It’s summertime in Florida, and you know what that means: sizzling temperatures. While this makes it a great time of year to enjoy some fun in the sun, it also means we need to take extra steps to stay hydrated.
Here are the top 7 ways that hydration is vital to optimal health — plus supporting weight and fitness goals:
Mental Clarity
Did you know that dehydration can cause short-tern memory problems and decrease mental focus? Support oxygen and blood flow to the b rain — and with it, a clearer mind and concentration — by staying hydrated.
Body Temperature
Our bodies regulate temperature through a combination of sweating, water consumption, and exhaling. If our body becomes overheated, our systems begin to fail. Getting the recommended intake of water is vital, but so is consuming electrolytes to replenish loss of minerals and fluids from sweating.
Muscle Efficiency
Fun fact: proper hydration lubricates joints and aids in the transport of oxygen to your muscles during exercise, thereby decreasing feelings of muscle fatigue. It also helps the body remove metabolic waste, and reduces muscle fatigue during exercise.
Supple Skin
Just like the sun, strong winds, and hot temps can cause sunburn, skin damage, or dry skin, dehydration can negatively impact the skin. Staying hydrated helps support skin elasticity and softness.
Cardiovascular Health
Ever wonder why you feel so sluggish when you’re dehydrated? This is because dehydration decreases blood volume, which then forces the heart to work harder to circulate oxygen and blood in the body.
Improves Digestion
Struggling with constipation? Dehydration might be playing a role. Adequate hydration is necessary for nutrients to pass through the body’s intestinal tract. Water also helps the body break down food and absorb essential nutrients more efficiently.
Immune System Health
When you are dehydrated, bodily tasks like eliminating toxins, bacteria, and waste becomes infinitely more difficult, which in turn makes the body more susceptible to infection.
Struggling to stay hydrated? Here are our tops 5 tips to beat the heat and avoid dehydration:
Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning
Get a fun or special water bottle to serve as a visual reminder
Set reminders in your phone to drink water throughout the day
Learn to listen to your body’s signals
Drink a glass of water at the start of each meal
In addition to taking steps to ensure proper hydration in the summer, you may also want to think about your diet. Do you ever notice that you crave lighter foods in the summer? It’s an ideal time of year for smoothies, seafood, salads, fruits, and vegetables. In particular, fruits and vegetables contain more water, and can help you stay hydrated. Added bonus: they’re low calorie and refreshing! And there’s just something extra satisfying about some luscious watermelon or flavorful mango on a hot day! If you’re a fan of mango, be sure to check out our Mango Smoothie recipe below!
Mango Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups of frozen or fresh mango
1 small frozen banana
½ cup milk of choice
½ cup plain, greek, or vanilla yogurt
Instructions:
Add all smoothie ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until creamy. Enjoy!