[pct-l] Hyponatremia

[Paul Magnanti]

I wrote this a few years back:


As always, the usual disclaimer: , I am not a
professional medical person in any way, shape, or
form. I have little medical training (EMT-A course
many moons ago). My only knowledge comes from reading
and personal experience. Consult a person who really
knows what they are talkin about (like OB..who **IS**
an MD! )

Having said that...

I would think this condition would not affect hikers
as much as say runners, cyclists and other endurance
type atheletes who exert a lot of energy in a
(relatively) short period of time. Most hiker's have a
diet that consists of eating food that is high in
sodium for a good chunk of the day. Their body
probably has a good mix of water and salt to retain
said water w/o "flooding" the body. One of my favorite
items to eat on hikes is chips. I crave them. Based on
how many of my friends eagerly pass around my cache of
chips, I'd say they do too. 

In my brief time in the long distance running world  I
have noticed that I **CRAVE** salt. I am sweating up a
storm. I want pretzels, chips and the oh-so-delcious
chicken noodle soup. As with many activities, your
body tells you what it wants. I suspect with all that
sweating, I am getting rid off too much salt in my
body. The soup esp. goes down like mana from heaven.

Many people new to long distance running make the
mistake of taking in too much water and not enough
food. Have heard stories of people suffering from
hyponatremia during events.

In the hiking world, I suspsect hyponatremia may
affect people doing extensive desert hiking (ala the
PCT) who are drinking too much water and not eating
enough (due to heat, it is common for many people to
not feel like eating), and the fringe group of hikers
who blur the line between running and hiking.  They
are working up a huge sweat and may or may not be
eating enough food to go with the water they are
drinking. 

.......

To make this even more PCT  related, guess eating
those nice salty chips to go with all the water would
help alot!  I really think it is easy for desert
trekkers to not feel like eating and drink too much
water.

Grab some Pringles in town. Eat them...a lot. :)



 ************************************************************
The true harvest of my life is intangible.... a little stardust 
caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched
--Thoreau
http://www.pmags.com
http://www.redbubble.com/people/pmags/
http://www.facebook.com/pmags