Arizona is experiencing a very hot summer. It is very important to do whatever efforts are needed to stay hydrated. Some people find that it may be helpful to fill up a big water bottle (at least one liter) at the beginning of the day and carry it around with them wherever they go. Carrying around a water bottle helps serve as a reminder to keep drinking water all throughout the day. The goal is to empty the bottle by the end of the day.
The water bottle is a physical reminder to drink – even if you’re not thirsty. Many people are so busy that they barely take the time to eat healthy, let alone pause for a water break. The result is that a person may end up going for hours and hours without drinking water. It can be easy for a person’s body to become dehydrated, even before the person begins to feel thirsty.
Health advantages of staying hydrated
Staying hydrated has real health advantages. Keeping hydrated can help a person maintain their energy and focus easier. If a person becomes dehydrated they may be more prone to get headaches as a result. Continued dehydration affects a person’s digestion and can be a factor in making a person become constipated.
Work on giving your water drinking habits the attention they deserve. This is important year-round, but particularly important in the hot, hot summer weather.
Tips to help stay hydrated
Here are some simple ways to make fueling up with fluid throughout the day a little easier:
- Always carry a water bottle, wherever you go during the day. Carrying the bottle about will serve as a reminder to keep continually drinking water during the day. Keep a bottle of water at your desk if you have a desk job. If you have a bottle within arms reach, it’s more likely you’ll end up mindlessly sipping from it throughout the day, without even having to make a conscious effort.
- Make sure your diet is rich in whole foods. By eating water-rich foods like vegetables, fruits, and yogurt, you end up automatically increasing your fluid intake. On the other hand, processed snack foods like chips, crackers, cookies, or other baked goods have minimal water content. Additionally ‘fast foods’ are generally processed, and offer little health or hydration benefit.
- Grab a glass of cold water when you begin to feel frazzled or hazy. Studies have shown people instantly begin to feel more alert after drinking water. Consider getting a glass of water to help snap out of a midday slump.
- Consider starting your day with a cup of herbal tea every evening. This habit can end up adding an extra cup of fluid every day. Herbal tea can also be a relaxing ritual to help de-stress at the end of a day.
Seasonal Acupuncture helps keep a person healthy
Even if you are working hard to stay hydrated in the hot summer months, the hot weather still can stress out a person’s body. Traditional Chinese Medicine encourages people to consider supplementing healthy eating and hydration habits with seasonal Acupuncture appointments. Even a few annual Acupuncture appointments, as the seasons change, can help a person’s body adjust to the changing seasons and help to keep a person healthier.
We look forward to seeing you this summer and helping you on your road to better health.