Hydration Tips & Summer Spritzer Recipe
Do you struggle with drinking enough water? Try these tips from registered dietician Nutritionist, Katie Schaeffer.
Staying hydrated is an important factor to maintaining your health. Even mild dehydration can impact our energy levels, our mental clarity, and our immune function.
Many people report they don’t think they’re drinking enough water, but how can we tell if we’re getting enough fluids? Begin by finding your daily fluid needs. Simple divide your body weight (in pounds) by 2. The resulting number is about how many ounces of fluids you need each day. For example, a 200 pound person would need about 100 ounces of fluid, a 150 pound person would need about 75 ounces a day.
We get fluids from many sources. Drinking water is important, but we also get fluid from fresh fruits and veggies, broths, coffee and tea, and seltzer all count towards our fluid intake. If you don’t enjoy plain water, you can try unsweetened flavored herbal teas, adding fruit or herbs to your water, or drinking flavored seltzer waters or mineral water. If you’re struggling to drink liquids in general, try adding an extra serving of veggies to your meals, and choosing fruit for a snack instead of crackers or other dry food.
Try a super hydrating fruit spritzer for a little summer fun!
- 2 cups cubed melon (honeydew or watermelon work well)
- Juice from one lime (about 2 Tbsp)
- 1 English cucumber, coarsely chopped
- 48 oz club soda or plain seltzer (you can use tonic water, but omit the sugar)
In a large jar or mixing bowl, combine melon, lime juice, and cucumber. Muddle together until it resembles a puree. Pour the puree into a clean jar or bowl through fine mesh strainer or a few layers of cheesecloth. Strain and gently press on the mixture to extract as much liquid as possible and chill in the fridge. Discard the pulp (or compost it) or save it and add it to smoothies (will last up to 3 days in the fridge). To serve, divide the juice into 4 glasses and top with about 1 cup of seltzer or club soda. Garnish with fresh mint, cucumber, or melon balls. Best served chilled or over ice.