My kids still run, play and have a great time outside, heat or not. But as a mom, I do worry about them out in the heat so much. Little ones as well as us older ones can very easily become victims of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Of course we always try to make sure everyone drinks water when outside in hot temperatures, but water may not always be enough to help prevent dehydration and heat stroke. And I really was surprised to learn why-
In drinking water, the brain may turn off the perception of thirst before the body’s overall fluid needs are met and stops the athlete from fully rehydrating. The electrolytes in Gatorade help maintain the stimulus to drink so athletes drink enough to replenish and refuel. Plus Gatorade supplies the proper amount of fluid, electrolytes and carbohydrates to rapidly put back what your young athlete loses in sweat and provides energy to keep them going.
Gatorade has a “Beat the Heat” campaign which educates athletes, parents and coaches about heat-related illness and the importance of proper hydration. Their goal is to reduce the number of heat-related injuries and deaths and help raise funds for organizations dedicated to preventing heat-related illness.
As part of this campaign, we received several bottles of Gatorade G2 to try out. I already knew all of my kids loved Gatorade, we have had it many times before. However, I have to admit the sugars in the Gatorade drinks always made me a little worried. My kiddos really do not need any extra sugar! So I was happy to learn that Gatorade G2 has about half the sugar as the original version. And needless to say, everyone enjoyed the flavors.
And For every unique download of a free Gatorade Heat Safety Kit at www.nfl.com/trainingcamp, Gatorader will donate $1 to “Beat the Heat” charities up to $20,000.
Here are a few tips and facts for parents from Gatorade regarding heat illnesses and dehydration:
Without taking precautionary measures, young athletes might experience a heat-related illness. In some cases, they might be unaware they are experiencing this condition and continue practicing. Make sure your child knows the signs of heat-related illness and encourage his/her coach to periodically check players during practice or workouts for the acute warning signs of heat illness, which can include:
- · Nausea
- · Headache
- · Weakness
- · Fainting
- · Poor concentration
- · Flushed skin
- · Light headedness
- · Loss of muscle coordination
- · Fatigue
- Vomiting
Equipment Makes a Difference
- · Encourage young athletes to wear net-type jerseys
- · As they acclimate to the heat, athletes should wear T-shirts and shorts, not pads
- · Remind athletes to remove helmets when not playing or scrimmaging and avoid wearing sweatshirts and excess clothing
- · Young athletes should change sweat-soaked clothing as soon as possible after activity
“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Gatorade’s “Beat the Heat” campaign and received Gatorade samples to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”