The summer heat can be draining. The wrong food choices, such as heavy foods, can make us feel drained and tired.
Lack of water also plays a big role in how we feel. Many people don’t drink enough water when it’s hot out. They also eat the wrong foods, which can cause dehydration. Here are some tips for keeping water and energy levels up this summer.
Hydration and Energy
Water doesn’t just quench your thirst; it is crucial for keeping energy levels up. Water plays important roles in keeping the body healthy. When the body lacks proper amounts, some metabolic processes may be affected, which leads to fatigue.
- Water regulates the digestive system.
Think of the digestive system as your internal plumbing. When your plumbing is backed up, you feel bloated and sluggish. Water is like lubrication for your internal pipes. It helps moves toxins out of the body by flushing toxins through the GI and urinary tract.
Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants along with drinking lots of water is the best way to naturally detox. Antioxidants bind to free radical toxins and neutralize them. Drinking lots of water will help you flush those free radicals out.
- Dehydration slows down cognitive function and causes headaches.
No one has much energy when they have a headache or a migraine. Dehydration is a major cause of headaches and migraines.
According to a 2012 study published in the Journal of Nutrition, fluid loss of just 1.36 perfect after exercise impaired mood and concentration in young women. It also increased the frequency of headaches.
The key to preventing headaches and concentration impairment is to drink water before you feel thirsty. Your body is usually already depleted by the time you feel the urge to drink come on. Aim for 10 sips of water every hour to be sure you are staying properly hydrated in the hot summer months; more if you are exercising or being active.
- Water helps with weight loss.
Putting on a few extra pounds may have been easy to hide in the winter months when everyone is covered up with sweaters. But in the summer, those few extra pounds can really tire you out.
According to a 2010 study published in Obesity, dieters who drank half a liter of water approximately 30 minutes before eating a meal lost 44 percent more weight over a time frame of 12 weeks. Drinking water 30 minutes before eating a meal can also help make you feel full so you’ll eat less calories.
Other Energy Boosting Tips
In addition to drinking more water, here are a few more tips to staying light and energized throughout the summer.
- Eat smaller meals throughout the day as opposed to three larger ones.
Feeding your body smaller portions of food frequently throughout the day is great for your energy levels. Eating every two hours means you always have food in your system to give you energy. In addition, your digestive system will thank you. It takes more work for your GI tract to break down larger portions of food. If you constantly feel sluggish after meals, you might be eating too much and overtaxing your digestive system.
- Try a cleanse!
There is no better way to re-energize than by getting toxins out and resetting your system, so to speak. It may also help you drop some inches and feel more confident in your swim suit!
- Swap out your morning cup of coffee.
It may seem counterproductive to omit caffeine from your diet first thing in the morning when you are trying to wake up. But according to a 2013 study, drinking coffee first thing in the morning depletes energy levels.
The best way to energize in the morning is by fuelling your body correctly. Try drinking a glass of purified water first thing in the morning, following up a bowl of oats with a hot cup of chicory tea.
- Keep a journal.
Your diet may be the reason you feel so sluggish this summer. Keep a journal of the foods you eat and the way they make you feel after eating them. Also be sure to write down what time of day you ate the meal and what time of day you started experiencing the sluggish symptoms. Some people will experience immediate discomfort from a food that disagrees with them while others won’t feel it until 2-3 hours after eating it.
- Take your B’s!
B vitamins are involved in energy production. Phresh Greens includes the power of B vitamins from green leafy plant based sources such as kale, spinach, parsley, wheat grass and collard powders, to help naturally detox the body.
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