Wholesome hydration
Summer beauty starts with hydration.
Summer is one of my favorite seasons. Bright, sunny, breezy, days make me feel alive and energetic. Couple that with bright seasonal fruits and vegetables and it’s on; pure delight.
However, summer has its drawbacks and dangers. For the body, its dehydration. Simply put, dehydration is a loss of bodily fluids, i.e. water and electrolytes. Dehydration occurs when we lose more bodily fluids than we are taking in. Take note. Adult bodies are roughly 60 percent water and children’s are about 70 to 75 percent. Therefore, water is critical. By the time you feel thirsty, your body has already begun dehydrating.
What causes dehydration?
Think about bodily functions that cause the body to lose fluids: sweat, urine, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. When you sweat, you lose lots of water and electrolytes, so the more you sweat the sooner you may become dehydrated.
What exactly are electrolytes?
Electrolytes are minerals (sodium, potassium, and chloride to name a few). They help carry electrical signals that power your nerves and muscles. Electrolytes also maintain your blood’s proper pH (acid to alkaline level), and balance fluids in your body. Electrolytes help your body rehydrate faster and plain water. We get electrolytes from food (fruits and vegetables) and drinks.
How to know if you are dehydrated?
The easiest way to know if you’re dehydrated is to check your urine. If your urine is dark yellow, you’re likely dehydrated. Urine should be clear or light yellow. Other signs of dehydration include dizziness, headache, tiredness, thirst, dry mouth, crankiness, dry skin, and constipation.
Natural ways to rehydrate. First and foremost, drink a glass of water or if you happen to have one, a rehydration drink, such as a sports drink. Please read the label, as some sports drinks do not have enough electrolytes to rehydrate you and may contain large amounts of sugar. In addition to the water, another way to naturally rehydrate is by eating fruits and vegetables.
Here is a short list of wholesome hydrating foods:
Cucumbers
Watermelon
Lettuce
Cabbage
Celery
Strawberries
Blueberries
Blackberries
Cantaloupe
Watercress
Sources: Hippocrates.com and “Eat Pretty” by Jolene Hart