Hydrate To Beat The Heat

Hydrate To Beat The Heat

When you consider that, depending on our age, 60 – 80% of our bodies are water, it’s no surprise that water is an important factor when it comes to keeping our bodies functioning at their best.

Ironically, Summer, the time of year that drains our body of water the most, tends to also be the time of year we’re drawn to getting outside and being most active.

With so much on the go outdoors during Summer, it’s easy when the mercury rises to find ourselves dehydrated. And dehydration is no small thing.

Dehydration can come on fast, and when it does, depending on the severity of it, dehydration can cause everything from fatigue and even asthma to kidney failure!

So how much water do we need to consume in a day? Here’s a good rule of thumb – Take your body weight and divide it by two. That’s the amount of water your body needs to consume daily to stay hydrated.

But sometimes staying hydrated is easier said than done. Here are a few tips to help you stay hydrated on those steaming hot, Okanagan Summer days!

Check your pee. Seriously. If it’s dark yellow or has an odour, you’re dehydrated and you need to down a little water to get your hydration levels back in check.

If you’re going to be out exercising or doing anything strenuous, hydrate BEFORE you begin. Make sure you take in plenty of water and give your body a hydration head start.

Also, remember that water isn’t the only thing that can help you hydrate. Lots of other fluids and even foods contain water that count towards your body’s hydration level.

For example, low-fat milk is 90% water, coffee is 95% water, tomatoes are 95% water and believe it or not, even your morning oatmeal is 84% water! And if all else fails, grab an ice cream cone. After all, ice cream is 60% water!

Remember too that some of the weight you lose after exercise also includes much needed water. Drink 3 – 8 ounce cups of water for every pound you lose from exercising!

And here’s a little non-fluid trick to staying hydrated… eat lots of water-rich foods like vegetables, fruits and yogurts. This way, your body is automatically taking in lots of water!

It’s Summer in the Okanagan, so enjoy it by staying hydrated! Oh yeah, and be sure to protect yourself from the sun too! That’ll be our next article. 😉