Staying Hydrated in the Summer Sun

There are several things that can affect how much water a person should drink within any given day. For example a person who eats excessive amounts of salt or drinks several cups of coffee per day should consume additional fluids to counteract these. In fact, for every cup of coffee drank, it takes two cups of water for your body to “break even” in terms of your hydration. If you started your day off with a sweaty run or a hot yoga class you’ll need to be replacing the fluids you lost through exercise as well. Visiting the dry deserts of Arizona, have a stomach flu, pregnant or breastfeeding? You guessed it- up your water intake!I am text block. Click edit button to change this text.

When visiting the bathroom, take note of the color of your urine. Someone who is properly hydrated should observe a light yellow, lemonade like color in the toilet bowl. It is possible to drink too much water which can be dangerous as well. If you’re finding that you’re suddenly very thirsty very often, book an appointment to see your doctor right away.

The City of Prince George’s treated wastewater meets or exceeds all the Ministry of Environment’s current requirements. But chlorine and fluoride, which can be dangerous to the body are added to our water supply. You may wish to invest in a filtration system such as Brita or Santevia. When given the choice however, I would suggest tap water over no water in almost any situation.

When purchasing any sort of beverage, one can be confronted with many different options to choose from. Products that claim to be water that is “enhanced”, “energizing” or “flavored” should be avoided. Some popular “enhanced water” products have just as much sugar in them as a can of Coke! Reverse osmosis, deionized and distilled water all offer no benefit to the body either. Mineral water however, as the name suggests does. I suggest avoiding any “mineral”, “artesian” or “spring” waters bottled in plastic as toxins from the plastic can leach into the water itself. However these would be great choices when found in glass bottles.

• Add a lemon, lime or even orange wedge, a few berries (frozen’s fine!), chopped up cucumber or herbs like mint or basil to your water to keep things interesting.
• Find a water bottle that you love and bring it with you everywhere. Try to choose one that’s ideally not plastic (if you must, ensure that it is at least BPA free) that’s the right size for you & you love it! SIGG & Klean Kanteen make great metal bottles, Lifefactory makes awesome silicone sleeved glass bottles and BambooBottle’s insulated glass bottle is a fantastic alternative to plastic.
• Remember, if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. In fact, go grab a glass of water right now!