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Summer is officially upon us!
Warmer weather means beach days and fun in the sun-but it also means extra water consumption. While hydrating is crucial to maintaining wellness, the amount of water you should drink varies on the seasons. Dehydration is more common in the spring and summer months when you’re sweating more, and can consequently cause blood pressure to drop, leading to a host of other problems.
But as Trista Best, a registered dietician at Balance One Supplements explains, staying hydrated during hot weather, or times of extreme water loss, requires more than plain water.
Turns out, there’s something that you should be adding to your water to boost health and counteract acting. Bonus-it’s an even easier hack than you might think!
Drinking water is vital to life, but it can get a little old. No doubt many of us have reached for a Vitamin Water or juice supplement to make hydrating a little more exciting.
"Enhancing your water's flavor can be a decision that elevates health in many ways, including skin health," Trista adds.
However, flavored drinks, juices or non-diet sodas often come pre-loaded with sugar. The good news? There's a fresh flavor available with few health risks and plenty of benefits: lemon water!
Not only will you be adding key vitamins and nutrients to your water with a few wedges of lemon, but the flavor may encourage you to keep drinking more water.
"Adding lemon to your water may mean you actually desire to drink more and achieve your unique hydration needs," Trista says.
"Lemon water has also been shown to support weight loss by improving insulin resistance and digestion. The vitamin C that lemon water contributes to your diet, coupled with an increase in hydration, keeps your skin moisturized and elastic which prevents wrinkles." Sounds good to us!
Along with lemons, there are other citrus fruits that contain vitamin C, such as as oranges and grapefruits. In fact, one medium orange contains 70 mg of vitamin C, so it might not be a bad idea to switch up your water flavors for added benefits.
The bottom line is that drinking water in place of sugary juices and sodas can be part of a healthier diet, enabling your body to retain more nutrients and look and feel younger.
Pass the lemons, please!
