Originally published August 17 2005
Tips for athletes to beat the heat
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Taking regular water breaks and staying hydrated is essential for athletes to stay in peak condition.
Rio Grande Valley football coaches and players face the same weather conditions during August and September football practices year after year --- scorching temperatures that regularly reach beyond 100 degrees.
Because the relentless heat is a part of life in South Texas, dealing with the high temperatures is second nature for coaches and trainers.
In this heat, health experts say, it is important that players remain hydrated and that trainers and coaches know what to do if a player becomes dehydrated.
According to the Web MD Web site, dehydration occurs when someone looses large amount of fluids through diarrhea, vomiting, sweating or strenuous exercise.
"I have seen some players lose between two and four pounds in a practice," said Carlos Garcia, a certified trainer at The Fitness Edge in McAllen.
"That can be dangerous because they are just losing water weight.
Vela said his teams used to practice three times a day with a mid-afternoon practice taking place in the gym --- a practice was reserved for conditioning.
The team was forced to scale back because the gym at the newly built Edinburg High School is being used this past week for back-to-school registration.
McAllen High athletic trainer Joe Ramos recommends a player drink between one gallon and one gallon and a half of water each day.
"They should drink three to four 20-ounce glasses of water before they practice," Ramos said, adding that at practice a player can have as much water he wants.
At every Bulldogs practice players have water, water mist and wet towels at their pleasure.
Ramos recommends players also consume sports drinks such as Gatorade and PowerAde, because those drinks have the electrolytes that water does not provide.
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