Off-bike hydration

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Becky, you mention the 'headache stage' of dehydration.
Interestingly,headache is also one of the symptoms of certain electrolyte deficiencies:
http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz..._disorders.jsp
If you still have unpleasant symptoms and headache that drinking plenty of water won't cure, then it's possible that the headache can be coming from a lack of sufficient electrolytes or other nutrients as opposed to being due to dehydration (insufficient water).
And yes, when we sweat a lot and become dehydrated we also tend to lose electrolytes and various other nutrients.

[gnat23]

Becky, you mention the 'headache stage' of dehydration.
Interestingly,headache is also one of the symptoms of certain electrolyte deficiencies:

...Holysnot. This could explain why I used to get a headache at mile 40 like clockwork.

-- gnat! (MWAH! I love this messageboard!)

[TahoeDirtGirl]

You can get tested for electrolyte levels in your blood. My surprise was finding out my potassium and sodium were low. I got a prescription for potassium and sodium, well...that one was easier. I don't get a headache with my electrolyte levels, I get my heart palpitations back-not as significant as I've had them before, but they start to bother me and I get that fluttery weird feeling. Yuck.

[Smilie]

If I'm home, normally I just mix my own. I mix up a batch (the following recipe, or double) and keep it in a jar. It doesn't taste like much, but it sure is cheaper (and conserves all the little plastic packets). You could add flavoring, the only caveat being if it's an acid it would react with the bicarb.

1 Cup Sugar
4 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp Potassium Chloride (Salt Substitute)
2 Tsp Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)

Use 3 Tbsp per liter of water

What is this recipe for? Is it an emergen-c type recipe or an electrolyte recipe?

[Eden]

Why not try a different flavor of NUUN... personally I like berry, but they do have 4 more flavors. Elete and endurolytes are similar products, but I believe, have no flavor at all.

I'm one that gets headaches if I drink too much plain water, so I tend to supplement it with something.

[Becky]

Becky, you mention the 'headache stage' of dehydration.
Interestingly,headache is also one of the symptoms of certain electrolyte deficiencies:
http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz..._disorders.jsp
If you still have unpleasant symptoms and headache that drinking plenty of water won't cure, then it's possible that the headache can be coming from a lack of sufficient electrolytes or other nutrients as opposed to being due to dehydration (insufficient water).
And yes, when we sweat a lot and become dehydrated we also tend to lose electrolytes and various other nutrients.

That's a really interesting article. Thanks for sharing.

[OakLeaf]

What is this recipe for? Is it an emergen-c type recipe or an electrolyte recipe?

Electrolyte recipe. Homemade gatorade.

[Smilie]

Electrolyte recipe. Homemade gatorade.

Excellent! That will sure cut the cost on drink mixes I purchase. I could put it in tea, or even buy the plain kool-aid packets to flavor it. Thanks!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

What is this recipe for? Is it an emergen-c type recipe or an electrolyte recipe?

Just for further info,
Here are the ingredients in Emergen-C:
http://www.allstarhealth.com/f/alacer-emergen-c.htm

as compared to their ElectroMix electrolytes-only powder:
http://www.allstarhealth.com/f/alacer-electro_mix.htm

[aicabsolut]

I'll get a headache if I don't eat soon enough after a ride. If I get a headache during a ride, either my neck is stiff or I'm nearing the bonk zone. Dehydration headaches to me feel different, like a hangover. Electrolyte and calorie deficient headaches are kind of all over, and headache medicines don't usually help. Recovery food and a nap does .

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I got a severe headache several times while riding my bike a couple years ago and couldn't figure out why. Turns out is was the non-polarized cheap sunglasses I had bought at the drugstore!

"Eat before you're hungry, drink before you're thirsty"- always a good thing to strive for.

Mostly I eat well before I ride and I'm fine- but then again my rides never exceed 50 to 70 miles, unlike like some of you super serious riders do.
On my longer rides I throw some electrolyte/vitamin powder into my water bottle, but anything less than 25 miles I just do plain water.

[OakLeaf]

That's funny, polarized glasses give me headache and nausea. I hate the iridescence of everyone else's windshields!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

That's funny, polarized glasses give me headache and nausea. I hate the iridescence of everyone else's windshields!

Iridescence?? Hmmm....I don't see that on my good sunglasses. Maybe something else is going on here- perhaps it was just that my headache-causing sunglasses were cheapo in some other way that caused me headaches.
Anyhoo- my decent glasses are great for me.

I imagine that crummy sunglasses could indeed cause dehydration.....if they make you feel nauseous and you hurl periodically!

[aicabsolut]

I've had glasses that didn't fit properly or put too much pressure (pinching or weight) on my nose give me big headaches. Those typically felt kind of like a sinus headache or weird migraine because of the pressure around the sinuses and behind the eyes. I am super picky about sunglasses.