During summer when the temperature hits high there is fluid loss from the body. One feels thirsty too often and also gets dehydrated in the heat.  Exercises done in the heat leads to low blood sodium which dilutes the blood and can lead to serious diseases. Water is the best solution to quench thirst, prevent fluid loss after exercise and dehydration. It is difficult to live without water.

Water is life as we can’t stay without drinking water. Especially on a hot summer days this becomes a necessity. Summer is the season when we sweat too much due to humidity in the air. This brings sweat to us. Thus, we become exhausted very easily. Drinking water is a necessity in such a situation. You should stay hydrated during the summer. The individuals carrying on with workout on a regular basis also gets exhausted. They need to replenish their water inside their body with normal water or juices. Also consuming juicy fruits will keep them stay healthy.

Tips for drinking water

It is advisable to drink at least 10-12 glasses of water every day. Drinking water early in the morning helps to clear the stomach and intestines. Water should be taken slowly and at short intervals when the weather is hot. The internal organs of the body must be adapted to the temperature of the body by keeping a mouthful of water for some time. Water should not be taken two hours before sleeping as it leads to the puffiness of the eyes.  Fruits and vegetables containing water must be taken regularly.  It is essential to carry water when going out in the heat. Flavours can be added to water to increase the intake of water. Always fix an amount of water and other liquids that must be taken during summer and met the target daily.

Stay hydrated

Water must always be taken before and after doing exercises and playing vigorous games. Alcohol must not be taken a day before a long vigorous exercise to prevent dehydration. Five cups of raw fruits and vegetables must be taken daily to supply the optimum amount of nutrients to the body. In cases of loss of sodium during games and exercise, intake of salt must be increased.

After strenuous exercise it is necessary to take more protein and carbohydrates to build and repair the muscles to keep the body hydrated. Low fat chocolate milk will fulfil this requirement. Soups and vegetable juices that contain salt and potassium also help to replace the loss of sodium and fluids. Dried fruits and nut mixtures along with water are good supplement of food during long hikes. They are rich in sodium, potassium, carbohydrates and contain high calories.

Importance of water in the body

The body is made up of two thirds of water. Water is an essential element in our life and is most effective for the health of the body. Water detoxifies the body. Water is the solvent for many nutrients

Water helps to maintain the elasticity of the skin and prevent the premature formation of wrinkles. It also helps to maintain the body temperature, especially after exercising in the heat. Water maintains the proper circulation of the blood in the body. It carries away the heat from the internal organs to prevent serious problems like heat stroke. It also lubricates the joints, protects the spinal cord and many other delicate tissues.

It is advised by experts that fruits and cold drinks must be replaced by water. Fruits do give instant energy but they can be harmful to the body. Most fruits contain high calories and lead to weight gain. Fruits and fruit juices tend to increase the level of glucose in the blood and urine which can cause certain diseases like diabetes. Coffee tea and soda are liquids which contain caffeine. These are more of diuretics that lead to loss of water instead of being an agent for hydrating the body. The intake of these items must be minimized especially during the summer.

Tips for drinking water in summer

Carry a water bottle

People in all season have to go out and work. It is not possible to sit at home just because it is hot outside. But, you can always get some protection. Carry a water bottle with you whenever you are out for your office or you are shopping household goods. Even when you are travelling, just carry a water bottle and drink water frequently.

Juicy fruits

If you are not in a habit of drinking water vigorously, the juicy fruits will replace it. Yes, the fruits like, orange, lemon, apple grapes etc will keep your hydrated during summer and also the vitamins content in it will help you to stay healthy and sound in all season.

Healthy soups with vegetables

In order to replenish water inside your body, liquid food can also work. Some people are very fond of soups. If you are among them, you can definitely have such soups on a daily basis along with your meals to replenish water inside your body. This can also help you stay hydrated for a long time. Try this today and see the result. The nutrients in vegetables included in soups also have wonderful benefit for your body.

The Benefits of Physical Activity

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It can help:

• Control your weight
• Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease
• Reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
• Reduce your risk of some cancers
• Strengthen your bones and muscles
• Improve your mental health and mood
• Improve your ability to do daily activities and prevent falls, if you’re an older adult
• Increase your chances of living longer

If you’re not sure about becoming active or boosting your level of physical activity because you’re afraid of getting hurt, the good news is that moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking, is generally safe for most people.

Start slowly. Cardiac events, such as a heart attack, are rare during physical activity. But the risk does go up when you suddenly become much more active than usual. For example, you can put yourself at risk if you don’t usually get much physical activity and then all of a sudden do vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, like shoveling snow. That’s why it’s important to start slowly and gradually increase your level of activity.

If you have a chronic health condition such as arthritis, diabetes, or heart disease, talk with your doctor to find out if your condition limits, in any way, your ability to be active. Then, work with your doctor to come up with a physical activity plan that matches your abilities. If your condition stops you from meeting the minimum Guidelines, try to do as much as you can. What’s important is that you avoid being inactive. Even 60 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity is good for you.

