5 WAYS TO STAY HYDRATED IN WARM WEATHER
by: Remie Longbrake | published: June 11, 2019
Warm weather and the summer sun are great times to get outside and experience nature. We take advantage of the temperature with picnics, festivals, enjoying the pool and having fun outdoors. With the summer activities comes consideration of the sun’s risks and how that can affect our bodies. Staying hydrated is very important for our health, as water helps regulates our body. Using these five tips to stay hydrated can be beneficial and will help you enjoy summer even more.
1. Drink water before, during and after a workout or extended time outdoors. When the weather gets warm, you’ll lose even more fluid through sweating. ideally drink at least two or three glasses of water before a workout and eight ounces for each 15 minutes that you exercise. Afterwards, recharge your body with another glass or two of water. It quenches your thirst like no other drink.
2. Eat fresh fruit – Fruit has high water content. It is one way to increase your intake of fluids, especially if you don’t like drinking a lot of water. For a treat, freeze a fruit, like grapes, and then munch on them as a cooler when hanging out outdoors.
3. Avoid drinks that steal water from your body – One thing to avoid is drinking caffeine and alcohol. Both can dehydrate your body. Even alcohol flavored with lime and other fruits will still dehydrate you. If you feel that alcohol is something desired consider drinking one bottle of water for ever alcoholic drink consumed and drink responsibly. If you want something more than water, try using drink mix sticks or lemon and a sprig of mint. They are flavorful and help the body replenish.
4. Have a sports drink after heavy prolonged exercise – The body doesn’t just lose water but also electrolytes. Too much heat without replenishment of sodium and potassium can lead to an electrolyte imbalance in the tissues, which is serious. Choose a drink that is low on sugar but high in the electrolytes that you need. Having a sports drink will also help ward off cramps. It is important however to not over drink these. Often they contain sugar and are not made from natural fruit juices. It is still advisable to choose water as your first option.
5. Drink throughout the day – Even if you are not participating in activity, you are still moving around outdoors so the heat can affect you. Keep a water bottle with you at all times. It can also help you eat less. Most of the time when we eat, it is not actually hunger but thirst that we suffer from.
Water is important to every living thing and that includes you. During warm weather, stay hydrated!