[MR] The Water Consumption Dilemma

[Lord Mungoe]

OK, the dillemia about heat and fighting is once again upon us as the warm
weather is here. I am a ER nurse at the Portsmouth Navy Hosp, and am retired
after 20 years enlisted and Officer. I also get the latest data from the
Gulf War(s) about running around in Battle gear in hot climate. Hear are
some helpful hints.

If you drink too much at once, you can cause your body to loose too much
Potassium as you sweat ande pee. This can lead to heat cramps and a rapid
heart beat. This usualy occurs after two days of over drinking straight
water. The night before you need to hydrate in a gradual manor.

You can hydrate gradualy  by eating water soluble fiber-Rice and noodles,
along with a fluid rish in electrolytes like gator aid. This gets you more
fluids into your system with the food, and allows a more gradual absorption
of fluids, nutrients, and electrolytes. Also tomatoe sause is high in
concenrated potassium, although the acid can give you trouble if you have
reflux. Bananas, Potatoe skins, peaches and chicken breasts are all high in
Potassium. Do not take suppliments and overdoing those can cause your heart
to slow down too much.

In the gulf they recommend about 4-6 gallions of water spread throught out
the day. Now the Marines level of activity is much higher then we fighters,
and we do not stay in armor for the whole 24 hours. They are taught to take
constant sips through out the day. In heavy exertion were adrenoline is
secreated, the body shuts down your kidneys and intestines to reserve energy
to get away or fight whatever is causing the adrenoline to rise. In ancient
days this was a Tiger, in the SCA it is usualy a Duke.

Pickels are excelant in breaking up mucous that dries in the mouth, and the
vinager is a way to kill bacteria. Romans used to mix vinegar in water to
cut downs on camp sickness.

A lot of fighters wear camel packs under their armor, so that they have a
constant water supply and are not sharing water with 3 thousand friends.

Salty foods the night before are not a problem, salt the day of a lond fight
like the woods battle can induce vomiting, and a rapid heart rate as Sodium
can act as a heart irritant.

Remember, though, that each individual is a little different and these
things may not apply to you. Everyone is a little different.

Alcohol, Tobaco, THC (Illegal but you smell wiffs of it at Pennsic.) all
cause dehydration. However if you want to indulge, that is up to you in a
free society. In a free society everyone has the right to kill themselves
anyway they want.

If something I wrote did not make sence, e mail me back and I will clarify
or look it up.

Later



----- Original Message -----
From: "Siegfried Sebastian Faust" <eliwhite at adelphia.net>
To: "Mazzone, Tracy (Mitchell)" <Tracy.Mazzone at digitalnet.com>; "Merry Rose
Tavern" <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2003 1:57 PM
Subject: RE: [MR] The Water Consumption Dilemma


>
> >While this is something to watch out for and to be concerned about, I
> >think that it can be avoided by drinking sports drinks as well as water,
> >by eating high-salt content foods - such as pickles and pretzels,
>
> You might want to go back and re-read that article.  It specifically said
> that doing this doesn't help that much.  The problem can still surface,
> mostly when your muscles run out of glycose.  You body enters a state
where
> it retains all water, and therefore drinking any amount, even small, of
> water, can cause this problem.
>
> Now, I don't think this is a huge problem for heavy fighers, as we don't
> tend to fight for 5 hours non-stop to completely burn off our energy
reserve.
>
> What it DID say, which I found interesting, and good advice, is that you
> can't have serious problems by pre-watering.  You can drink all you want
> before your activity, and you will be fine.  It's drinking DURING the
> activity, and in particular, after LOTS of activity, that you need to be
> careful.
>
> Siegfried
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________________
> THL Siegfried Sebastian Faust     Baronial Web Minister & Archery Marshal
> Barony of Highland Foorde        http://highland-foorde.atlantia.sca.org/
>
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