Most of these activities expose them to the hot, humid weather that occurs with the summer months in Mississippi. As our kids become active outside, it is important to prevent health complications caused by dehydration. The human body perspires, or sweats, to stay cool. This evaporation of sweat from the surface of the skin cools the body allowing it to maintain a normal temperature. As we perspire, we also lose large amounts of water from our bodies.
Water is essential for carrying out many different roles within the body and staying healthy.
Therefore, we must prevent dehydration, or loss of water, to stay healthy. We cannot keep from sweating when playing sports during the summer, but we can drink plenty of water during the day to keep our water levels high. Youth are especially prone to dehydration because they often forget to take a break and grab a drink while they are playing. Encourage your youth to consume plenty of water. Water, not soft drinks, is the best fluid to drink.