Beating the Heat with Gatorade

Football is B-I-G here in East Texas. Practice started a couple weeks ago during the day and continues through November for those lucky enough to be in the finals.  I’m not sure if you watch the weather for us here in East Texas, but it is H-O-T!  I think it was 101 today after school when I was driving home.  That’s not heat index baby, that’s actual thermostat temperature!  ONE HUNDRED ONE! In addition to our local football teams, my daughter plays softball, and we have a “Fall Ball” season that starts in just a couple weeks.

I can relate to those “poor” football players out there in the Texas heat because I bailed hay all summer.  What did I use to keep myself replenished this summer? The same thing many coaches are providing their athletes this summer/fall – Gatorade!

Gatorade has joined with the NFL for the summer “Beat the Heat” Campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to educate athletes, parents and coaches about heat-related illness and the importance of proper hydration and nutrition before, during and after practices and games.

“What athletes, parents and coaches need to know is that heat-related illnesses are largely preventable,” said Douglas Casa, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer of KSI, which is housed at the University of Connecticut. “The Beat the Heat program aims to raise awareness about this issue and provide educational resources to optimize the prevention, recognition, and treatment of heat-related illness during the summer practice season.” Source: http://www.nfl.com/trainingcamp/story/09000d5d80085c76/article/gatorade-nfl-launch-beat-the-heat-campaign

This merger between NFL and Gatorade has resulted in the completion of the Gatorade Heat Safety Kit – it can be downloaded here. This download has some very interesting information that could prove helpful not just for coaches, but also to parents.  My daughter spends a lot of time outside during the summer, and I feel better knowing that I’ve learned a few things to keep her safer in the Texas heat. But there’s another benefit to downloading this file – for every unique download of the Gatorade Heat Safety Kit, Gatorade will donate $1, up to $20,000, to Beat the Heat charities.

Facts for “Beating the Heat”

Primary contributors to heat-related emergencies include:

• Heat and high humidity
• Extreme physical exertion
• Layered or rubberized clothing
• Inadequate fluid intake

Risk for Young Athletes

• Children may be less tolerant of heat stress than adults and may be at greater risk for heat illness

Equipment Makes a Difference

• Encourage young athletes to wear net-type jerseys
• As they acclimate to the heat, athletes should wear T-shirts and shorts, not pads
• Remind athletes to remove helmets when not playing or scrimmaging and avoid wearing sweatshirts and excess clothing
• Young athletes should change sweat-soaked clothing as soon as possible after activity

Why 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 .

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.

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