Hydration Tips for Summer

Summer is here and so is the hot weather! Staying hydrated while out and about  is important all year round (in our hot yoga studio, especially), but the added heat outside can increase your body’s hydration needs. To help you find ways to make hydrating a little more fun, here  are some easy tips Nicole Smith – TGY studio member, certified mindful nutrition coach and trainer, and owner of Nested Habits LLC – shares with her clients inside her coaching programs and now offers to you, her fellow TGY classmates:

Any fluids you consume will help you to stay hydrated!

Water is the best thing you can drink, but some people find the taste of plain water bland and boring! If that’s you, here are some of my favorite ways to jazz up my own water bottle:

• Add a squeeze of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or lime juice.
• Make your own electrolyte drink (choose a base of 8 oz of coconut water, plain water, herbal tea, or even green tea and add ¼-teaspoon sea salt or pink Himalayan salt along with a tablespoon of lemon juice or squeeze in a quarter of a fresh lemon – options to add in could be a tablespoon of aloe juice, a tablespoon of fresh grated ginger, a tiny bit of real maple syrup if you need a bit of sweetness).
• Try water at different temperatures – with or without ice, refrigerated or room temperature.
• Try sparkling water. 
• Add a slice of fresh fruit and/or some herbs. For example:
  • Lemon, lime, and orange
  • Raspberry and lime
  • Pineapple and mint
  • Lemon and cucumber
  • Blackberry and sage
  • Mango and blueberries
  • Strawberry and basil
  • Cherry and lime
  • Pineapple, raspberry, and mint
  • Watermelon, basil 
  • Strawberry, lime and cucumber
  • Mint and orange
  • Raspberry and rosemary
  • Peach and ginger
  • Cucumber, mint, lime

I could suggest so many other combinations, but I encourage you to find one that works easily for you so you can stick with it. It can be as simple (cut up one lemon or cucumber) or as complex (mix together 3-4 different foods) as you like. As long as it helps you to drink more water throughout your day, it is doing the job.

If the idea of drinking water still doesn’t appeal, I also suggest occasionally supplementing your water bottle with unsweetened tea. Tea has lots of antioxidant benefits as it contains polyphenols. 

• Black tea has lots of health benefits. Tea contains no calories and is a rich source of phytochemicals. It also contains flavonoids, which have strong antioxidant properties and can reduce free radical damage. Research has indicated that adding milk (due to its casein) will negate many of the beneficial components of tea.
• Green tea is also beneficial to health and includes anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, and antioxidant properties. (Please be aware that if you have a diagnosed autoimmune condition, green tea might not be good for you.
• Rooibos or red bush tea also contains flavonoids but has the added benefit of no caffeine.
• Herbal tea generally contains no actual tea, only fruits and/or herbs. You can even add herbal tea bags to cold water overnight to flavor it.

If you’re thinking the above options sound like a lot of work to do day in and day out, or there is no way you will be slicing lemon when you are at work, I have a solution for you: At the start of the week, slice your fruit of choice and place it in a large pitcher. Fill your pitcher with water and place it in your fridge. You can also do this to keep in your fridge at work.

It’s like bulk cooking — all the work upfront to last you through the week! You may enjoy your water so much that you need to repeat this process throughout the week. 

Still not your jam? I urge you to consider carrying around a water bottle so you always have water accessible and practice sipping from it more frequently. No need to chug massive quantities at a time, but you should aim for at least half of your body weight in water daily! Start small and work your way up in quantity. Your body will need time to adjust. 

Want an easy way to tell you are hydrated? Check your pee (assess every time you go to know if you need to drink some water)!

 If your urine is pale, odor-free and plentiful, awesome! Keep hydrating at the same rate. A slightly darker yellow can indicate mild dehydration. If you notice this, go grab a glass of water and drink it! If your urine is a medium-dark yellow, this can mean dehydration and warrants drinking 2-3 glasses of water right away. And, finally, if your urine comes in small quantities that are very dark yellow or almost light brown, this can also signal greater dehydration. Grab a big water bottle and drink it all! Checking your pee is an easy visual reminder to help you stay on top of hydration. 

Questions? Reach out to Nicole at nestedhabits@gmail.com or grab her for a chat if you see her in class. We look forward to seeing all of your with your water bottles in class. Happy Hydrating!