Summer is prime time for dehydration, but can you really stand another sip from that hulking water bottle weighing down your tote bag?
Good news. You have choices. Water is still the go-to hydrator, but with these expert tips on drinking—and eating—outside the bottle, you can take the drag out of hydrating.
Water, Water
Yes, reach for water first. It’s free, and it’s hydrating. Our needs differ by weight, gender and exertion. Drink one-half ounce to one ounce per pound of body weight per day, says Dr. Brendan Tanner, WellSpan Urgent Care. He recommends getting a clear bottle and calculating how many bottles you should drink every day. Make it a routine, perhaps finishing a bottle by lunchtime, and watch your progress. “It’s all about that positive reinforcement and achieving a very easy goal,” Tanner says.
Don’t Be Thirsty
The best time to hydrate is before you get thirsty. It’s especially important when fun in the sun is on the calendar. Mowing the lawn, playing softball at the company picnic, or doing a fun run? Start hydrating the night before. Replenish during exertion with the CDC-recommended eight ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes. When you’re done, keep sipping.
Power Up
Save the sports drinks for sweat-inducing workouts and play, to replace the electrolytes that sweat is pulling out of your bloodstream. Even better, choose coconut water, for all the hydration with half the sugar.
Coffee Klatch
Surprise! Coffee and tea are not the powerful diuretics we once believed, according to Tanner. Adults should limit coffee intake to 400 milligrams a day, the FDA says. Unfortunately, 400 milligrams equals less than one eight-ounce cup. Boo, FDA. But for hydration purposes, your coffee intake is a gain.
Seltzer Solution
Hydration-wise, flavored seltzers are “on the positive side,” Tanner says. “It’s just water. The carbon dioxide won’t matter.”
Fruitful Delights
If it slurps, it’s high in water content. Load your cookout plate with strawberries, cantaloupe, oranges and watermelon (which, after all, has “water” in its name). Sneak some hydration into the kids by helping them make fruit pops.
Veggie Fix
Celery. Cucumbers. Zucchini. Bell peppers. The crisp veggies that add crunch to our summertime meals are high in water content. Cauliflower is another hydrating choice. Shred it up as a substitute for calorie-loaded, non-hydrating grains.
Go Green
Get your greens in blended smoothies, using spinach, kale or celery with fruit for a hydration lift that’s a lot less boring than plain water. Looking for another creative green option? Load your burger with extra leafy greens. Lettuce comes with a weight-loss bonus because the combination of water and fiber fills you up with fewer calories.
Got Milk?
Skim milk doesn’t only pump up your muscles and bones with calcium and vitamins; it also replenishes hydration because it’s 91% water. Cottage cheese is another delicious and nutritious dairy option that hydrates.
Plainly Yogurt
Yogurt offers water and nutrients in one convenient package, but “plain” is the key word. Skip the added sugars found in flavored yogurt. Instead, add fresh fruit to plain yogurt for a quenching treat.
Broths and Soups
Who says soups are only for winter? A low-sodium broth or soup fills you up while delivering hydration.
Throw Shade
Sweat creates a barrier to hydration loss. You dehydrate when it evaporates too quickly. Keep your skin moist and your body temperature down by finding the shelter of a shady tree, pavilion or umbrella.
Get Misty
Dance under the misting stations at music festivals and theme parks. They create a sort of artificial sweat that slows dehydration by adding moisture to your skin.
Caregiver Alert
The elderly and children are especially susceptible to dehydration, but they can’t always tell you that they’re thirsty, and they might not be able to get drinks for themselves. Watch for symptoms, including disorientation, dizziness and UTIs. Remind them often to sip their liquids, and keep water or juice within reach. And did you know that children and the elderly sometimes misread thirst for hunger? If your little one or aging parent says they’re hungry even though they just ate, give them a drink first. “Wait a few minutes and see if that feeling goes away,” Tanner says.
