Stay Hydrated in Summer

Summers recall everyone the childhood memories of summer vacations. In summers, everyone is in holiday mood. It is the perfect time to get into your lovely summer dresses and spend time on the beach. But this is also the season of sweat, rashes and exhaustion due to excessive heat of the sun.

If proper care is not taken, our several processes of body may get affected or slow down like digestion, temperature regulation etc. which in turn results in other health problems, several of those can be prevented if we properly take care of our need of hydration and nutrition on time.

According to Dr. Arpit Verma, MBBS, MD (Pharmacology), Water consumption for everyone is different. It cannot be generalized as the need of water for person to person differs. A person who is working out in the sun having more water requirement, than a person working indoor in an AC room. Therefore, drink as much water as your body needs.

The human body comprises around 60% water. so be conscious about the need of hydration of your body which can be understood by recognizing the initial dehydration symptoms which are mainly tiredness, dizziness, dry skin, dry mouth, increased thirst, headache and urine colour. Dark yellow coloured urine indicates dehydration.

The benefits of water

Apart from hydration, water provides several other benefits such as: Relief from constipation problem, flushes out all toxins out of kidney and keeps healthy, Reduce skin problems, helps in good digestion, regulates body temperature and blood pressure, provides clear and glowing skin, protects organs and tissues, reduces chances of infections in bladder and healthy circulation etc.

Some easy ways to stay hydrated :

Water need of body should be fulfilled as required. Around 3.5 -4 litres per day is required for men whereas women need around 2.5 to 3 litres per day (however it is discussed earlier that it cannot be generalized. It differs from person to person).
Consistently stay hydrated even if you are not doing any physical activity, still there is water lose from your body in form of sweat, urine, breathing etc.
Don’t wait to become thirsty to drink water instead, just Sip water at regular intervals. This will keep maintain the appropriate water level in your body.
Understand the difference between hunger and thirst: Sometimes you may feel sudden craving for food, then try drinking water first because mostly the craving ends with drinking even small amount of water which may prevent overeat the meal.
If you do heavy physical exercise, consciously hydrate yourself before, during and after the exercise to fulfil the need of water in body.
If you go for a meal at a restaurant before placing order, drink a full glass of water, which also prevents you from overeating.
Always keep your water bottle with you even if you are working from home. Seeing water bottle near you will always remind you to take frequent sip of water.
During illness consciously hydrate frequently yourself with electrolytes as already you have lost a lot of body fluids.
If you always forget to sip water or not so often feel thirsty so to remind yourself for hydration, set periodic alarms or install some mobile apps for achieving drinking water goals.
Always drink purified water from a good quality filter that will encourage you and will help in consuming more water.
Instead of taking other unhealthy snacks, consume some water-rich fruits and vegetables like watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber etc. In winter you may take a cup of soup instead of these.
Avoid going out in scorching summer during peak hours.

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Some water rich food to help you stay hydrated

Cucumber: It contains almost entire water, about 96% water. It can be consumed as salad
Watermelon: Sweet and Juicy fruit which is enjoyed in every summer. It is having relatively low calories and contains fiber, antioxidants and Vitamin C. It is about 92% water.
Tomato: Apart from consumed it as salad, it is a juicy fruit which consists 94% water. Tomato is also a powerhouse of nutrition, rich in Vitamin C and K, potassium, fiber and antioxidants such as lycopene.
Skim milk: Some people don’t much like drinking water, for them consuming Fat-free milk is a good option. It contains 91% water.
Peach: Peach contains 89% water. It is rich source of potassium, Vitamin C and A.
Broccoli: contains 92% water. Cruciferous vegetables are excellent source of water.
Plain Yogurt: A single cup of plain yogurt is more than 75% water, having good protein. (Avoid flavored Yogurt as it is having high added sugar.) If need some change just add some fruits such as peaches or strawberries.
The other water-rich fruits and vegetables are Bell pepper 92%, Grapes 81%, Pineapple 86%, Kiwi 90%, Orange 88%, Blueberries 85%, Apple 84% and Radishes 95%.