I will never complain about the heat or being too hot. I live in Ottawa. We typically only get 4-6 weeks of really hot weather every year, and I love every second of it. That being said, extreme heat can be dangerous and cause dehydration or heat stroke. If you feel fatigued, dizzy, confused, have a dry mouth or dry skin or headaches, or experience less frequent urination, you could be dehydrated.
To avoid this, staying hydrated is especially important during extreme heat (although my clients will tell you I’m always recommending they drink more water - women should aim for 2.7L daily, and men 3.7L daily :). To help hit your water goal, aim to drink your first liter before lunch. This is when we’re the most thirsty, having gone all night without water.
That being said, if you struggle to drink water (ie. forget, think it’s boring), there are plenty of foods and ways you can spruce up your water to make staying hydrated more palatable and enjoyable.
When it’s really hot out I find that I crave cold, fresh fruits and vegetables, and it’s likely because many of them have a high water content (and some of which are also in season in Ontario right now - bonus!):
Fruits:
Watermelon
Strawberries
Grapefruit
Peaches
Blackberries
Cantaloupe
Honeydew
Oranges
Grapes
Veggies:
Lettuce
Celery
Cucumber
Radish
Zucchini
Tomatoes
Bell Peppers
Asparagus
Enjoy a variety of these foods as snacks (frozen grapes are sweet and refreshing), in salads or freeze and blend them up to make a smoothie or add them to a pitcher of water for natural fruit/veggie infused water. I love combining watermelon and mint, cucumber and lime or lemon and strawberry. These natural fruit/veggie/herb infusions add a refreshing, subtle flavor, and added vitamins!
I’m not a huge tea person, but there are so many herbal teas out there (ginger, lemon, dandelion, mint), that when brewed and chilled make for healthy, delicious, refreshing iced tea. Try adding a splash of carbonated water for some added fizz.
If you get tired of flat water (me at 3pm daily!), change up the texture with carbonated water. There are a variety of brands and flavors of natural carbonated water that will keep you hydrated, are delicious and refreshing.
For added health benefits, try my Apple Spritz mocktail with apple cider vinegar (ACV):
Apple Spritz
🍹Half can carbonated water
🍹1 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar (raw, unpasteurized, with the mother)
🍹1 tsp. 100% cranberry juice or fresh squeezed lime or lemon juice
🍹Mix together in a nice cocktail glass. Cheers!
ACV is one of my top recommended “ace up your sleeve” ingredients because of it’s amazing health benefits:
I’m so excited about this recent mocktail discovery for a few reasons:
1️⃣It tastes like Kombucha, which I love, but can be pricey to stock daily - this is a cheaper alternative with more health benefits!
2️⃣It makes it easy and delicious to incorporate one of my fave fermented foods - apple cider vinegar (ACV)
3️⃣ACV is mostly known as a source of probiotics, which is beneficial for gut-health and deflating a bloated belly but…
4️⃣ACV is an ace up your sleeve when it comes to controlling hunger and cravings as it can stabilize blood glucose levels (when these levels spike and dip, we tend to always feel hungry or crave sugar, carbs),
5️⃣One 12-week study showed that ACV significantly reduces weight, body fat (specifically around mid-section) waist circumference and triglycerides (type of fat found in the blood).
Stay hydrated and enjoy the heat!
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