Tips for Staying Hydrated and Moisturized in the Summer Heat

As we approach the beginning of the summer, there are three important categories to diligently monitor and nourish during the months of intense heat.

• Maintain proper hydration

• Support good electrolyte balance

• Take steps to maintain moistness, reducing dryness on the skin and throughout the body

When it comes to dehydration, of course paying attention to sufficient liquid intake and maintaining good electrolyte balance are essential. The intense summer heat also creates a deeper dryness that has longer term effects of depleting the body of healthy oils and an unctuous protective layer. Here a few simple tips to protect your body this summer.

TIPS FOR STAYING HYDRATED AND MAINTAINING GOOD ELECTROLYTE BALANCE

- Drink cool or room temperature water. It may feel tempting to grab the ice cold drinks, but even during a heat wave, ice-cold drinks are not recommended. Think of what happens when you put your hand in a cooler of ice. When you pull your hand out, it is numb and going through the process of vasoconstriction. The blood vessels tightly contract, cutting off blood so you don't lose more heat. Think of what happens to your stomach with ice-cold drinks. The iced drinks cut off the blood supply to your digestive system when you need it the most. An ice pack may be good for reducing inflammation during an injury, but you don't need an ice pack for your digestive system.

- To maintain healthy electrolyte balance, drink banana smoothies. You could blend bananas, almond milk and chia seeds. Bananas are a great source of potassium, an important mineral and electrolyte. Chia seeds will help prevent dehydration, but remember to soak them before you consume them. Eating dry chia seeds can increase dehydration, but soaked chia seeds will decrease dehydration. Try soaking the chia seeds in almond milk the night before and then blending it with bananas a few hours later.

- Ditch the Gatorade or any of the electrolyte drinks in plastic bottles. Instead, combine a pinch of salt, lime and a touch of honey with water. I prefer to use Celtic sea salt in this recipe because of its high mineral content.

-Increase your consumption of juicy, electrolyte rich fruits in the summer. In addition to being hydrating, many fruits have electrolytes which make it even more potent than drinking a plain glass of water. In addition to bananas, some electrolyte rich fruits include the following: avocados, oranges, kiwis, dates, papaya and watermelon.

TIPS FOR STAYING UNCTUOUS AND MOIST IN THE SUMMER HEAT

As summer progresses, some of you may observe an increasing dryness on your skin and some may even be seeing more days of constipation. The summer heat can dry out the body and may aggravate the dryness that can dramatically increase in the fall. During the summer, massage your body with coconut or sunflower oil and allow it to stay on the body for at least 30 minutes before bathing to remove any excess oil. Alternatively, you can massage it on to your body after you bathe and you can use a slightly smaller amount of oil. Use friction strokes to allow the oil to penetrate more deeply into your body. As the weather starts to cool in the fall, continue the practice of oil massage and switch to almond oil as a great neutral oil for the fall and winter.

In addition to hydration with increased consumption of fruits, you'll also want to increase intake of healthy fats that are light on the liver but support your external and internal skin to have a layer of protection. Here are some ideas for healthy fats that can be incorporated into your daily routine - consume 10-20 soaked and peeled almonds daily. Drink takra - a delicious beverage that combines 1/4 cup yogurt (plant or dairy based can be used) and 3/4 cup water. For the summer, you can add some chopped cilantro or mint with a hint of fennel and even a dash of maple syrup.

So stay cool and know that the intense summer heat will pass!