Top tips to remain hydrated in summers

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Published: Thu 28 May 2020, 10:00 PM

Last updated: Fri 29 May 2020, 12:29 AM

Staying hydrated during summers can be more challenging than in cooler temperatures. It's very easy to get dehydrated during this hot and humid weather. Ideally, men should be consuming about 3.7 litres of water a day and women about 2.7 litres. But that may change in different environments: Hot or humid weather can increase the need of fluids, as can high altitudes.
Taking enough fluids is the basis for keeping your body working at its best. We begin to get dehydrated and our performance drops off with just so much as a 2 per cent water loss. What can cause a 2 per cent water loss? It doesn't take much. It can happen to an athlete who's competing, to someone who's in bed with the flu or diarrhoea, in the very hot weather, or even to someone who just doesn't drink enough. Early symptoms of dehydration are headaches, dry eyes, drowsiness, loss of concentration, irritability. If you don't meet your fluid needs, you can also experience frequent muscle gramps.
Some of the easy, simple and delicious ways to keep yourself hydrated are:
1. Drink at least 2 glasses of water when you get up in the morning.
2. Drink 2 glasses of water 1 hour before your workout.
3. Keep sipping fluid after every 10-15mins during workout.
4. Don't wait until you are thirsty to decide to drink. Your thirst sensation runs quite a bit slower than your body's need for water. Most experts suggest that you drink before you get thirsty.
5. Make your water tasty. Throwing in some lemons, strawberries, cucumber slices, mint can not only enhance the taste of water but also add microminerals to it. Thus, you are having a detox water.
6. One can choose laban, coconut water, lemonade, herbal drinks as mid snacks instead of some unhealthy binging.
7. There are lots of delicious foods that can help you stay hydrated. Some foods contain 80 per cent or more of their weight in water. So, grab one of these if you just don't like water alone. Foods with at least 80 per cent water include tomatoes, papaya, peaches, yoghurt and oranges. Cucumber and watermelon contain 90-95 per cent (highest) of their weight in water. Cherries and tomatoes are easy to pack and take away anywhere.
8. Caffeine-based beverages like tea, coffee or colas are diuretic. Therefore, when you are having these kinds of beverages, be sure to stay well-hydrated. Have at least 2 glasses of water when having any caffeinated drink. Resist yourself in overdrinking caffeinated beverages and instead grab a rose water drink as it's a good cooling drink.

By Deepshikha Agarwal, nutritionist

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