Written By Heather Anderson
It's mid-summer and definitely a hot one! It seems fitting to talk about the importance of hydration and share a delicious and hydrating recipe :)
Did you know water makes up 50% - 60% of your body?!
Water has many important jobs in the body, such as lubricating tissue, body temperature regulation, and providing minerals, just to name a few.
Different cells contain different amounts of water. For example:
Muscle & Brain Cells 75%
Blood Cells 83%
Bone Cells 22%
Eyes 95%
How much water do we need to consume?
Average adults should consume 8-12 cups per day.
Another measurement would be to shoot for 45% - 50% of your body weight per day (ex. 150lb = 67% - 75oz of water per day).
Personally, I am not too much of a math person. I work with a more intuitive and mindful practice. I like to keep those numbers in the back of my mind, but it's also important to consider how you feel and what kind of activities you are doing. Our body communicates pretty well. We can also become good predictors of our bodies' needs and responses. I know if I am going to spend the day doing major yard work like planting a big garden, hauling mulch, mowing, and it's 85 degrees and sunny, I will need more hydration than an average Tuesday in the office.
We lose water through sweat and other excretion processes (urine, bowel movement, and vomit). Dehydration isn't pleasant. Have you ever experienced it? Many of us have, to some degree... it's pretty easy. In fact it can happen before you even feel the effects. You may have experienced some things such as headache, fatigue, dizzy, flushed face, thirst, muscle cramping, dark urine, and the list goes on. Our entire body depends on water and electrolytes to function optimally!
What are electrolytes? Electrolytes are minerals (sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium) that carry an electrical charge when dissolved in water. They support the movement of fluid in the body. Which, as you probably understand by now, is super important!
Eating plenty of raw fruits and vegetables is a tasty way to consume water and essential minerals. Some fruits and vegetables with higher amounts of water will be, melon, cucumbers, berries, lettuce, citrus, tomato, pineapple, zucchini, and many more!
You'll need to drink water for hydration too. Sometimes it's fun to infuse some frozen fruits in the water! You can get creative with this :) There are also several sports drinks enhanced with electrolytes. Those will be helpful when you are sweating excess water and electrolytes. I often turn to coconut water for this because it has naturally occurring electrolytes and is free of refined sugars, artificial colors, and flavors. Coconut water is a summer staple in my house. I often make half coconut water, half water and throw some frozen fruit in (my favorite add here is frozen pineapple).
I'm excited to share with you my family's favorite treat for extra hydration!
Watermelon Lime Refresher
Serves 1 (increase as necessary)
1 Cup Frozen Watermelon Cubes
1 Cup Coconut Water
1 Cup Water
½ Lime (Juice)
Blend and serve!
Nutrition Facts:
Calories 135
Fat 1g
Sugar 16g
Sodium 37mg
Magnesium 41mg
Potassium 759mg
Calcium 52mg
Choline 6mg
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