It’s going to be a hot one over summer in Melbourne this year. It’s easy to forget your routine during this busy time so we’ve put together a few tips and reminders for you to stay hydrated. Dehydration can lead to muscle cramping and fatigue, headaches, digestive complaints, confusion, irritability and tiredness – not very festive, huh? We’ve put together some tips to help you stay well hydrated and fresh over the summer months and beyond!
- Carry a bottle of water with you where possible so you can sip throughout the day. Aim for 2L of water each day, but remember to drink more on really hot days or with exercise where you are loosing more fluid through sweat.
- Start each day with a glass of warm water with the juice of half a lemon. This is a great tip to follow everyday, but particularly good over the Christmas period to help stimulate your liver and digestion.
- On particularly warm Melbourne days, try cool, refreshing snack and meal ideas – a green smoothie and some nuts or a boiled egg for breakfast, a leafy and hydrating Thai Chicken Salad for lunch or some homemade icy poles made with fresh fruit and coconut water, or some deliciously summery watermelon for a snack.
- Freeze fruit such as grapes, berries or strawberries to add to your bottles water to add some flavour, assist with the absorption of the water and keep your drink cooler for longer. You could also freeze cut or blended fruit or herbs in ice cube trays to add also.
- At parties, remember to alternate alcoholic beverages with water to stay hydrated. This can also keep your alcohol content down, and reduce the risk of a hangover in the morning.
- Use herbal teas to stay hydrated and keep you feeling comfortable during the season of indulging. Teas such as peppermint, fennel, chamomile and dandelion are all great options to help stimulate digestion and help reduce bloating if you have overdone it.
Written by Naturopath Bree Jenner
© The Health & Wellbeing Studio 2017
