Sunday, August 22, 2010
If you have any kids, like me, who love sports and play sports, then this blog post is for YOU.
As a mom of a teenager who LOVES football and aspires to play for the NFL someday, I'm constantly stressing the importance of staying hydrated, as well as keeping an eye out for symptoms of heat-related illness. Even though he's not playing this year, I still make sure BOTH of my children stay hydrated, especially if they're going to be outside for an extended period of time.
Regardless of whether your children play sports or not, even if they're just outside, it's important to learn about heat-related illness. That's why I feel like I had to be involved in this blog tour!
A few years ago, I worked on a job that anyone inside a certain area HAD to be CPR and First Aid-trained. I learned about heat stress and heat stroke then, and I was grateful for that knowledge, since my children were young at the time. Since then, I've retained that knowledge and have used it on occasion.
About Gatorade's "Beat The Heat" campaign:
Gatorade’s “Beat the Heat” campaign educates athletes, parents and coaches about heat-related illness and the importance of proper hydration. The goal is to reduce the number of heat-related injuries and deaths and help raise funds for organizations dedicated to preventing heat-related illness.
- Moms play a key role in keeping their athletes safe, so Moms need to understand that young athletes may be at greater risk for heat-related illness and know the ways to prevent it.
- Water isn’t enough. While fundamental, water alone does not hydrate and refuel as effectively as Gatorade.
- 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.
- 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 .
- Equipment makes a difference - wear light net-type jerseys, T-shirts and shorts, change sweat-soaked clothing, avoid wearing excess clothing, remove helmets when not playing and remember to stay hydrated.
You can help- download a free Gatorade Heat Safety Kit found at www.nfl.com/trainingcamp. For every unique download Gatorade will donate $1 to “Beat the Heat” charities up to $20,000.
What a great way to make a difference! It only take a minute to download these documents to your computer. And, what you learn may save a life!
Disclaimer: 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.