Beat the Heat with Hydration Strategies to Keep You Cool
After college, I moved from the temperate climes of Chicago, Illinois, where summer is more remarkable for its short duration than its intensity, to the heat sink known as Las Vegas, Nevada. Never before in my life had I stepped outside and suddenly understood how a chicken in a convection oven feels.Temperatures in Vegas can rise to 110 degrees during the day. Thanks to its location in a desert valley, it can drop a full 30 degrees at night, true, but that's still a roasty-toasty 80. It all comes with a blasting wind that, rather than cooling you, just makes the heat more apparent.
I knew that in conditions like that, dehydration could haunt me in a way that would make my few trips to the university infirmary for mild cases look like nothing. I needed to become more proactive about keeping my thirst quenched.
Staying hydrated simply means getting water into your system, but it's harder than it sounds. With the blah taste of plain water, on-the-go lifestyles, and the expense of flavored beverages, getting enough liquid to keep thirst at bay can present a challenge. Worse, when oppressive summer heat drains squeezes you dry, you can't turn to fun, fruity beverages for relief without wrecking your hard work to achieve a swimsuit-ready figure (or to at least shed a layer of winter insulation).
I adjusted quickly to Vegas' scorching summers, coming up with hydration strategies to keep me cool(er) and collected. These days, I live in less extreme conditions, but with summer upon us, it's always good to have a few tricks up my sleeve to stave off dehydration.
Lemon water: It's tough drinking enough plain water to keep your cool throughout the day, but drinking juice and regular soda packs in too many calories. Better to eat and enjoy calories than the mindlessly suck them down, I say. Instead, I keep myself hydrated on the treadmill by adding a splash of lemon juice to my water bottle. It adds interest but few calories, so I can (and want to) drink lots without guilt.
- Hints of flavor and easy availability help make it easier to drink all the water your body needs.
- Staying hydrated doesn't have to cost a lot: Buying drinks in bulk or at fountains saves cash.
- Sticking to unsweetened or lightly sweetened drinks will keep calories from adding up.
Comments
That's true, you can drink too much water. I remember the story of a woman who drank too much water to win a radio station's contest and also died from it. Water intoxication, or hyper-hydration, is very unlikely to happen for most people who simply drink when they are thirsty. However, if you're a serious endurance athlete or have a sickness that causes severe dehydration, it's best to drink fluids with electrolytes, not straight water, to avoid the problem. Thanks for the comments!
Great article.
It is possible to drink TOO MUCH water. I remember a story about a young football player who drank 2 gallons of water in one day and ended up passing away in the hospital because he was over-hydrated. Everything in moderation!
Great advuse, especially for the heat in Las Vegas.
Thanks for the tips. I experienced the same thing you describe when I moved from MI to AZ. All I could do was laugh the first time I got off the plane, it was like a bad joke. Staying hydrated is important!
This is so timely! The heat and humidity have been terrible here.
Great tips on staying hydrated!
(continued...) Thanks for your comments!
(continued...) Soda in particular is not inherently dehydrating, though I'm guessing you're referring to caffeinated sodas like regular cola. Caffeine is reported to be mildly diuretic, and it could affect you from any caffeinated beverage (such as coffee, tea, chocolate drinks, and energy drinks). However, I don't believe that the effect is significant enough to counteract the benefits of taking in the liquid if you are mildly thirsty or dehydrated.
You are 100% correct that people who have serious dehydration or who are suffering from an illness that causes dehydration should seek different beverages than the ones I suggested. If that is the case for anyone, the best course of action is to consult with a doctor, especially since if the dehydration is serious enough you may need hospitalization. My article is intended instead for people looking to quench their normal, everyday thirst and mild dehydration in the summer, when heat makes us crave a little extra liquid. Thanks for your
I am not a nutritionist, so you can take my comment in response here with a grain of salt (an electrolyte!). Non-sports drink soft drinks, whether they be soda, juice, or water, are perfectly fine for quenching a regular person's thirst on a hot day. While extreme temperatures, heavy exercise, and significant dehydration merit beverages enhanced with electrolytes, such as sports drinks and Pedialyte, most of us do not reach the point where they are necessary in the course of an average summer day. What the average person needs is plenty of water, and all soft drinks are water-based. Which one you choose for regular, mild thirst or dehydration is going to depend on taste (some may prefer the flavor of juice or flavored waters), calorie count (some may want to stick with nearly calorie-free lemon water or iced tea if they're watching their weight), and what's convenient (for many, that means soda fountains, many of which do offer a sports drink option, actually). Soda in particular is no
Sorry, about my earlier post, I do see you wrote about sports drinks, I missed that part, I was just irritated that you would advise soft drinks on a hot day. Those are dehydrating and I would never drink those in such a circumstance.
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