Staying hydrated when hiking

 

Hydration bladders are easy to carry, leaving your hands free  

I’m one of those people always carrying a bottle of water and that has got nothing to do with trying to shed some of my load. At least I know that it will take more than gulping litres of water to reduce my weight, so if you’ve seen me with a bottle of water in hand, it’s just me ensuring that I stay hydrated.  I have already shared information on the type of backpack you need when hiking, and the specifications included having outside pockets that can accommodate bottles of water and space for a water bladder. This is important as staying hydrated on a hike is essential for your safety. The heat this season is what prompted this piece. And just as a reminder, even in winter, hydration is still very important.

You’ve probably been told that our bodies are made up of between 50 and 75% water, and because we keep losing it through sweat, urine, and so on, we need to keep replenishing what we lose. And what better way to do that than drinking more water? I know some people may count other beverages they consume and think they’re hydrating. Just because it is liquid, it does not mean that it will hydrate you. In fact, there are beverages that require you to hydrate while consuming them as they are dehydrating.

Electrolytes

I’m now going to sound educated and smart. I have already mentioned that we sweat a lot when hiking. And with this sweat, we’re not only losing water, but we’re also losing electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and others which, according to healthline.com, are essential for maintaining cell function, muscle contractions, fluid balance and general body functioning. If you feel fatigued or experience muscle cramps during a hike, that may be a sign of low electrolytes in your body or dehydration.   

Most sports and health shops sell electrolytes either as sachets with granules or dissoluble tablets. These should always be in your backpack, especially when it’s hot or when you’re on a multiday hike. If you’re using bottles, it may be wise to pop in an electrolyte tablet or sachet in one. Make sure that you get advice when buying electrolytes as they have divergent uses. There are some for pre-exercise to help you stay hydrated for longer and to help with endurance, while others are meant to assist with muscle recovery post-exercise. There are also isotonic drinks and gels which may help with replenishing the lost electrolytes.

Hydration packs

While I have such a healthy relationship with water, I’ve not always consumed enough when hiking. The first issue was when I started hiking, just like the many people I see on trails, I carried water bottles. The difference here is that at least I carried the bottles in my backpack instead of holding them in my hands. Did that help keep me hydrated? You guessed right! Because accessing the bottles was always a mission which required me to stop, undo the backpack and remove it so I can pull out my bottles, this affected the frequency at which I hydrated. Well, you may have the bottles on the outside pockets, but that is never really such a good option as the water gets hot. I suspect those who carry their bottles in their hands experience the same thing. What’s worse with their option is that once the bottle is empty, there’s no longer any motivation to keep carrying it, which leads to littering.

I know many people who hit the trail without even a drop of water, and I try to remind those I hike with of the importance of water when hiking. Some bring water in bottles and because of the inconvenience of having to remove the backpack to access it, they end up not drinking enough. Please note that I’m not selling hydration packs or bladders, but it will be remiss of me not to share the convenience they offer. I know people have asked why I needed a catheter or drip in a hike, and I’ve patiently explained that the catheter is a trusted friend to ensure I stay hydrated throughout my hike.

A hydration hose is easily accessible than a bottle of water in the bag.

I’ve had moments of forgetting to use my hydration bladder even though the hydration hose was just close to my mouth. In 2017, while hiking the Ancascocha trail in Peru and dealing with the altitude that I thought was going to be the end of me, the last thing on my mind was water. Everything was a struggle. A sister friend had to keep reminding me, ‘Moratiwa drink water’, each time I mentioned a headache. Taking that sip of water was a mission, but as soon as I started remembering to take a sip, I had hope that my family will not have to receive my body at the airport. And there were moments where my backpack, with only my water and a few snacks, got so heavy that a porter had to carry it for me. With limited access to water, my body wanted to give in, hence I want to plead with you, if you take anything at all from all my writings, let it be that you never have to be on a hike without enough water, whatever that means for you. Remember, when you hike, especially when it’s hot, you sweat a lot, and you need to put that water back.

Taking frequent water breaks

Taking a break allows the body to cool down.

One habit that hikers develop over time, and I'm one of them, is to hike without frequents stops, especially on day hikes. Believe me I'm not sure how that habit crept it. I sometimes miss the good old days when hiking meant taking frequent stops - okay, maybe I don't miss stopping every ten minutes - just to be present and smell the moment. We've become so used to rushing that we forget that the reason we go hiking is so we can slow down and be one with nature. While a break gives you time to connect with nature, it also allows your body to cool down so you don't sweat too much. It also gives you time to rehydrate and even replace your energy even if it's just with a snack bar or nuts. Talking about snacks, something salty is recommended, especially where you stand to sweat a lot. There will be a time when you finish hiking and your face has white crumbs. If you want, you can taste it, after all the crumbs are from your body. And that's when you know you have to replace electrolytes.

Finally

If more than 50% of your body consists of water, what do you think happens when you lose some of that? Let water be your favourite bev, especially when you hike. That will ensure that you do this one foot in front of the other thing without cramps and fatigue. One sip at a time!

So there are backpacks and then there are hiking backpacks. Huge difference!

Td

 

 

 

 

Nature teaches

 

Nature teaches us that we can rise back from hardships.

