HYDRATION

I've got a new volunteer position as a new Cub Master.  Kind of weird because I've never met a woman Cub Master before.  Yesterday my husband and I went up to our church where one of the other Cub Packs (not ours) were setting up the track for their Pinewood Derby that night.  Since this is my first time as Cub Master, and since my husband said he would help me put the track together at the end of the month when our Pack has their Derby, we went up to see how it was done.  We ended up helping, of course, and were glad to see how easily the track fits together. They had asked 2 college age boys to come help set up, and these boys had pulled out the big box the track was in, and was in the process of removing stacks of extra chairs with a dolley to another room, when one of the boys bent over and began breathing heavily.  I went over to him and patted him on the back and asked him if he was ok.  He said "Yes", but kept breathing heavy.  I said, "Is it a case of needing some food?" He said, "Yes".  Since he wasn't seeming to pull out of it, I suggested to him that we find him some food - no small feat in a church that is not supposed to have food of any kind stored anywhere in the building.  He went to the kitchen and I went to one of the nurseries.  I found an opened package of trail mix that I know had been there at least 3 months, since I had seen it there when I helped out in the nursery at least that long ago.  When I went to find him, he wasn't in the kitchen but was coming back from the other nursery, with no luck.  I showed him the trail mix and told him, "No telling how old that is, but if you're desperate..."  He did take it and I think did eat at least some of it.  I went back to helping put the track together, but about a half hour later heard him telling the Pack Chairman (who is also a woman) that he had almost passed out about 5 times so far.  He kept sitting on this chair, acting like he couldn't shake it.  A few minutes later I went over to him again and said, "Hey, just tell me what you want to eat, and I'll go get you something."  He said he was going to go home and get something (he only lived 2 blocks away) but he was trying to get his head clear so he could make it to his car.  His friend was going to drive him home.  Then I had another thought.  I said, "I wonder if this is a case of just needing hydration."  I told him I was going to go get him some water.  I went to the kitchen but couldn't find any glasses, so just took a plastic pitcher to the water fountain and put some water in it and took it to him.  He acted like "I really don't need this, I need food", but took it anyway.  He took a couple of swallows and stopped and said, "Hey, I really think that is helping".  Then he drank the rest of it.  Probably equal to about a glass of water.  When he finished he said that maybe that was part of it as he was really starting to feel better.  He went ahead and went on home to get something to eat.  I remember watching an Oprah show one time about hydration.  The doctor on her show said that sometimes when we feel hungry during the day, we are really just thirsty and we should try drinking a full glass of water before we eat anything.  I don't think we really hydrate our bodies enough.  We have to remember that when we are hydrating our bodies, we are also hydrating our brains too.  I looked this up on the web and it said that some signs that you are not drinking enough water are: Dark urine Dry skin Thirst Hunger Fatigue Here are 11 benefits of drinking water: 1. Helps you lose weight --helps flush out fat, reduces hunger, and is an effective appetite suppresant 2. Natural remedy for headache 3. Helps you look younger with healthier skin 4. Better productivity at work or school- drinking water helps you think better 5. Better exercise - drinking water helps regulate your body temperature and helps you feel more energetic 6. Helps in digestion and constipation - drinking water raises your metabolism 7. Less cramps and sprains - drinking water helps keep your joints & muscles lubricated 8. Less likely to get sick  - helps fight against flu, kidney stones, heart attack, and can improve our immune system 9. Relieves fatigue - if your body lacks water, your heart and other organs have to work harder, also helps flush out toxins and waste products 10. Good mood - your body feels good and so do you 11. Reduces the risk of cancer - may reduce the risk of bladder cancer and colon cancer