Hydration

[tessiers]

What do you guys use for hydration while tractoring? I got heat stroke last weekend from 12 hours on the tractor and drank a lot of water, gatorade and even soda but nothing tasted good after a while. Wondering if someone has anything different?

Thanks

 

[LeadPoison]

I take salt and potassium pills as well as a powdered electrolyte mix along with water. I'll actually start hydrating before I start working.

 

[Localmotion]

We use isotonic waters - eg: shop brought water which has the salts etc already added. Key thing is to drink lots from first thing in the morning. Because we often work all day 6-7 days a week, we take a cool box, but instead of ice packs we freeze 1 or 2 of the bottles overnight. By lunchtime these are starting to thaw and keep us cool in the afternoon.

Other key thing is to cover up - I'm bad at that one, but all the local farmers around here wear long sleved shirts and trousers, even in +40 degree C.

 

[uglyboywith11fingers]

I make a point of keeping hydrated all the time. Maybe it don't taste so good, but I drink a full glass of water when I go to bed, another as soon as I get up, and another 6 or 8 glasses during the day, along with a couple cups of coffee, and a beer or 2 on occasion. Three years ago I had the pleasure of having to pass a kidney stone. Doctor says drink lots of water, so I do. Sure, I probably pee a dozen or more times a day, but I'm sure not gonna invite another kidney stone to come my way.

Pete

 

[MikeInEburg]

Just remember that drinks like soda, coffee and alcohol are diuretics - in the end they cause you to lose more fluid than they provide.

 

[phiferpharm]

Hydration and I either use a cooling neck scarf or head scarf.

 

[Artisan]

A squirter bottle of water, squirted straight to the face is a real refresher.

During the summer when available I will grab a hose and rinse my hole head
and forearms and hands a few times a day...works for me!

 

[Rustywreck]

I listened to an interview with a doctor from the Korey Stringer institute on the myths and tips of hydration.
You can listen to it, or read the transcript here

 

[adjusterr]

I'm a big fan of Gatorade alternated with water. I ride Harleys on long rides and find that I can drink warm Gatorade but not warm water. If I'm on the bike or tractor for any length of time in the heat I use Mary Kay sunblock...Yeah, Mary Kay, and for long sun exposure I wear white longsleeve shirts from Sam's Club. It's worked for 73 years.

 

[weedpharma]

I'm a big fan of Gatorade alternated with water. I ride Harleys on long rides and find that I can drink warm Gatorade but not warm water. If I'm on the bike or tractor for any length of time in the heat I use Mary Kay sunblock...Yeah, Mary Kay, and for long sun exposure I wear white longsleeve shirts from Sam's Club. It's worked for 73 years.

I used to get really bad headaches and cramps at night. I would drink litres of water during the day. One day while driving home, I had a terrible headache and could not face the 2 1/2 hr drive so I bought a sports drink and parked for a 1/2 hr. This made so much difference that I now make sure I have a few drinks like Gatorade during the day and before bed. I no longer get headaches unless I forget to have a drink of a sports drink.

Weedpharma

 

[Mark Page]

Don't forget skin cancer. After 45 years of fishing and working outside I developed a patch on my left arm. They got it in time and it hasn't come back. Maybe it won't come back, but I wear light weight long sleeved t shirts in the summer with painters pants. Always white as it reflects the sunlight keeping you cooler. Sounds like a good excuse for a canopy or cab.

 

[bigtiller]

I make a point of keeping hydrated all the time. Maybe it don't taste so good, but I drink a full glass of water when I go to bed, another as soon as I get up, and another 6 or 8 glasses during the day, along with a couple cups of coffee, and a beer or 2 on occasion. Three years ago I had the pleasure of having to pass a kidney stone. Doctor says drink lots of water, so I do. Sure, I probably pee a dozen or more times a day, but I'm sure not gonna invite another kidney stone to come my way.

Pete

You got that right! If a fellow passes a good sized stone or two he won't walk past water with out getting a glass full.

 

[schoolsout]

BANa
rehydration | BANa Rehydration Beverage

 

[Fossil Farm]

Yep, Propel, Gatorade or ice water is with me nearly all the time. Those work the best for me. Kidney stones are not fun at all, especially at 2 in the morning.

 

[tessiers]

Thanks for all the replies, heading into another weekend of 20 plus hours on the tractor haying and will drink everything I can get my hands on. I have had 2 kidney stones and I know that feeling, I feel like I drink a lot but apparently not enough last weekend.

 

[forgeblast]

horrible pain on the stone think of passing a star fish. I had to got to the hospital twice when the stone started moving. Mine was brought on by dehydration. I start drinking water about an hour before i go out to work. And make sure I have a few water bottles with me at all time.

 

[Mark Page]

horrible pain on the stone think of passing a star fish. I had to got to the hospital twice when the stone started moving. Mine was brought on by dehydration. I start drinking water about an hour before i go out to work. And make sure I have a few water bottles with me at all time.

I had my 1st bout with stones while working on a hot summer day. I was stacking wood and not drinking much. About 4 the next morning I awoke with a pain in my side that kept getting worse. I finally awoke the wife who got me to the hospital. After 3 shots of delawded(sp?) the pain was gone and I was feeling really great. I passed 1 in the hospital and a second one the next morning. I've never experienced pain that severe and don't care to experience it again. The doc gave me the same advice he gave you, lots of water. Now, if I start feeling really hot I knock off for the day. Kidney stones are no joke.

 

[Mechanos]

What do you guys use for hydration while tractoring? I got heat stroke last weekend from 12 hours on the tractor and drank a lot of water, gatorade and even soda but nothing tasted good after a while. Wondering if someone has anything different?

Thanks

Heat stroke and dehydration are two different conditions. While dehydration can make one more suseptable to heat stroke, a well hydrated indiviual can also get heat stroke. Heat stroke is basically hyperthermia (elevated core temerpature). Staying hydrated alone is not enough to prevent heat stroke... you also need to take steps to cool your body's core temperature to keep it within an acceptable range. Running cool water over your forearms, wrists and hands can help cool your body down tremendously. When I plunge my hand into the cooler to get a drink out of it, I pause for a few seconds keeping my hand(s) and wrists submerged in the ice water.

 

[Mark Page]

Heat stroke and dehydration are two different conditions. While dehydration can make one more suseptable to heat stroke, a well hydrated indiviual can also get heat stroke. Heat stroke is basically hyperthermia (elevated core temerpature). Staying hydrated alone is not enough to prevent heat stroke... you also need to take steps to cool your body's core temperature to keep it within an acceptable range. Running cool water over your forearms, wrists and hands can help cool your body down tremendously. When I plunge my hand into the cooler to get a drink out of it, I pause for a few seconds keeping my hand(s) and wrists submerged in the ice water.

Well put.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

All I can say is water, water, and more water...