Stay Hydrated In the Summer
Summer brings a lot of opportunities to have fun or focus on your health (let’s get that vitamin D!), but it can also be incredibly HOT (depending on where you live). Simply spending time outside can be too much, without adding workouts, walking your dog, or attending your kid’s baseball game into the mix!
Receiving proper hydration is absolutely ESSENTIAL, especially in the summertime. Making sure you’re drinking lots of water or getting appropriate high levels of electrolytes can aid in rehydration and functioning at your best.
You should also be mindful of your skin’s hydration! The sun can easily burn and tire out your skin, not to mention the irritation that can occur due to heat rash. Spending years of improper or over-exposure to the sun comes with several health risks, such as premature wrinkling, skin aging (like age spots), and an increased risk of skin cancer.
But it’s not just your skin that you need to think about keeping safe and hydrated this summer! Eyes and lips can get just as burned, which is not a comfortable experience. Todd Altenbernd explains how photokeratitis is “when your eye is exposed to too much ultraviolet (UV) light, the cornea can become damaged and irritated.” Similarly, sunburned lips can cause a burning sensation, peel, and feel extremely sensitive and dry. If you have extreme pain, swelling, or blisters (on lips, eyes, or skin), be sure to consult your doctor!
Be sure to put on hydrating and sunblocking chapstick and wear sunglasses! Apply a non-irritating lip balm or lip moisturizer for daily hydration, thick ointment for dry and irritated lips, and lip balm with SPF 30 or higher before going outdoors. For proper eye hydration, be sure to blink consistently (especially if you’re reading or using screens for a long period of time), drink plenty of water, avoid smoke, and, if necessary, use artificial tears if you’re prone to dry eyes (be sure to look for brands that contain no preservatives!)
Ensuring you’re staying hydrated when the temperatures are super high, both internally and externally, is vital to keeping you safe and healthy during these summer months.
Obviously, drinking water is always a great way to stay hydrated. Check out this article for 9 easy ways to make drinking more water a healthy habit!
Eating foods with high water contents, like watermelon, cucumber, celery, apples, and tomatoes, is also an effective way to keep your body well-hydrated! And there is so much awesome produce you can enjoy this summer! Plus, there are SO many yummy ways to eat those foods.
Here are some quick and easy meals/snacks full of hydrating foods:
Turkey BLT
Both lettuce and tomatoes are high in water (95% for both!), which means you’ll feel full AND hydrated after eating this delicious turkey BLT.
Yogurt
Yogurt itself has a pretty high water content (88%), but especially paired with strawberries (91%) and blueberries (84%), this is a great go-to snack for extra hydration in the summer!
Cucumber Boats
These cute snacks have an assortment of water-dense foods, including cucumbers (96%), tomatoes, and bell peppers (92%)! Definitely worth making for a long day with the family.
Watermelon Lemonade
Watermelons are 92% water, so what better way to enjoy them than by creating a hydrating lemonade?! Not only are you getting water from the melon, but you have a refreshing drink that you can enjoy poolside all day long.
Chicken Salad
This chicken salad is full of amazing, clean ingredients, but most importantly, hydrating ones: lettuce, celery (95%), and even yogurt! This is a great meal to have after a long day outside, as it’s super refreshing.
So, hopefully, that helps you feel pretty good about hydrating internally through foods and drinks, but what about externally?
Here are some tips on keeping your skin hydrated, especially during the summer months:
➡️ ALWAYS wear sunscreen.
Definitely on your face, but on your body, too, especially if you’re going to be out in the sun with exposed skin, say for swimming or a ball game. Protecting your skin from the sun’s harsh rays is important. Sunburns not only hurt but also strip the moisture from your skin, leaving it flaky and peeling.
➡️ Invest in a humidifier.
They provide extra moisture in the air, which your skin will definitely thank you for, especially during the summer when you’re more exposed to the sun and excessive heat.
➡️ Avoid harsh cleansers, and be sure to moisturize!
Not all cleansers are made the same, so choose one for your specific skin type and needs. And when it comes to moisturizing, be sure to leave your face/body slightly damp after you shower – the moisturizer will help lock the water into your skin, leaving it hydrated longer.
If skincare in any capacity is overwhelming for you, check out this article for 12 essential tips for keeping your skin healthy and this article for some helpful myths and facts about skincare!
This is certainly not a comprehensive list, but even implementing a few of these foods and practices into your daily routine can help keep you hydrated inside and out this summer!
Our bodies deserve to be well-hydrated, and our skin shouldn’t be exposed to the elements without proper protection, even while enjoying the warm summer weather. Here at CFC, we’re all about well-rounded health, and staying hydrated is a GREAT way to keep yourself healthy and safe all year long.
Trust us – your body will thank you for it!
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