Up to 60% of our bodies are composed of water...

 

Are your students and athletes consuming enough?

 

For generations, coaches, teachers, trainers, and nutritionists have reiterated the old adage that the human body is made up of 60% water. So, wouldn't it be logical that that we should consume water frequently as a part of our daily routine? Well, it may be a no-brainer for most of society, however, with youngsters, that is rarely the case.

 

It pains me to observe young athletes and PE participants begin physical activity without consuming a single drop of water within a day. It's easy to observe the student athletes who are ill prepared nutritionally and are ill-hydrated. Their lackluster performances reflect that and are certainly behind the figurative eight ball compared to their properly fueled and hydrated peers. Not only does proper hydration aid in athletic development and consistency, but as the temperatures outside rise, water consumption is more and more important at regulating proper body temperatures and bodily functions.

 

Society has been inundated with sugary, inexpensive and potentially addictive drinks that are made far too readily available, particularly when products companies specifically and directly market to the youth with flashy advertisement and celebrity endorsements. The fact is, sugar, carbonated, chemical filled drinks provide the body with very little hydration, have little to no nutritional value and lead to elevated blood sugar, increased risk of obesity and tooth decay.

 

As educators, particularly PE teachers, we must place a more enthusiastic emphasis on proper and effective means to achieve hydration. We need to counter the flashy advertising ploys made by the major drink companies, by directly promoting water consumption to our youth with our own style of marketing.