Many of our patients struggle to get enough hydration for themselves or their families. I know after a while, just water or the same electrolyte packets can get boring and monotonous. While we are still in a season of heat, be sure to try out some of these new and innovative ways to hydrate and balance your electrolytes!
Increase your intake of water-rich foods!
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- Cucumber: Contains about 95% water and tastes super refreshing!
- Watermelon: Contains 92% water and tastes great in a smoothie.
- Strawberries: Contain 91% water and is lovely in a bowl of yogurt or infused in a glass of water
- Cantaloupe: Contains about 90% water content; great to add to a fruit salad or as a base to a smoothie.
- Lettuce: Most lettuces contain about 96% water, so a fresh summer salad is always an ideal way to hydrate.
- Zucchini: Contains about 95% water and great on the grill or spiralized into noodles!
- Tomatoes: Contains 94% water content, and everyone’s favorite addition to a salad or eaten on their own with salt and pepper.
- Make your own homemade electrolyte drink. Here is a basic recipe you can jazz up with other fruits-
- 4 cups of filtered water
- 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
- 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons of raw honey or pure maple syrup
- Other drink options
- Smoothies or Homemade Protein shakes are a great way to get a balanced meal but also a good portion of your hydration for the day. Or make these into fun popsicles for the kids or the kid in you!
- Coconut Water contains a multitude of minerals and antioxidants so not only is it a hydrating drink but it is a superfood!
- Herbal Iced Tea- to avoid dehydration with too much caffeine, opt for an herbal tea as a base for your summer iced tea. Some of my favorites are mint, rooibos. Try out this refreshing recipe- https://www.loveandlemons.com/hibiscus-tea-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-70582
I encourage you to get the whole family involved and explore different ways to hydrate throughout the rest of the season. I guarantee you that some of these will stick long into the fall and winter season! As always, feel free to comment, share, and reach out to us for more detailed and tailored to you nutrition advice so we can help you restore joy through nutrition!
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
