Summers are here and we are all experiencing serious heat waves. Whenever we talk of dehydrating during summers, the first thing that comes to our mind is the advertisement wherein the blazing sun is zapping off the energy from a man with a straw! In the past few years, summers have been very harsh, all thanks to the rising global warming.
Tips to Stay Hydrated This Summers
The human body is made up of 70% water; therefore it is important to maintain the right amount of fluid balance in the body. Increased sweating can cause a huge loss of water as well as salts from the body. Dehydration is a huge problem in summers and it can cause health issues like vomiting, headache, heat stroke, heat cramps, and exhaustion. Research shows that even with mild dehydration, our cognitive functions start getting affected. It is important to keep one hydrated by drinking lots of water and other fluids like natural juices, coconut water, etc.
- Adding whole fruits and raw vegetables like cabbage, lettuce, spinach can help us to remain hydrated.
- Summer fruits like watermelon, musk melon, citrus fruits, etc are beneficial.
- If one is tired of drinking plain water, flavored water can be prepared very easily at home.
- Just by adding cucumber, strawberries, mint, or lemon to plain water, your fancy flavored water is ready which can be sipped through the day.
- Add a piece of two of cinnamon sticks for added flavor and also to accelerate weight loss.
- It is advisable to stay away from alcohol, drugs, medications, salts, and refined foods as much as we can during summers. All the above items dehydrate our bodies even more.
- If one gets bored with drinking only water, add on some zing. One can always alternate between a glass of water, and a cool cup of herbal tea, followed by a glass of buttermilk and likewise.
- The idea is to drink water every 10 minutes without putting extra stress on the kidneys to flush out excess water and keeping the body constantly hydrated.
- Stimulants like coffee and tea can dehydrate the body due to its diuretic effects. Diuretic effect means that it draws out water from the body which leads to further dehydration. Limiting the consumption of tea and coffee is a must to keep the body hydrated during summers.
Maintaining the right amount of salt balance in the body is also necessary along with water. Add some unrefined minerals like raw salt into the water and drinking it helps to increase the absorption of water in the body. It also helps to increase energy levels in the body as the added minerals boost the activity of the thyroid as well as adrenal glands.
Apart from feeling thirsty and having a parched mouth, one can also check if an adequate amount of water is being consumed or not by observing the color of the urine. If the urine is dark, then it means that the body is dehydrated and if it is pale yellow then is it fine.
Drink the elixir of life called water and stay hydrated and healthy! Happy Summers!