How to Stay Well Hydrated This Summer
Hydration! It is such an important element of our health and you may have heard this once or twice before that our body is about 70% of water.
It is important to keep your body hydrated all year round, and even more so over summer. Due to the heat we tend to sweat more, hence reducing our body’s water content and resulting in a loss of electrolytes.
What are Electrolytes?
Electrolytes are a combination of minerals, which hold a number of functions. Your electrolytes consist of sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride and calcium.
Apart from helping to keep you hydrated, they also:
- Regulate nerve and muscle function (i.e., contractions);
- Balance blood pressure;
- Balance blood acidity;
- Help build new tissue;
- Help regulate blood clotting.
Some signs and symptoms that you may be low in electrolytes include the following:
- Muscle cramps, spasm and/or twitches;
- Muscle weakness;Irregular heartbeat;
- Confusion and fatigue;
- Dizziness.
How to Maintain Hydration and Electrolytes
Drinking a minimum of 1.5 litre of water per day
More if you are sweating excessively or exercising. Water should be your number one (#1) drink of choice, rather than reaching for unnatural electrolyte drinks (which are also full of artificial colours and flavours).
Eat food high in electrolytes
Ensuring you are eating foods that are high in electrolytes are also a great natural way to keep your stores up. A lot of the fruits and vegetables that are seasonal in summer are naturally high in electrolytes, thanks Mother Nature! Foods to consume on a daily basis include:
- Bananas. They specifically abundant in potassium;
- Leafy greens. Your leafy greens such as kale, collard greens, silverbeet and spinach are rich in calcium and magnesium;
- Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, cashews and pumpkin seeds are rich in magnesium;
- Celery is particularly abundant in chloride;
- Watermelon is a great rehydrator as it is rich in potassium and 90% water;
- Cucumbers are a summer vegetable and similarly to watermelon they are high in water content and potassium;
- Coconut water is a great post exercise drink as it known for being rich in electrolytes;
- Pickles are both high in sodium and chloride and a good all round snack!
By drinking enough water, eating a seasonal wholefood diet, you should move through summer whilst keeping your body hydrated and electrolytes intact.
Peace, love and honeybees,
Good Food Emporium team x
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