Hurricane Irma is upon South Florida, so Dr. Rosselli and the entire RevitalIV team wants to give you some last minute hurricane hydration tips. Whether you have decided to hunker down or evacuate, keeping your body hydrated is extremely important during a hurricane. We all know that we need water to live. We also know the importance of buying enough water for our family during the storm (see below). Staying well-hydrated can provide some real benefits for riding out a storm, so we’ve outlined a few of the benefits below in the hopes that you have as much and DRINK as much as you can.
Proper Hurricane Hydration:
- Promotes Cardiovascular Health– Dehydration lowers your blood volume, so your heart must work harder to pump the reduced amount of blood and get enough oxygen to your cells, which makes everyday activities like walking up stairs–or preparing for/cleaning up after a storm–more difficult.
- Keeps Your Body Cool– Many of us know that feeling when the power and AC goes out after a hurricane. It gets HOT….really hot. Your body releases heat by expanding blood vessels close to the skin’s surface (this is why your face gets red during exercise), resulting in more blood flow and more heat dissipated into the air. When you’re dehydrated, however, it takes a higher environmental temperature to trigger blood vessels to widen, so you stay hotter. Proper hydration keeps your body cooler.
- Helps Muscles and Joints Work Better- Proper hydration lubricates your joints, allowing you to perform better. Having healthy joints and muscles during storm preparation and cleanup is very helpful.
- Helps to Cleanse Your Body- Your kidneys need water to filter waste from the blood and excrete it in urine. Keeping well hydrated may also help prevent urinary tract infections and kidney stones. If you are severely dehydrated, your kidneys may stop working, causing toxins to build up in your body. With all of the snacking and stress during a storm, it is very important to make sure your body is functioning at optimum level.
You must, of course, actually HAVE water to receive these benefits. Below are some hurricane hydration and water-related tips that we’ve gathered for maximizing your hydration during the storm:
- You should have one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days.
- Don’t forget your pets! Freeze plastic storage bags with tap water to feed your best friends and to keep your freezer cold after the power goes out.
- Fill your bathtub with water for toilet flushes. We all know how a toilet works, right? 😉
- Turn your washing machine into a cooler by filling with ice and beverages.
- Use a water bottle as a lantern by taping a flashlight to the bottom.
We hope these last minute hurricane hydration tips are helpful for your storm preparation. Please visit the National Hurricane Center for more Hurricane Preparedness Tips and stay tuned to your local news stations for storm updates.
RevitalIV will open it’s doors as soon as possible after the storm so that you can rehydrate and renourish your body with the nutrients it needs to maintain optimum wellness. Stay tuned to our FB page for updates on our hours of operation. Our thoughts are with all of you in the line of the storm.
-Dr. Rosselli and the entire RevitalIV Team
