Hydration is so important! It's a large part of what makes our body whole, and what keeps our whole body functioning. Like oil in your car, the gears grind to a halt if you don't change the fluids. A body without clean water can't function as designed. This is true, no matter what you do.
For starters, our adult bodies carry roughly 10 pints of blood & use about 100 ounces of water each day. Plasma is 90% water, and Plasma is about 55% of total blood volume. That equates to about 5 pints of water in our blood. Aside from Plasma, the other 10% of blood volume is comprised of protein molecules; such as, enzymes, clotting agents, immune system components, vitamins & hormones. Water is integral to function.
If you want healthy blood & circulation, it's important to hydrate with "high quality H2O" (Bobby Boucher, The Waterboy). Our bodies generate millions of new red blood cells every second in order to replace dying cells.
Prefer sodas & caffeinated drinks instead of water? Imagine pumping Diesel fuel into your Gas engine (or, plugging your Model S into DC, or AC in your Model 3 Tesla). Your body won't function well, or for very long by depriving your body the fluids it needs to function.
One unique benefit of (proper) HOT YOGA is the way it promotes circulation throughout our body, from inside-out. Imagine wringing the water out of a wet towel. The postures work with the (proper) environment to extend the length of muscles & tissues, while stimulating organ function. That includes our skin, as our largest organ. Hydration helps flush waste (vis a vis uric acid) from the body.
Gyms & studios without the right training, experience, or equipment for Hot Yoga, tend to compensate with stuff like space heaters & IR panels. These ad hoc & inappropriate heating methods can damage the skin. For example, IR heating panels penetrate the layers of the skin; triggering inflammation, dehydration and the degradation of collagen and elastin.
You are NOT a frozen burrito. Avoid the IR panels & microwaves.
Among the many risks of (not so) hot yoga is the harmful depletion of your skin. IR panels & space heaters will dry the uric acid ON and IN your skin. (And, P.S. sweat molecules form compounds known as thioalcohols; body odor. Yuck!) If you finish a yoga class with that clammy, itchy skin feeling; steer clear of the not-so hot & not-so healthy practices.
Hydration is key to maintain a healthy body. Proper hydration even helps our minds. (Yes, your brain is roughly 80% water.) According to the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, just 2% dehydration can degrade brain function, including:
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- Memory loss
- Poor focus
- Slow processing of information
- Irritability
- Headaches
On the flip-side, drinking water before cognitive tests has been proven to increase focus & reaction time. All of our organs & tissues need H2O.
So, how much water should you drink? Hydration is directly related to your level of activity & body chemistry, since sweat rate is proportional to metabolic rate.
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- Adults lose about 100 ounces of water per day - just being alive.
- Double that, if you work up a sweat for an hour.
Are you drinking 200 ounces, cumulative, each day? Even more important in winter months, as the air is dry & moisture is drawn from the body to stay warm.
Hot Yoga works from the inside-out, and the benefits are hand-in-glove with proper hydration. Clean water helps our body function efficiently & effectively, as we are designed to function. (Proper) Hot Yoga is way more than just stretching in a heated room.
So, let's roll! Trade the soda & coffee for your water bottle & yoga mat. It's time to hydrate & sign up for a legit Hot Yoga class with Sol!