Hydration

When you think of a well-balanced diet, do you remember to include your liquids as well? 

Water is one of the most important, yet most forgotten, macronutrients your body requires. You may be familiar with the tip to drink eight 8 oz. glasses of water a day, but have you ever questioned where that tip came from? 

Let’s break down the importance of hydrating your body during the warm summer months and provide you with simple steps to boost your hydration. 

The summer months are associated with the fire element. The longer daylight and increased temperatures provide you with the environment to be outside longer, spend time with others, and increase activity levels. This boost in fire energy must be met with the balancing energy – water. This is why you may love spending your summer days by the beach or at the pool. While hydrating your body externally is important, staying hydrated internally during the summer months is necessary for your health.

Your body is composed of 60-70% water which is essential for homeostasis, the body’s regulating systems. Without enough water, your body is unable to perform cellular functions which leads to a host of challenges. 

Staying hydrated is key to controlling your body temperature. During the warm summer months when you are sweating more, replenishing your body with water is essential to ensure you aren’t getting dehydrated. You may need to increase the amount of water you drink daily when it’s warm out to beat any dehydration symptoms. 

If you are exercising, you may not experience the same thirst cues such as a dry mouth. Getting ahead of your hydration and drinking water before, and after working out can help replenish your water supply before the fatigue or headache kicks in. 

Water can also influence your cognition. It has been found that mild levels of dehydration can produce mood disruptions and reduce cognitive function. Dehydration can also lead to symptoms like headache and fatigue. To keep your mind active and focused, staying hydrated can make the world of a difference. 

Currently, there are no acceptable biomarkers of hydration status at the population level. This means that the popularized recommendation of drinking eight 8 oz. glasses of water a day doesn’t necessarily provide the best standards. 

When determining how much water you should be drinking, consider the following factors: 

• Warmer climates will require more water intake 
• Water intake should increase during the summer months to make up for lost water through sweating 
• Take stock of your exercise routines and add in more water on days when you are active 
• Use the color of your urine to determine your hydration levels, aiming for a light yellow / clear color 

So you know why hydration is important, and you’ve learned what factors to consider when determining how much water to drink, but you might be stuck with one more challenge. 

How do you remind yourself to stay hydrated throughout the day? 

Here are the top 5 hydration keeps to keep you cool during the summer months: 

1. Fill up a reusable water bottle at the start of each day and aim to finish it by the end of the day
2. If you don’t like the taste of water, add fruits like berries, lemon, cucumber, melons, & mint to your drink 
3. Drink herbal teas through the day
4. Ensure you are getting most of your water intake from water, not sugary sweetened drinks or caffeinated beverages 
5. Eat hydrating fruits and vegetables such as melons, strawberries, lettuce, spinach

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Electrolyte Synergy –To keep our family hydrated in times of heavy exercise, or hot days at the beach we add this electrolyte product to our water bottles.  We love it because it taste great and doesn’t have all the sugar of other products.

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Research: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908954/