On the first Saturday of September, two hiker sisters and I visited one of the trails I count among the toughies in the Gauteng Province - I almost always feel like I’ve been hit by a loaded truck after hiking this trail. This being the spring season this side of the hemisphere, I was reminded of the many lessons we can get from nature. And I know I have shared what I learnt from hiking, but this time I am writing about what I observed regarding how nature works, something that many of us see but maybe do not learn from.

Circle of life

I once had a conversation with a friend about how human beings must learn to accept death as part of being alive. Whether we are going to die young or old is something that is beyond us. And yet we like trying to be in control of that. We see death as an end and not part of the circle of life. And I must say, I have experienced deaths of people close to me and yes, none of them was easy on me. I have learnt that every new beginning is preceded by death. When someone gets married, their single life dies as they begin life as a married person. When a woman gives birth to a baby, her life as she knew it dies, and she begins a new life as a mother. You can think of many other examples, including how your life as a non-hiker died as you birthed your new life as a hiker.

And after losing leaves and standing bare for a few months, the new season has brought back the beauty, which will last for a while only.

As human beings, we spend fortunes trying to preserve our youthful looks and even to prolong our lives, all the while, not living fully as our focus is on the future. When it’s time for leaves to die, they gracefully fall on their own, or as the wind blows and release them from the branches, without resistance. And there on the ground, they make a beautiful carpet of different colours, and they are available to be used by some animals to build their shelters while they also enrich the soil.

Change

Change is an inevitable part of our existence and yet we tend to resist it with all we have. And yet each year we see seasons changing, which confirms that nothing stays forever. And as seasons change, we see nature going through changes too. With the falling leaves mentioned above, trees stand naked while the grass go dry.  And all these plants go through this, only for a new season to come, bringing with it new leaves and flowers or even fruits. And yet as human beings, we are comfortable to have things staying the same or doing something the only way we are used to, thereby not allowing ourselves to grow new leaves and flowers.

While change can happen over time, sometimes it may be instant - the same way that we can wake up to a sunny day only for clouds to form and cause a storm. And when that happens, we need to adapt.

Source: Quotequeendom.com

And change may take a form of no longer enjoying hiking with big groups, not because you’ve lost your love for a particular hiking community, but because you have found what speaks better to your soul. Or like myself, deciding that sleeping in a tent no longer works, either because of another change that makes crawling into a tent difficult, or because of a simple change in preference.

Renewal and new beginnings

People often ask about coming across snakes during hikes. While you may come across a snake, sometimes instead of seeing a snake, you may see the skin it has shed. And that is a beautiful lesson in nature about renewal. I grew up in a village where you’d be greeted by a snake at the door in the morning, or at the outside toilet. They were everywhere, and I feared them. I still have issues with snakes, but I came to embrace what they represent and what they teach us. When it no longer serves you, you can shed it and come out renewed. And if it means taking time off to hibernate for a while as you prepare for your renewal, why not? There are animals that disappear in winter (apparently they sleep throughout the winter season) only to come out in Spring, renewed.

Sometimes for renewal to happen, you may have to go through rough.

I couldn’t help but notice the beautiful plants showing their presence as they rise from the burnt ground - renewed - and each showing off their unique colour and being ready to flourish. I know you’ve already been told that your hardships or what may seem like a raging fire in your life, may be preparing you for something better. I invite you, as you walk through the trails, to observe and listen to nature as she advises you. And each time a beautiful butterfly flutters by, remember the transformation it went through to be that beautiful

Adaptability

During this hike, I couldn’t help but notice the trees at various stages of their lives. Some were bare while others had green shoots or complete leaves; others had beautiful flowers which they showed off. And each of the plants was allowed to be. Do we as humans allow others to just be? Or do we start wondering why she has leaves and I don’t? Why is she having flowers while I don’t? And when circumstances stop the plant from growing taller like others of its species, that doesn't stop it from blooming. You may not achieve what your peers have achieved, but that should not stop you from being who you are, and blossoming where you are just as you are.

 

No matter where you find yourself, you can still bloom.

Collaboration

I think the biggest collaborators we know are ants and bees. While they work with their own most of the time, bees also collaborate with flowers as they use pollen for their own nutrition while transferring it from one flower to another, assisting with pollination. Plants not only provide us with food, but they also provide same to animals. In the process animals help spread the seeds, thereby leading to reproduction. Trees provide shade for us and provide shade and shelter for animals too. And we know of birds who eat ticks from some mammals. As human beings we can fly further if, like birds, we fly in a group, harnessing the strength we each have. Stronger hikers also support and motivate beginner hikers and those struggling due to one thing or another. Some collaborations in hiking means planning on how to share supplies and other hiking essentials on a hiking trip.

Finally

This was not meant to be a motivational piece. Just me sharing what my weekend hiking brought to the surface. I guess another lesson from the weekend was remembering when to slow down and when to rely on each other. My hiker sister slipped on a slippery descent and injured her ankle. We had to sit with her until she felt ready to try walking. We were less than a kilometre to the end of the trail when that happened. It took us an hour, if not more, to complete that distance because we had to slow down and support one of our own - she is now wearing a moonboot. I wish her a speedy recovery and I know that, having witnessed what nature does, she will nurse herself back to health so we can go back to exploring nature and getting more lessons together. Not all lessons have to involve pain but yes, even in pain, we get taught something. I hope your lessons won’t involve pain, and where they do, that you will be gentle with yourself as you deal with that. And remember to prepare for your hike.

Keep doing!

Td