5 Ways to Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do for your health, especially when it is so HOT outside like it is during the Summer Months in the South.

You know what I mean. Hello, North Carolina weather!

According to Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, staying hydrated helps "to regulate body temperature, keep joints lubricated, prevent infections, deliver nutrients to cells, and keep organs functioning properly. Being well-hydrated also improves sleep quality, cognition, and mood".

Between all the swimming fun, playing outside, and gatherings, it is very easy to forget to drink water. So, we're going to talk about the best ways to stay hydrated this summer.

Bowl of salad with fruits and vegetables on the table

Eat your Vegetables and Fruit. These have 80-99% of water.

Ever heard that lettuce doesn't have any nutritional value because it is mainly water? Well, in this case, that is good news! We want to stay hydrated and we can do so by eating foods with high percentages of water like- Lettuce: 96% water, Celery: 95% water, Zucchini: 95% water, Cabbage: 92% water, Watermelon: 91% water, Cantaloupe: 90% water, Honeydew melon: 90% water.

Pouring glass of water on 2 cups filled with ice and sliced yellow lemons.

Use a Water Sweetener or better yet, slice Lemons and Cucumber, for a truly natural sweetener

There is nothing worse than being thirsty. Drinking water may sound like a daunting task if you don’t like the taste of plain water.

However, you can add a natural refreshing burst of flavor by adding some sliced lemons and cucumbers to your water.

A great alternative, for when on the go, is to pop out some low-calorie sweeteners to encourage you and the family to drink water and stay hydrated.

Word Soup with

Have Soup for a Meal.

Now, this may come off as an odd suggestion. But, if you remember correctly, there was a reason our moms encouraged us to eat soup when we were sick and I am not talking about the chicken broth.

It is because soup is made up of mostly water. So, even if hot soup may not sound as appetizing in the Summer as it does in the Cold Winter. It is still a great way to keep both Parents and Children hydrated automatically at dinner.

Man Planking outside in a park with a sports drink beside him

Drink Sports Drinks with electrolytes, if you sweat a lot.

Whether it is Gatorade, Body Armor, or Pedialyte, take some electrolytes to get super fast hydration.

Electrolytes control our body fluid, help our heart contract along with other muscles, regulate our blood pressure, and balance our blood PH. No wonder doctors recommend them when our children are ill.

Woman sitting down on bed holding a glass of water

Buy a Gallon and make it a goal to drink the whole thing each day. ;)

This old trick really does help. We can all buy a gallon of water from our local grocery store or even the closest gas station.. They cost less than your regular bottle of water for double or triple the amount we receive.

This gallon will help us set a goal to drink the whole container each day.

REMEMBER

You can do more than drink water to stay hydrated during these HOT Summer Months. Eating fruits is probably one of the easiest ways to do this if you do not like the taste of water.

BONUS TIP: Make it a routine to drink a glass of water when you wake up, another glass before each meal, and one glass before bedtime. That should make it at least half or more of the water intake that you need.