All year we dream of getting back to the summertime, but once it arrives, we remember how brutal summer heat can be. Summertime heat requires extra caution to prevent dehydration and exhaustion. But what do we do to keep cool, safe, and stay hydrated?

Luckily, Staying cool and hydrated in the summertime is easy with these Tips! Plus I’ve hand picked 5 Amazing Fruit Infused Water Recipes to share with my folks.

• Drink more than 8 glasses of water
• Start your day with fruits high in water content
• Stay out of the Heat at Peek Hours
• Moisturize your skin, face, and lips
• Eat and Drink Raw Foods

1. Drink More Than 8 Glasses of Water to stay hydrated

Water (along with Salt) is the essence of Life. Blood is 92% water and 8% Blood Protein Plasma and Minerals. Our body contains roughly 6 Quarts of Blood that circulates throughout our arteries 2000 times per gallons per Day! 

Needless to say, #WaterIsLife. As a good rule of thumb, we’ve been trained to drink 8 glasses of Water a Day. Good Advice, however for many adults, this fluid oz intake is just not enough to stay hydrated. 

Your fluid intake is determined by the amount of fluids you drink AND the amount of fluid your body can extract from the foods you eat. 20% of the Recommended Fluid Intake for Adults should come from the foods we eat.

Here is what an accurate daily recommendation look like for Adults in Moderate Temperatures: Roughly,

• 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for Healthy Men
• 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for Healthy Women
• 13.5 cups (3.2 liters) of fluids a day for Pregnant Women
• 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for Breastfeeding Women

Pregnant women in the mid summer heat need more water to be fully hydrated. Aim for at least 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of Water a day and Try to include Vegetable Juices, Smoothie, Popsicles, and Teas as an added liquid bonus.

2. Start your day fully Hydrated with fruits high in water

Considering the 20% of liquids that should stem from our diet, consuming fruits high in water content is a must to stay hydrated. Fruits like Watermelon, Grapes, Apples, Melons, Plums, Blueberries, Pineapple, Oranges, and Peaches are Awesome enough to Start your Day with.

These fruits are considered cooling fruits and should be eaten at the beginning of the day when the Sun is the highest. Another thing to consider is just how fast these foods digest and can be used by your body. 

Fruits high in Water take just 20 minutes to make it through the digestive system, so as a rule of thumb, eat them at the start of your day to avoid stomach troubles. (I’ll Spare you the details, just trust me!) 

A few other things to be mindful of is proper food combining. (See chart below). With the millions of recipes circulating Pinterest and Facebook, I want you to keep in mind that all foods do not digest at the same rate, and fruits will spoil in the gut the fastest. Try to Eat fruits like Watermelon Alone. That’s right, No More Watermelon/Strawberry/Mint bowls (I know, Im sorry!!) 

Use this chart to start making better choices for yourself and your family, it may not be easy or what you are use to, but it is proven science and the order of operation of everyone’s digestive System. Tess from TheBlenderGirl.com does a great job at breaking this down so check out her post for further info on Food Combining Here

3. Stay Out of the Heat at Peak Hours

Peak times of the day are when the Sun is at its highest point in the sky and is beaming its hottest. This is generally between 10am and 2pm, when it’s the Hardest to stay hydrated. In areas with higher humidity, you should caution yourself even more, as the air circulation around your skin is limited and sweating becomes harder to do. 

Taking part in outdoor activities during peak hours can contribute to heat stroke and/or heat exhaustion. Your body does its best to maintain a temperature of 98.6 Degrees to maintain vital internal functions. When your temperature exceeds this, you begin to experience dehydration that can lead to more life threatening conditions such as heat stroke.

4. Moisturize your skin, face, and lips to stay hydrated

Skin is your body’s first level of defense and elimination of toxins, dander, germs, bacteria, and radiation. Using a moisturizer with skin enhancing ingredients is a good strategy for maximizing the barrier of the skin.

Search for products that contain Vitamin E, for example, to reduce UV damage to the skin and protect your skin from damage caused by free radicals.

Cocoa Butter with its high fatty acid content is exceptional for hydrating and moisturizing the skin. Cocoa Butter forms a barrier over the skin that locks in moisture and reduces the appearance of wrinkles, scars, and bruises.

Rosehip Essential Oil is full of Vitamin C and is effective in preventing sunburn. On top of that, this oil contains a high content of Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, and K, making it highly regenerative and restorative for the skins cells.

A combination of these ingredients can be used in conjunction with a light carrier oil to make a whipped body cream perfect for the summer. Purchasing products made with these ingredients is a great option as well.

5. Eat and Drink Raw

Raw Foods are becoming increasingly popular for a good reason! Raw vegetables and fruits contain a large amount of water, vitamins and minerals aiding is a healthy body and lifestyle. As discussed earlier, 20% of your water intake should be satisfied through our diet.

But that’s not the only reason eating raw is the secret to staying hydrated! Raw foods (and drinks especially) digest easier and provide the body with the full power of the veggie or fruit. This means your digestive tract is using less of your energy to process foods. More energy reserve can be used to maintain homeostasis throughout the body and regulate the bodies temperature! The ultimate win.

Green Juices and sea vegetables high in Minerals help to hydrate the cells and fluids in the body. Think Sea Moss Smoothies, Cucumber Juices, and wheatgrass shots. And Raw foods help balance brain fog! Meaning you will not forget to drink that glass of water you poured an hour ago.

What is summer without the energy to enjoy it and the health to embrace it? As Promised, here are 5 Epic infused water Recipes that can be enjoyed all summer long.

Infused Water Recipes