don`t gorge on large meals before
exercise.
NO alcohol or caffeine. Doing any
of these make the body lose water.
When taking any MEDICATIONS
be sure to check with your physician or Pharmacist to see if they will effect
your expose to hot environments.
WATER
TREATMENT There are numerous ways to
protect yourself from all the Protozoa and Bacteria that are hanging out in
your water. Protozoa causes most water related sicknesses. Protoza, a
single cell parasitic microorganism, (5 tp 15 microns) has a protective shell
that make them very resistant to iodine so removal by filtration is the way to
go. Bacteria is smaller than protozoan cysts 0.0 to 10microns but just as
nasty, however with proper treatment can be removed. Giardiasis (GEE-are-DYE-uh-sis) being one of the
nasty creatures. THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
has quite the vivid description as to what this is all about.
Personally I would treat any water I drink on the trail. From pills to
drops to handheld purifiers there is no excuse not to treat your water. I
use the MSR MiniWorks, it screws on top of my wide mouth Nagene and put the
hose into the water source and pump it slowly for a 100 or so times and you
have a nice safe quart of water.
SOURCES: Occupational
Safety & Health Administration 200 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20210
WEBMD The Weather
Channel EMS.com
A passage
from WEBMD.COM this is an awesome website for anything.
WEBMD
It's easy to get dehydrated, especially if you're
physically active. Run low on H20 and you'll feel tired and run-down.
Unfortunately, you can't depend on feeling thirsty to know when you need water.
By the time you're parched, your body is already far short of the water it
requires for peak performance. Drinking plenty of water is especially important
if you're over 60. Medications like blood pressure drugs can impair your
ability to regulate fluid balance. What's more, thirst sensation decreases with
age. How much is enough? At least six 12-ounce glasses of water a day, experts
say. If you're exercising in hot weather, you'll need even more. You can sweat
as much as half a gallon an hour, says David Nieman, an assistant professor of
health promotion at Appalachian State University in North Carolina and author
of "Fitness and Your Health." People over 70 should drink eight glasses a day,
say researchers at Tufts University -- although you should check first with
your physician if you have particular health concerns or are on medication. The
best gauge of hydration is urine color, which should be very pale yellow. If
yours is darker than that, it's time to hydrate.
Disclaimer: I have
tried to put as much detail and accurate information as possible through other
resources and my own experiences on what I have hiked and seen as I climb.
This is in my own opinion and should only be used as a guideline and
NOT to be used as your sole information.
Know your own physical
limitations, as well as the people you are hiking with, before the
hike.
Know your own experience, as
well as the people you are hiking with, before the hike.
Know that hiking, like any
outdoor activity has risks, so assume common sense and respect all cautions and
guidelines for the land as well as others.
Use of the information on these
pages is at the viewers own risk.
Due to the ever changing
environment I express and disclaim any legal responsibility for any
trail or person.
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