You Stay Hydrated, Tyler

I stepped outside of my apartment earlier this week and it dawned upon me. As I wiped the layers of sweat that had already begun to accumulate on my forehead I realized something.... Summer is upon us.

Yes you could argue that it's been summer since the end of May and all and say, "look at me, look at me! I'm right and you're wrong!" but I would end up smacking you in the most humiliating fashion. Well... I may not smack you. Perhaps a good talking to would do the trick. Anyway, you really can't call is summer in Texas (especially East Texas) until the temperature rises to the 90s. When it gets into the triple digits we like to call that Super Summer. Luckily for us Super Summer has yet to hit us. So I have decided to start a blog series on tips for surviving the dreaded SUPER SUMMER!!!

Stay Hydrated
The summer can be (and will be) brutal in East Texas. So, it is of great importance that you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Here is a list of beverages that will keep you plenty hydrated in the heat.

1. WATER

That's right. There is no substitute for good old fashioned H2O. The only thing you're getting out of those sports drinks are salts and sugars that just exacerbate your parched tongue. "Hey Patrick! How do I know if I'm dehydrated or not?!?!" well Derp, there are several symptoms associated with being dehydrated.

This includes but is not limited to....

• Increased thirst
• Dry mouth and swollen tongue
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Palpitations (feeling that the heart is jumping or pounding)
• Confusion
• Sluggishness fainting
• Fainting
• Inability to sweat
• Decreased urine output. (Or if urine is concentrated or a deep yellow)

This information all comes from WebMD but there is something that they left off as being the first sign of dehydration.... And that is just having a simple headache. Most headaches are caused by being dehydrated and most can be cured with a glass of water (Try that the next time instead of reaching for the aspirin or Ibuprofen right away).

"Well Patrick, I'm gonna be spending most of my time swimming in Lake Tyler so I won't need to drink as much water right?" WRONG! You still sweat while swimming but it is difficult to tell how much you have been sweating since you're already in such a large body of water. So, when you're hanging out in the pool / lake / river / ocean / lagoon this summer remember to drink plenty of water (even if you're spending most of your time in it.

So in the end, it is incredibly important to stay properly hydrated by drinking plenty of water because if you don't (I refuse to sugar coat this) you could die. And let me tell you something, that's a real lame way to die when you live someplace where clean water is readily available. So, chug that water and stay wet out there you guys.

Life Cheat #73290: Puns are for clever people, Lymrics are for witty people, Jokes are for sad clowns.