Hot temperatures and heavy activity require hydration

(ARA) - Warmer weather can make it difficult to stay cool and hydrated. Whether you are playing sports, walking, biking, gardening or enjoying water activities, it's important to drink water throughout the day, especially if you sweat.

While it's hard to stay hydrated during the warmer months, Thermos is coming to the rescue in an effort to "bring back the water fountain" with its new OasisPlaces iPhone application.

OasisPlaces is a free user-generated iPhone app that helps you find public water fountains, share experiences with others and keep your reusable Thermos bottle full of refreshing (and free) water. Registered users will be able to add new fountains, images, comments and ratings on the following criteria: coldness, cleanliness, location and flavor. Many people have made a commitment to avoid disposable bottled water, but it can be challenging to keep a reusable bottle full of fresh water while away from home or work. OasisPlaces is the perfect app for families, outdoor athletes and anyone with an active lifestyle who is avoiding using disposable bottles.

"You're more likely to drink cold water, which helps cool the blood and body by reducing body temperature" says Joanne Larson, a registered dietician who has extensive clinical experience in nutrition therapy and is a hydration consultant to Thermos. "Be mindful not only of the temperature, but what you're drinking. Avoid beverages with caffeine or alcohol, both of which will cause you to lose more water."

Larson shares additional tips on staying hydrated and keeping cool:

* Drink cold water every hour during hot weather and drink enough to replace sweat loss.

* Offer infants and children cold water every time you drink water.

* Older adults with memory loss may not remember to drink water so caregivers should offer water every hour in hot, humid weather.

* Camp coaches should remind kids at camp to drink water even in mild temperatures.

* Carry your reusable Thermos hydration bottle with you to keep you drinking throughout the day.

To celebrate the launch of the OasisPlaces app, Thermos will sponsor random giveaways of free insulated hydration bottles to registered app users in August and September. OasisPlaces is available now for free download on iTunes. For more information, visit www.Thermos.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent