These months are getting record-breakingly hotter and hotter, and beating the heat is not easy. Even in cooler months, it’s hard to stay hydrated because you just don’t notice when you’re losing moisture. You might use plenty of sunscreen or body lotion, but you have to also eat and drink the right foods and avoid the especially dehydrating ones. The following information should help you do just that.
While it has been said that you need to drink at least eight glasses of water a day, but this may actually depend on the individual. Because of the heat, you may actually need more. Pay attention to your body. If your mouth feels even a little dry, you are not drinking enough water. Another way that you can tell your body is dehydrated is by pinching the skin on the back of your hand. This is to check for the elasticity, or turgor. If the skin takes a few seconds to go back to normal, you are very likely dehydrated. If it snaps right back, you’re fine.
Water is not the only thing you need. You also need to get some sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes into your system. You can do this by purchasing energy drinks, or better yet, buy coconut water online.The salts or electrolytes found in these liquids help your body to retain water, and even help the transport of waste out of cells. You should know that this does not refer to salt, the white stuff you season your French fries with. So don’t go eating salty foods in hopes that it will rehydrate you, they will actually do the opposite.
You do not have to rely solely on liquids for you hydration needs. You would be surprised how much of the food we eat contains water. Especially if you work out a lot, you may have been advised by many people to eat plenty of fruits, such as watermelon, apples, kiwis, and bananas, which are rich in those important salts and vitamins. However, work a lot of leafy green vegetables into your diet, like spinach, broccoli, and cabbage. Cucumber is also great for getting hydrated, so a nice salad would do you some good. You can put some lemon and cucumber slices into your water for a tasty, cool beverage in the afternoon.
In addition, if you want to keep your body cool and hydrated, you should avoid the food and drink that saps you of moisture. This includes the coffee, the sodas, and the alcohol. Milk is also not a good idea because once you drink it, it will curdle, and it is hence difficult to digest. Avoid anything with caffeine, even tea. If you are going to drink any of this, you should drink plenty of water to counter the diuretic and dehydrating effects of such drinks. Other dehydrating foods include snack foods like popcorn, chips, and pretzels.
This is pretty much all you need to know if you want to beat the heat when the days get extra hot. It may be hard to stay away from junk food and eat all those veggies, but it’s better than getting ill from the harsh weather.
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