Tips for Staying Hydrated This Summer
drinkwater
Summer time is here, folks! Time for the beach, pool parties, and family vacations. But with the sublime summer vibes come the rising temperatures. So it is crucial you continue to stay hydrated. Many health problems stem from simply not drinking enough water, which is a shame because it's such an easy fix!
Your body is made up of 70 percent water and your brain is almost 80 percent water, so it is imperative to stay fully hydrated for optimum health. Being completely hydrated boosts your metabolism, gives you more energy, burns more calories, and you will find it easier to sustain a healthy weight.
Sounds amazing right?!
What Type of Water Should I Drink?
Seeing as the average public water supply contains a minimum of 27 different chemicals from toxins such as pharmaceutical drugs, pesticides, herbicides, and insect repellants, ideally you should aim to drink purified, spring or filtered water.
How Much Should I Drink?
Drink half your bodyweight (in pounds) in ounces per day.For example, if you weight 150 pounds (68kg) you should drink 75 ounces (2.2 liters) of water per day.
When Should I Drink It?
I recommend drinking one liter first thing in the morning. Doing this will flush out all of those yucky toxins that your organs were working hard to get rid of while you were sleeping and dreaming of unicorns.
Good ole’ organs, huh?
Drink the rest of the water throughout the day, and try to avoid drinking loads before bed, as this could interrupt your beauty sleep with frequent visits to the loo.
It’s also best to not drink COLD water right before or during your meals, as this diverts energy to heat up the cold water to body temperature -the same energy that should be digesting your food. The best rule of thumb is to hydrate in between meals, and to drink a cup of room temperature water 10-20 minutes before meals. Cold water, however, is okay at other times.
Do whatever it takes to remember to drink your quota. Some suggested methods include:
Pour your daily water quota into pitchers and make sure you finish them.
Set an alarm on your phone throughout the day, reminding you to drink a glass.
Put your car keys in the bottom of a liter of water so you have to drink it before you can get to work. No, just kidding. But if you think it would work for you then by all means give it a whirl!
And remember to fill up your BPA free water bottles so you don't have to buy plastic water bottles when away from the house. I personally love my Klean Kanteen, and never leave the house without it.
Make sure to not don't be a sucker to those sugary sports drinks that advertise themselves as "healthy"- they lie! The only gifts these will leave you with are diabetes and/or weight gain. The best supplement to drink (in addition to your daily water quota) is pure coconut water. Coconut water is better than any sports drink, as it is naturally full of electrolytes. But make sure you buy the kind that is not from concentrate, and avoid ones with added sugars like the plague.
Alright folks, enjoy your summer and remember to stay hydrated!
xxxx
Health Coach Jenna