Stay Safe with Water

Water is one of the Cub Scout 6 Essentials, and for good reason.  

• Notice Soda is not one of the 6 essentials. See Soda section below.

Water is one of the most important things required by your body.  

• See section below, on how to make trail water safe to drink.

About 60 % of your body weight is made of water.  You need it for every single body function.  It flushes toxins from your organs, carries nutrients to your cells, cushions your joints, and helps you digest the food you eat. 

Simply put...  It keeps you hydrated.

WebMD says:

If you don’t get enough water, you can become dehydrated. Severe cases of dehydration can cause dizziness, confusion, and even seizures.

That’s why it’s important to get the water as your body needs every day. No set amount is right for everyone. How much you need can depend on your size, how much exercise you do, how hot the weather is, and other things. 

Every day, you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements, which is why it’s important to continue to take in water throughout the day. For your body to function at its best, you must replenish its water supply with beverages and food that contain water.

Here are a few important reasons water is so important, especially when outdoors.

• Regulates body temperature

• Moistens tissues in the eyes, nose and mouth

• Protects body organs and tissues

• Carries nutrients and oxygen to cells

• Lubricates joints

• Lessens burden the on kidneys and liver by flushing out waste products

• Helps dissolve minerals and nutrients to make them accessible to your body

• Helps create saliva

• Helps excrete toxins from body

• Aids in digestion

The recommended minimum every day intake of water is:

Kids: 

1-3 years - 4 cups water or milk daily

4-8 years - 5 cups water daily

9-13 years - 7 to 8 cups of water daily

14 and up - 8 to 11 cups or water daily

Adults:

Women - 9 to 11.5 cups water daily, if pregnant or feeding then the water intake may be higher.

Men - 13 to 15.5 cups daily.

Of course if you are outside on a hot day, or something that makes you sweat a lot, you'll need to drink more fluids to stay hydrated.

Those that have spent anytime out doors with me will tell you that I do not promote Soda or sugary drinks when outdoors, well ok just in general.

What I need you to know is that it is an educated decision on my part.  I want to ensure that our scouters are safe outdoors, while promoting a Safe and Healthy Scouting Adventure.

Studies show:

Soft drinks can contribute to an immediate health risk: dehydration. 

Research from the American Physiological Society found that using soft drinks to rehydrate actually worsens dehydration and increases kidney injuries, compared to plain water or water sweetened with stevia. 

Soda also increases your risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and poor dental health down the road.

Rehydrating:

So how do we rehydrate if or when we've starved our body of water?

Water alone may not be enough.  You'll need to drink something that can help replenish the electrolytes in your body. Drinks such as Gatorade and Pedialyte can do just that.