| The
importance of water to the dancer
By
Nicolette Braybrook LISTD (Dip) BSc (Chem) Mast. Nut.
& Diet.
Water is one of the most important nutrients required
by the human body. In fact, 50-70% of our bodies are
made up of water.
Water plays a number of important roles within our bodies.
Some of these include:-
- Transportation
of nutrients
- Removal
of waste products
-
Maintenance of regular body temperature throughout
different environmental conditions
- Maintenance
of a healthy bowel, in conjunction with fibre and
exercise
Dancers understand that they have a requirement of carbohydrate
for energy and a low fat diet for weight control, but
tend to forget about one of the most vital dietary requirements.....water!
Perhaps this is because we tend to forget to drink regularly
unless we are thirsty, and unfortunately by this time,
we are actually starting to dehydrate. It is quite common
for dancers to have a poor level of water intake and
instead, rely on caffeine containing diet drinks and
coffee. Drinks containing caffeine actually deplete
our bodies of fluids as the caffeine acts as a diuretic,
as also does alcohol. In light of this, dancers should
minimise their intake of both caffeine and alcohol containing
products.
We lose water from our bodies in several ways. We excrete
it in urine, faeces, sweat and in the air we exhale
from our lungs. With exercise, the amount of sweat excreted
increases dramatically as can the amount of small water
droplets in the air we exhale.
In most cases, drinking sufficient fluids prevents the
body from dehydrating. The symptoms from dehydration
can include:-
- Tiredness
and lethargy
- Decreased
performance
- Cramping
- Fatigue
- Nausea
and vomiting
Every
dancer's fluid needs, as with energy requirements, is
specific to the individual. To avoid dehydration, experts
recommend that an average person should consume around
2 litres or 8 glasses of fluid every day, with at least
half of this to be in the form of water. Specifically
to dancers, they will require more fluids per day due
to the loss through dance classes and performances.
It is worth understanding that highly concentrated drinks,
such as soft drinks, cordials and flavoured mineral
waters, take longer to leave the stomach and are also
higher in kilojoules.
To
monitor and estimate what fluids have been lost, you
can weigh yourself prior to a class or performance and
then immediately after (prior to rehydrating). The difference
in weight should indicate the amount of fluid lost in
that given time. For example, if you lose 1kg of weight
during a performance, then you should replace this loss
with 1 litre of fluids.
To
maintain hydration, it is advisable to 'sip' small amounts
of fluid often. The reason for this is that large volumes
of fluid can leave you feeling bloated and uncomfortable.
In summary fluids, and in particular water, play an
extremely important role in the maintenance of our bodies.
We should start to try and understand the ramifications
of our energy output in relation to our fluid intake.
Specifically, as dancers and dance teachers, we should
encourage and be encouraged to rehydrate before, during
and after classes or performances, to keep our bodies
operating at their peak!
Nicolette
Aisen (nee Braybrook) is a privately consulting dietitian
focussing on the dance field. She is also the owner
and director of a dance school in Melbourne, Australia.
She is available for group or individual consultation
and can be contacted on + 61 3 97469823 or nicobret@mail.austasia.net
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