Summer Hydration Done Right

We all know it's important to stay hydrated all-year long.

But in summer, it becomes particularly crucial.

With my daughter and I being prone to heat strokes, I've learned a few hacks to ensure proper hydration during the hot summer months.

Remember that adults should drink between 8 to 10 tall glasses of water per day. On a hot summer day, depending on your activity level, you likely will need more. 

That's a lot of water! In my opinion, the key to making hydration easy is to disguise it so you don't feel like you have to chock down gallons of plain water.

Here I'm sharing a few of my favorite hacks:

1. It starts when you wake up

Contrary to what you might think, summer hydration starts the moment you wake up and not just when you're breaking a sweat in the afternoon.

Start your day with a large glass of spring or filtered water, a pinch of sea salt and a squeeze of lime or lemon.

Ideally, have it warm as the combination with lemon will gently kickstart your digestive system. 

The mineral-rich sea salt will support your adrenals who need to work hard in the morning.

Lemon also contains electrolytes so it will rehydrate your body after you've had 8-10h of no water intake.

2. The art of the breakfast smoothie

This is the #1 hydration disguise! And great news, it serves many purposes all at once.

Trading your typical breakfast for a breakfast smoothie makes sense, for many reasons:

• It contains about 20oz of water so it will rehydrate the body when it's most dehydrated (in the morning);
• Having a liquid breakfast saves you about 30% energy since your digestive system doesn't have to work so hard (that's free energy you have for anything else!);
• You can pack it with antioxidant-rich greens and berries, a satiating protein powder and lots of micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. With kids, I love this tactic to hide all the things they need but don't "like";
• You can sip it slowly over 30-60 minutes and will feel hydrated and satiated all morning.

Here's the golden rule of ratios when making a morning smoothie. Aim to include roughly:

• 1 cup of greens (skip if you currently have bloating or digestive issues)
• 1/2 to 1 cup of frozen organic berries (wild blueberries are the best option for nutrient-dense antioxidant-rich berries)
• 2 scoops of a protein powder (I like a vegan protein in the morning. Aim to find one that gives you at least 15g of protein and up to 30g)
• 1 to 2 tbsp of healthy fat (this could be grounded flax seeds, chia seeds, avocado, coconut cream, etc)
• 20 oz of filtered water
• You can complete with an unsweetened nut milk or coconut milk

My whole family is on the smoothie train and we particularly love it in the summer. It allows me to pack my kids' smoothie with all the vitamins and minerals I want them to take AND I know they kick off their day well hydrated.

3. Carry a large water bottle

In our house, everyone has their own non-plastic 1,2L water bottle that they carry with them all day long.

Yes it's heavy and big to trek around but it ensures a clean, filtered source of water everywhere we go.

When I was a kid, I used to fill up my water bottle from the water fountain at the playground on our summer camp days. Remember the awful taste of that water? Ugh.

Now I know better and when possible, I prefer to avoid having my kids drink that, or any tap water for that matter. 

If you're wondering what's wrong with tap water, have a look here.

Oh and let's quickly talk about water temperature: Ayurvedic medicine has thought us that it's best to drink your water at room temperature, even on a hot day.

Drinking icy cold water can disrupt your digestive system while making your body work harder to restore its internal temperature. Now my kids LOVE putting ice cubes in their water - when I make a larger water pitcher I'll include some and leave it outside which will quickly bring it to a cool water temperature and not cold.

4. Electrolyte water

By noon, you should have drank your morning water, your smoothie and your first water bottle (or 4-5 glasses of water).

That means you're in good shape with your body well rehydrated. 

In the afternoon, when the temperature gets warmer and we start sweating more, we want to curb any electrolyte loss.

If we're at home, I particularly like making a large water pitcher of flavorful water using Trumarine collagen + electrolytes (use code VANESSA15 for 15% off).

It tastes so yummy and that way, I make sure everyone gets a top-up in sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium.

Also, let's break the myth now that any sport beverage such as Gatorade actually hydrates. These drinks are so full of sugar, artificial flavors and colorant that I urge you to stay away! Nothing hydrates more than water!

5. Make the water refills fun for everyone

I find my kids will get more water in them if I make it taste really good.

Here are a few of my favorite go-to. I either add them to their water bottle or to a large water pitcher:

• Include a couple cubes of watermelon and its juice plus a couple leaves of mint in their water bottle
• Combine a few slices of cucumber and mint or basil
• Add a handful of frozen berries 
• Make ice cubes with blended watermelon
• Squeeze half a lime and add a pinch of sea salt

What's best than making a fresh-squeeze lemonade for everyone to enjoy by the pool or beach. My kids love to make their lemonade stand when they go to grandma's! It keeps everyone well hydrated and they have a blast doing it!

6. A word of caution with sparkling water

There's so much hype around flavored sparkling water that I wanted to add a quick note here. 

While they are tasty and delicious, most of them are simply carbonated water and are deprived of minerals (think of La Croix, Bubbly, etc). We also aren't completely sure of what the "natural flavors" are made of.

If you're into sparkling water, it's best to stick to a San Pellegrino or Perrier which have natural amounts of essential minerals.

Of course, a Bubbly or La Croix here and there is totally fine (and a much better choice than soda) but it's best not to sip on it all day.

Use the tips above to increase your water intake in the summer while making it fun.

Happy summer!

Vanessa