During the warm months, people tend to spend more time outdoors. It is important to stay hydrated at all times, but especially important to be more aware when outside in the hot temperatures. When working, exercising, or just sitting outside, you can become dehydrated. Dehydration occurs when you lose more water than you drink. When you are dehydrated you may feel tired, dizzy, and/or have headaches which can make it difficult to focus. To avoid dehydration, be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Getting enough water daily helps the body to function smoothly.
The amount of water you need depends on multiple factors. Some of those factors are your age, body size, health conditions, activity level, and the weather. The best rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces each day to help make sure you are drinking water often, drink water right after you get up in the morning, sip on it throughout the day, and choose water with meals. Liquids and water-rich foods can help to keep your body hydrated. Some foods that can help are soups, it is best to choose soups lower in sodium. Fruits such as watermelons, strawberries, cantaloupes, and peaches are great options. Vegetables such as cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, red peppers, radishes, and celery are good choices.
Try to avoid sugar-sweetened beverages like soda. They have no nutritional value and may cause weight gain. Instead, it is better to choose water. If you do not like plain water, you can add fruit or vegetable slices for flavor. Tips for taking in more water and staying hydrated are to carry a water bottle with you, eat water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables. When eating out, choose water-it is usually free.
Citrus Water Recipe:
1 lemon
1 grapefruit
1 orange
Slice and add to 1 gallon of water.
