Fluid Running

Should I be drinking more than just water?

The question is what should I be drinking?

Lets start off with the good ol' classic, water. Then we will check out a few others!

WATER
There is not a huge secret that water is essential to human life and we can only live so many days without water. So besides needing it to sustain our lives, drinking our normal amount of water daily helps the body stay regular. Water flushes out the toxins of out body, meaning less cramps, and a quicker recovery, yes! Those are just two examples, and if you want eight more, check out the Benefits of Drinking Water. Further, here is a good link to find out, How much water do we need?

SPORTS DRINKS
The best parts about sports drinks, such as Gatorade, are that they normally have high carbohydrates and high electrolytes. Those are very beneficial for runners because carbohydrates give us energy that our body stores as glucose and are our main source of energy during physical activity. Electrolytes are good for runners because they help in muscle contraction which basically means physical activity, and without adequate electrolytes your body is more likely to cramp which is never good!

TEA
So what kind of tea are we talking about here. I will tough on green tea and ginger tea. green tea has a high amount of antioxidants called catechins. Antioxidants are fairly essential for the daily grind because they reduce inflammation of muscles which helps us stay healthy. Also most green teas have caffeine which can help increase performance. Ginger tea has two brilliant aspects to it that are being an anti inflammatory and  being able to boost immune system. The anti inflammatory is called gingerols, which basically means faster muscle recovery. The immune system is boosted by its ability to ease throat pain, kill cold viruses, and helps eliminate congestion. For more on ginger check out its full list of Health Benefits. 



For a couple more ideas on drinks, check out the Best Beverages for Runners.

"Ninety-eight percent of success is in the head and the heart"

Cathy Ferguson, Olympic Swimmer

Strive for the best.

Until next time,

Michael Duncan