Muscle cramps from dehydration and heat

Coconut water and pre-hydrate!

 

The heat affects us all as we get older and you'll know what works for you by trial and error.
There's a lot to dislike about Gatorade but it works and is available most anywhere that sells packaged drinks.

 

The main thing that should be pointed out is all these things mentioned are only supplements. Do not use them exclusively.. water is your main source of hydration, but you need to supplement it with something because water doesnt replenish everything you sweat out.. the reason gatorade and powerade work is because they have alot of salt in them. Thats is what is replenishing you and hydrating you is the salt. so for example if you drink 1 regular bottle size of gatorade then 3 of the same bottles of water should be consumed in order to stay hydrated. Otherwise just drinking gatorade or sports drinks or anything else, is just going to give u heat sickness regardless because you arent drinking enough water.

 

It’s the artificial sweeteners. Especially corn fructose.

 

Ice cold beer.

 

Unfortunately beer is off the menu for me because it's a trigger for gout. And I used to drink it at room temperature.

 

Very true, I will add two tablespoons of the powdered Gatorade to 1.5 quarts of water. I will usually go through two of those bottles during my days. I try to limit the powder as much as I can, just enough to make water a little more interesting. I am sort of in the same boat as you drivers, I don’t have a toilet in my truck either. Sometimes stuck holding on to it like it’s money!

 

I didn't read the entire thread so maybe this has been mentioned, but I started having issues with low sodium when I went on a proton pump inhibitor (omeprazole) for over a year for my GERD (hiatal hernia), and then added a SSRI (which I'm no longer on) on top of it.

For some reason, those together made my electrolytes go out of whack...particularly if I ate things high in potassium (like potatoes) without consciously supplementing with a salt tablet to balance it.

So basically...don't drink straight water. Add electrolytes to it.

And review if any meds you are on have "low sodium" or potassium/magnesium as a side effect, you might need to work with your doctor to figure out exactly how YOU should supplement.