The bottom line is – the health benefits of physical activity far outweigh the risks of getting hurt.

If you want to know more about how physical activity improves your health, the section below gives more detail on what research studies have found.

Control Your Weight

Looking to get to or stay at a healthy weight? Both diet and physical activity play a critical role in controlling your weight. You gain weight when the calories you burn, including those burned during physical activity, are less than the calories you eat or drink. For more information see our section onbalancing calories. When it comes to weight management, people vary greatly in how much physical activity they need. You may need to be more active than others to achieve or maintain a healthy weight.

To maintain your weight: Work your way up to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent mix of the two each week. Strong scientific evidence shows that physical activity can help you maintain your weight over time. However, the exact amount of physical activity needed to do this is not clear since it varies greatly from person to person. It’s possible that you may need to do more than the equivalent of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week to maintain your weight.

To lose weight and keep it off: You will need a high amount of physical activity unless you also adjust your diet and reduce the amount of calories you’re eating and drinking. Getting to and staying at a healthy weight requires both regular physical activity and a healthy eating plan. The CDC has some great tools and information about nutrition, physical activity and weight loss. For more information, visit Healthy Weight.

Reduce Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Heart disease and stroke are two of the leading causes of death in the United States. But following the Guidelines and getting at least 150 minutes a week (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity can put you at a lower risk for these diseases. You can reduce your risk even further with more physical activity. Regular physical activity can also lower your blood pressure and improve your cholesterol levels.

Reduce your risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome

Regular physical activity can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a condition in which you have some combination of too much fat around the waist, high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, or high blood sugar. Research shows that lower rates of these conditions are seen with 120 to 150 minutes (2 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of at least moderate-intensity aerobic activity. And the more physical activity you do, the lower your risk will be.

Already have type 2 diabetes? Regular physical activity can help control your blood glucose levels. To find out more, visit Diabetes and Me.

Reduce Your Risk of Some Cancers

Being physically active lowers your risk for two types of cancer: colon and breast. Research shows that:

• Physically active people have a lower risk of colon cancer than do people who are not active.
• Physically active women have a lower risk of breast cancer than do people who are not active.

Reduce your risk of endometrial and lung cancer. Although the research is not yet final, some findings suggest that your risk of endometrial cancer and lung cancer may be lower if you get regular physical activity compared to people who are not active.

Improve your quality of life. If you are a cancer survivor, research shows that getting regular physical activity not only helps give you a better quality of life, but also improves your physical fitness.

Strengthen Your Bones and Muscles

As you age, it’s important to protect your bones, joints and muscles. Not only do they support your body and help you move, but keeping bones, joints and muscles healthy can help ensure that you’re able to do your daily activities and be physically active. Research shows that doing aerobic, muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening physical activity of at least a moderately-intense level can slow the loss of bone density that comes with age.

Hip fracture is a serious health condition that can have life-changing negative effects, especially if you’re an older adult. But research shows that people who do 120 to 300 minutes of at least moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week have a lower risk of hip fracture.

Regular physical activity helps with arthritis and other conditions affecting the joints. If you have arthritis, research shows that doing 130 to 150 (2 hours and 10 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity, low-impact aerobic activity can not only improve your ability to manage pain and do everyday tasks, but it can also make your quality of life better.

Build strong, healthy muscles. Muscle-strengthening activities can help you increase or maintain your muscle mass and strength. Slowly increasing the amount of weight and number of repetitions you do will give you even more benefits, no matter your age.

Improve Your Mental Health and Mood

Regular physical activity can help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age. It can also reduce your risk of depression and may help you sleep better. Research has shown that doing aerobic or a mix of aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities 3 to 5 times a week for 30 to 60 minutes can give you these mental health benefits. Some scientific evidence has also shown that even lower levels of physical activity can be beneficial.

Improve Your Ability to do Daily Activities and Prevent Falls

A functional limitation is a loss of the ability to do everyday activities such as climbing stairs, grocery shopping, or playing with your grandchildren.

How does this relate to physical activity? If you’re a physically active middle-aged or older adult, you have a lower risk of functional limitations than people who are inactive

Already have trouble doing some of your everyday activities? Aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities can help improve your ability to do these types of tasks.

Are you an older adult who is at risk for falls? Research shows that doing balance and muscle-strengthening activities each week along with moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking, can help reduce your risk of falling.

Increase Your Chances of Living Longer

Science shows that physical activity can reduce your risk of dying early from the leading causes of death, like heart disease and some cancers. This is remarkable in two ways:

1. Only a few lifestyle choices have as large an impact on your health as physical activity. People who are physically active for about 7 hours a week have a 40 percent lower risk of dying early than those who are active for less than 30 minutes a week.
2. You don’t have to do high amounts of activity or vigorous-intensity activity to reduce your risk of premature death. You can put yourself at lower risk of dying early by doing at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity.

Everyone can gain the health benefits of physical activity – age, ethnicity, shape or size do not matter.

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