When the Jumbotron scoreboard at Cleveland’s Progressive Field caught Browns' quarterback Baker Mayfield biting into a beer can and shot-gunning the brew as he watched the Angels get trounced by the hometown Indians, he insisted it was all in good fun.
Well, that may be true, but we don't want fans to take it as a model for how to hydrate when they're out in the summer heat.
Your body is 50-70% water and losing even 1% of that can cause changes in mood, endurance, and bodily functions.
But staying well-watered isn't simply a matter of downing liquid when you feel thirsty.
In fact, once you are feeling thirsty, you've waited too long.
And you also need to think about hydration even when you're NOT working out or sweating.
In everyday situations, drinking water on an empty stomach sends it in and out of you too quickly to provide cells, tissue, and organs with the moisture they need.
It's better to drink water with meals (celery, tomatoes, strawberries and watermelon are especially hydrating, too) and in between, according to David Nieman, director of the Human Performance Lab at the North Carolina Research Campus.
And you need to know your urine colors:
• If it’s transparent, drink less.
• Pale, straw colored means you're hydrated.
• Transparent yellow means you're normal.
• Dark yellow is normal, but drink water soon.
• Amber or honey-colored means you're not getting enough water. Drink.
• Brown, pink to red, blue, or green: It’s time to see your doctor.