Philmont Tip # 1 - Get Hydrated, Stay Hydrated

One of the easiest and most important things a hiker can do to prepare for Philmont is to get into the habit of drinking enough water everyday. This needs to start well in advance of the actual trek in order to reap all of the benefits of proper hydration. A good guideline to follow is to drink one ounce of water per day for every 2 pounds of body weight. For example, a 160 pound man would need to drink 80 ounces of water per day, or ten 8 ounce glasses of water. This intake should be spread out over the entire day. Some of the benefits of drinking water are:

• Drinking water can help thin the blood out which helps lower blood pressure.
• Drinking water can also help control cholesterol levels. Dehydration can cause a rise in the acidity of the blood, which in turn can lead to an increase in LDL cholesterol. Maintaining proper hydration thins the blood allowing wastes to be more efficiently eliminated.
• Drinking water helps lubricate joints and flush wastes from the muscles, eliminating a lot of small aches and pains.
• Staying hydrated is important to help prevent altitude sickness. Lower oxygen levels at high altitude combined with greater physical exertion can easily cause dehydration. Drink plenty of water even if you don't feel thirsty to prevent this.
• Substituting water for high calorie sodas is an excellent way to trim empty calories from your diet. If you normally drink one 150 calorie soda per day you can eliminate 54750 calories from your diet each year by drinking water instead. It doesn't seem like a lot, but 54750 calories is enough for an average man to live on for about 27 days. 

Seventy five percent of the human body is made up of water. The brain is made up of eighty five percent water. Give your body and brain what it wants and drink plenty of water every day. We all want to have a great experience at Philmont and staying hydrated before and during the trek is an important first step.