Turns out, drinking water may not be enough to stay hydrated during summer

Some common symptoms of dehydration include fatigue, dizziness, headache, dry skin and mouth, muscle cramps, and reduced, dark yellow urine.

Are you properly hydrated? (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

There is no denying that staying hydrated is the key to beating the summer heat and preventing issues like dehydration, experts stress that drinking plain water may not be enough. What? Yes, we were as stumped to know that as (probably) you are. So, let’s decode the science behind the same and keep the many summer-specific issues at bay.

Niharikka Budhwani, a registered dietitian, took to her Instagram page to share some of the first few symptoms of poor hydration, which include fatigue, dizziness, headache, dry skin and mouth, muscle cramps, and reduced, dark yellow urine.

“These are the signs that your body is dehydrated and lacks fluid and electrolytes both. And so, along with replenishing fluid, it’s important to restore electrolytes as well. Otherwise, you’ll continue to experience these symptoms,” Budhwani pointed out.

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Notably, high temperatures can cause the body to lose fluids and electrolytes. As such, a well-hydrated body needs electrolytes too, which are needed to fully absorb the water that you consume. “Also, the nutrients from the food are well absorbed with the help of electrolytes,” Garima Goyal, a registered dietitian, pointed out.

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“Basically, electrolytes are minerals such as sodium and potassium. To incorporate them in your diet, consume lemon water, coconut water, fresh fruit juice, buttermilk, chaas etc. Minerals in these beverages regulate the osmotic pressure inside the body cells,” mentioned Goyal.

You should also include electrolytes along with fluids (Source: Freepik)

Also Read | Don’t like drinking plain water? 10 healthy ideas for staying hydrated

Ayurvedic practitioner Dr Rekha Radhamony also took to Instagram to share a few drinks that can help you beat the summer heat.

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Barley water: Add 1 cup barley to 2 cups of water, cook well with lid on for 10 minutes. Strain and drink the water. Keeps you hydrated, and away from urinary tract infections. Great for the liver and kidneys too, said Dr Radhamony.

Sugarcane juice: “Not more than 50 ml a day. Keeps body heat and pitta down,” said Dr Radhamony.

Coriander seeds water: Soak coriander seeds in water overnight and drink it. Best remedy to reduce pitta, mentioned Dr Radhamony.

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Also Read | Beat the heat with these delicious, hydrating, and healthy summer coolers

Ash-gourd juice: Not more than 50 ml of ash gourd juice should be had as a shot with rock sugar, which is great to cool the body and mind down. Too much of this can be vata aggravating.

Tender coconut water: Nutritious and rich in antioxidants and helps rehydration.

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