In article , HL Falbaum
writes
bladder, being a muscle, can relax, pressure will decrease and it becomes
larger in capicty. (this is the other secret of toilet training).
Eventually, it cannot be ignored, as you all know! You relax the sphincter,
command bladder contraction facilitation and abdominal wall
contraction--and, whew! relief!

If we don't provide a sufficient flow rate to the tubules, they will
concentrate the wastes as best they can, until the pumps can no longer
overcome the osmotic pressure gradient, then they give up! If we don't empty
the bladder, we eventually cannot overcome the pressure gradient and the
tubules and the glomeruli give up. If the wastes are too concentrated too
long, we form Calcium or Oxalate stones.

So what do we need to do? We must provide mild excesses of water and
electrolytes to the system and let it take what it needs. How do we know we
have done that--? Well, we know that we need to excrete at least 400-500 cc
of urine per 24hr. We know that urine should not be overly concentrated. We
know that when we sleep, our blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate
is decresed, thereby requiring less urine output. Therefore we need to
excrete more urine during the day. Plan 35-50 cc per hour, and moderate
concentration--light to medium yellow. If we do that, we are well hydrated
and our urinary system is functioning well-no danger. Acid-base balance is
maintained (another source of cognitive impairment).If we drink enough to
maintain those pasameters, we should be fine. Water is good if we are not
doing muscular effort (as we are not losing electrolytes much), Gatorade or
Powerade if we are doing heavy muscular effort (assemble 3 ASW20B's in a
row)--but be careful. The glucose can cause an insulin spike, and drop your
blood sugar.

In the final analysis, it's really simple. Drink enough to maintain about a
40-50cc/ hr urine output. For those who say "I don't pee much", I
say--measure--maybe it's enough after all-maybe not. To those who measure
their flights by "pee bags", well-enjoy, but you may be overdoing it. (I
have seen a FULL 1 gallon ziplock bag come out of a glider after landing!)

I hope this helps

Hartley Falbaum




Thanks, Hartley. It helps a lot.

It's unfortunate that the modern sailplane isn't designed so that you
can pee very easily. (Or perhaps it's my anatomy).





--
Mike Lindsay