I elaborated on the subject of acidity briefly before, in regards to sugars. Another acidity regulating aspect, one of many worth mentioning is hydration. Proper hydration helps to prevent increased body acidity as it gives the body enough of water to keep the internal organs “hygienic”. Pathogens breed on acidic environment and the less place for the pathogens to breed, the less likely we are to have injuries during the extreme performance.
Hydration though is much more complicated. I add sea water to my food and my electrolyte, as the sea water is much more complex and natural hydration source than the electrolyte. I see some crew members followed this idea with good results. However it is incomplete when used alone, needs to be topped up with the electrolyte. I have especially prepared electrolyte with low natrium chloride, that allows the sea water to be added and along with all the benefits of the sea water create very advanced hydration drink, as hydration is also about the structure of the water.
We can become dehydrated not only by not drinking enough as the first association with the definition indicates, but also by:
-drinking too much of hypotonic fluids, means “too thin” fluids such as normal water, which will cause the loss of electrolyte
-drinking too much of hypertonic fluids, means “too thick” fluids such as salty water or too much electrolyte in the water
-sweating too much and not replacing the electrolyte lost in sweat while drinking normal amounts of water
-loosing too much water through breathing, sweating and urinating, while drinking normal amounts of water
The best athletes can sense and react to the electrolyte and hydration imbalances. There are natural ways to monitor it, but there is also a way to feel the body requesting the adjustment of the electrolyte or hydration.