With the summer season upon us we all want to look our best and that means lots of sweating. We all know it’s important to drink a lot of water to keep ourselves hydrated, but with the days getting hotter it’s more important than ever to focus on our fluids all day long.
We will give you some tips to keep your body hydrated as well as give you some tell-tale signs of what to look out for when it comes to dehydration.
Ways to stay hydrated
1) Cucumbers:
A cucumber is made up of 96% water and has NO saturated fat or cholesterol. They are also very high in Vitamin K, Vitamin B6 and Iron. Either simply cut the cucumber up and eat it or add slices of a cucumber to a sandwich or drop it in a glass of lemonade. Very healthy and tasty.
2) Fresh squeezed juices:
You can get an affordable device which will allow you to squeeze your favourite fruit into a juice. It is recommended that you mix the juice with some water as it will tone down the sugar, which is healthier for your blood sugar level. If however you prefer to buy a bottled juice, choose the 1s “not from concentrate” and without added sugar.
3) Watermelon
A watermelon is made up of 92% water and is a real thirst quencher in the summer months. According to studies, it is surprisingly a watermelons salt, calcium and magnesium content that makes it perfect for rehydration.
4) Coconut Water
Coconut water is an excellent way to rehydrate the body, especially after exercise. An added bonus is coconut water is low in carbohydrates while still rich in potassium. It has a unique taste so try it out and see if your taste buds are happy with your choice.
5) Strawberries
Strawberries often get associated with cream and Wimbledon, but these sweet treats offer far more than looking good at centre court, They are made up of 92% water (the most of any berry) and are full of Vitamin C and fiber as well! Either eat them straight after washing them off under a tap or use them to make your own refreshing strawberry juice.
Why do you need to avoid dehydration
Our body is made up of nearly 70% water and it is found in every 1 of our 100 trillion cells. Water helps to regulate our body temperature, lubricates our joints and it also aids in the digestion process. So without the essential fluids for our body to run smoothly, organs can become damaged and the bodily system will not function properly.
6 Signs that your body might be dehydrated:
1) Bad Breath
2) Dry Skin
3) Muscle Cramps
4) Fever and Chills
5) Food Cravings, Particularly with sweets
6) Headaches
How to check if you are dehydrated:
1)The skin test
Use 2 fingers to grab a roll of skin on the back of your hand (between where your watch sits and where your fingers begin).
Pull the skin up to about ½ or 1cm high and then let the skin go. The skin should spring back to its normal position in less than a couple of seconds. If the skin bounces back slowly, you might be dehydrated.
2)Check your urine
If you’re well hydrated your urine should be clear with a tinge of yellow. Urine of a yellow to orange colour is a sign to watch for. When your body is 3% dehydrated your urine will be noticeably yellow.
When your body is 5% dehydrated your urine will be a chardonnay colour and when your body is more than 5% dehydrated, which is considered severely dehydrated, your urine will appear orange.
When training in summer it is essential to drink water during breaks and to keep a water bottle close by.
Ryno is the content co-ordinator for GetSavvi Health medical insurance. He regularly writes about health and lifestyle topics and manages GetSavvi Health’s social media pages. A Journalism graduate from the University of Pretoria, he worked as a hard news journalist before making his way to marketing. He loves his two beautiful Labradors, and when he is not walking them on the beach, he’s probably trying to follow his own health and lifestyle advice by trading in the take-aways for a healthy, home-cooked meal.