Don’t let the heat get to you.
It’s hot! Summer temperatures hit the 80s and 90s on a daily basis all across North America, and in some places, like in our corporate office state of Texas, it’s going to be triple digits more days than not this month. So, to stay healthy and happy during the dog days of summer, we need to stay cool and hydrated from morning to night. And if you’re outside for extended periods of time or exercising (even indoors), you need to pay extra attention to your water intake.
Staying hydrated helps with:
- Brain performance
- Energy
- Digestion
- Weight loss
- Joint mobility
- Detoxification
- Skin appearance
- Heart health
- Improved muscle contraction (less cramps)
How much water should you drink every day?
Most people don’t drink enough water every day. A great place to start is to drink eight, eight-ounce glasses of water a day. But, the more technical answer for proper hydration is to take your body weight in pounds and drink 50% of that amount in ounces of water a day.
Examples:
You weigh 150 pounds
You should drink 75 ounces of water a day
You weigh 200 pounds
You should drink 100 ounces of water a day
The hotter it is outside, the more water you need to drink to stay hydrated. If your mouth is dry or you have a headache, you could be dehydrated. If you are urinating infrequently or you feel tired, you could be dehydrated.
Which drinks are good for hydration? Which are bad?
Good for hydration
- Water
- Coconut water
- Tea
- Watermelon
- Milk (Yes, milk!)
Bad for hydration
- Soda
- Beer
- Wine
- Liquor
- Energy drinks
While marketed as hydration drinks, many sports drinks are filled with sugar, artificial ingredients and chemicals, making them hard to describe as true hydration drinks.
What are electrolytes?
Electrolytes are essential minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride.
Electrolytes help your body direct water to the cells that need it most. Interestingly, electrolytes can activate the thirst response, “requesting” that you increase your water intake. Electrolytes can also help with balancing blood pressure and blood acidity.
A few final tips on hydration
- Keep a bottle of water with you during the day – the bigger, the better.
- Drink water before, during, and after a workout.
- When you’re feeling hungry, try drinking water first.
- Drink water at restaurants to save money.
- Drink water when you first wake up and before you go to bed.
