The heat can be rough, which is why it’s important to stay hydrated.
But water isn’t the only way to quench your thirst, fruits and vegetables can be another good source.
“Good fruits to hydrate on a hot day would include cherries, strawberries, watermelon, cucumber, celery even,” said Dr. Jaclyn Railsback, an internal medicine physician for Cleveland Clinic Florida. “One of the best things to do would be to maybe make a smoothie of some sort because not only is it cool, but you can also incorporate a lot of those hydrating fruits into the smoothie to help.”
Railsback said you want to pick fruits and vegetables that have a high water content.
Some other examples include apples, oranges, cantaloupe, grapefruit, peaches, lettuce, broccoli, spinach and zucchini.
She notes that while these foods can help with hydration, they shouldn’t replace water altogether.
You should still be drinking water regularly throughout the day.
And if you’re planning to spend time outside, Railsback suggests skipping any drinks that have caffeine in them, like coffee, tea or energy drinks.
The same goes for alcohol.
“If we go out on boats or go to the beach and have a good time or at a pool, alcohol a lot of times is available and that can certainly deplete the body of those necessary electrolytes and fluid and cause easier effects of heat exhaustion outside in the sun,” she explained.
Heat exhaustion occurs when your body overheats and can’t cool itself down.
If left untreated, it could lead to a heat stroke, which can be deadly.