‘Just one more cocktail, then I’ll switch to water’ – sound familiar?
We all know that hydration in summer is important, but we’be all been caught out before. You’re enjoying time spent outdoors with your friends whether that be going on hikes, hanging out at the pool, enjoying a picnic or even travelling to the beach.
The days are longer and you’re enjoying the sunshine. It’s all amazing until you wake up the next morning with a splitting headache wondering where you went wrong?
Despite your best intentions, amongst all the socialising and Aperol spritzes you can easily get dehydrated and maybe even sunburnt during the summer months.
Why Drink More?
When the mercury begins to rise you’ll hear it time and time again to drink more water, but have you ever stopped to think about the reasons why?
Much like cars need fuel to run, we need water to live. Similar to a Jack-Of-All-Trades water has many roles within our body such as regulating our temperature, transportation of nutrients and removal of waste, helping keep our digestive system operating smoothly, ensuring our kidneys function as well as moistening our breath and facilitating chewing. Despite being an essential nutrient, your body cannot store water, rather you need to constantly top up your body’s supply.
All year long it is important to drink enough water for good health. However, with summer this can prove to be particularly challenging as spending an increased amount of time in the humidity and sun can accelerate dehydration.
If you’ve ever been dehydrated you’ll know some of the common signs such as a headache, a dry mouth and even constipation. Some more serious and concerning signs are a ‘foggy’ brain, muscle cramps, kidney troubles as well as skin beginning to look dry and losing its plumpness.
With summer just around the corner, we’ve got out top ways to stay hydrated to keep your skin glowing and your mind sharp.
Turn Your Water Bottle Into The Ultimate Hydration Accessory
Investing in a good quality reusable water bottle is not only great for helping out the environment, but also for reminding you to drink water regularly. Make a point of bringing your water bottle with you throughout the day and you’ll soon find that you begin to sip it out of habit.
Know How Much To Drink
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly how much water we individually need each day, but hydration for summer depends on starting with is around 2 litres or 8 glasses a day. It’s important to keep in mind that if you do spend more time outdoors or when your exercising that your needs might change. A good guide to ensuring you drink enough water is if you feel thirsty – have a drink of water.
8 glasses can seem like a lot so to make it easy give yourself goals to reach by a certain time of the day i.e. drink 1/3 of my water bottle by lunch time.
Flavour Your Way To Summer Hydration
Plain water on its own can be a little boring after a while. So, if you want to make each sip exciting infuse your favourite flavours into water such as fruits like berries, lemons and limes or even oranges. You can also add some cucumber for a refreshing taste.
Our ‘Bindilyte’ also make the perfect flavour enhancer for water as well as providing you with electrolytes for hydration, keeping your muscles functioning at their best as well as regulating blood pressure to name a few benefits.
If you’re an ice block lover, create your own flavour-filled ice blocks and enjoy as a refreshing snack on a hot summertime day.
Eat Your H20
Despite it being quite easy to become dehydrated, in the same token it’s also really easy maintain your hydration for summer. Many fruits and vegetables have a high-water content, as well as nutrient profile. Creating a snack or meal with these foods in particular can help you reach your hydration goals quicker.
Some examples are: Strawberries: 91% water content; Peaches: 89% water content; Oranges: 88% water content; Watermelon: 92% water content; Cucumber 95% water content, Lettuce: 96% water content, Celery: 95% water content, Zucchini: 94% water content
Enjoy All Drinks In Moderation in Summer
Iced coffees and mojitos are delicious summertime drinks; however, they can also leave you dehydrated. If you’re at a party, our tip is to drink a glass of water first, and then for each drink you enjoy, have a glass of water in between. Who says you can’t have the best of both worlds.
Staying hydrated is one of the easiest ways to stay healthy and get the most out of your summer! Be especially mindful of hydration as you train for upcoming events, such as the MSWA Ocean Ride on 22nd November. Remember to keep hydrated in training and leading up to all of your events!
Start by making your own Bindilyte ice blocks today – the hardest part is choosing a flavour… will it be Tropical Crush or Blackcurrant Burst?
References:
Popkin BM, D’Anci KE, Rosenberg IH. Water, hydration, and health. Nutr Rev. 2010;68(8):439-458. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x
