Will it be the hottest summer ever, who knows? But we can guarantee there are times when you’re going to feel like you’re melting, so staying hydrated can be critical. Whether you’re just sitting outside enjoying the sun, getting your workout, working hard, or playing harder, your body needs you to focus on hydration.

But guess what, it’s not just about water. You’ll need more than water to support your body’s health. You’re going to need some electrolytes, too.

Why You Need Electrolytes

Electrolytes are electrically charged minerals and compounds essential for your cells, your organs, and your entire body. They help produce energy that can make all of those important muscles work properly. They also help keep healthy fluid levels in your blood plasma, which is critical when it’s hot, and dehydration progresses.

Your body loses electrolytes in a number of ways, one of which is through sweating. So, if you’re increasingly hot and sweaty and not drinking or eating properly, you’re suddenly in danger of having unhealthy electrolyte levels.

How to Get More Electrolytes

We all know that changing our diets to include all the essential vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and electrolytes we need is the best approach. But to be honest, it’s hard to get all of those things through your diet. To add more electrolytes to your diet, you could focus on eating spinach, turkey, potatoes, beans, avocados, oranges, soybeans, strawberries, and bananas. Or you can go the easier route and use our Ee Hydration Mix. It’s the best way to recharge and stay refreshed and replenished this summer and the whole year! 

A Little More About Ee Hydration Mix

This handy drink mix features an electrolyte mix with apple cider vinegar for a healthy dose of hydration. It’s keto-friendly, dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free, and we’ve added no artificial colors. It’s the best stuff for you without any of the bad things you’re trying to avoid. 

Designed to recharge you, Ee Hydration Mix features apple cider vinegar, sodium, potassium, and buffered vitamin C to ease digestion. They also come in a variety of delicious flavors: blue raspberry lemonade, watermelon-cucumber, and yuzu-lime. 

We know there are sports drinks on the market that feature electrolytes. In fact, you probably consume them regularly, especially when you’re working and playing hard. But they usually contain a sweetener to mask the salty flavor of electrolytes, which can add empty calories. The good news is we’ve mixed our electrolytes with apple cider vinegar to remove those calories and the salty taste. It’s your weight-smart solution to getting tasty electrolytes in your diet.

Ways to Stay Hydrated

Now we know that electrolytes are important, but you still need to focus on water when you’re hot and sweaty. These tips will help you avoid dehydration, which has some pretty unwanted side effects. Staying ahead of the curve and making hydration a priority all the time is the best way to ensure that the complex yet efficient system you have is running smoothly.

♦ Not all fluids are the same. A good rule of thumb is to try to drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. It’s not an actual rule, but it gives you a goal to shoot for. But, some fluids, like those with caffeine and alcohol, have dehydrating effects, so they shouldn’t be counted as part of your hydration routine. Try to focus on water when hydrating.

♦ Some foods are better. Watermelon and cucumber are made up of mostly water. While they won’t substitute for drinking water, eating water-based plant foods gives your body a head start. Potato chips, lunch meats, mixed nuts, and other foods high in salt content will deplete your fluids, so it's best to avoid them when you’re sweating.

♦ Stay cool. Heat illnesses happen when you’re dehydrated, but it also happens when you’re too hot. Wearing dark clothing, being outside in the hottest part of the day, and not wearing a hat—are all things that can push you closer and closer toward a heat illness. Do what you can to stay cool on the hottest days; it’s for your health.

♦ Try a probiotic. When your body has the right mix of good gut bacteria, it helps in how you are able to absorb food and nutrients, and this includes water. Making your body more efficient is a fantastic way to support health.

Signs of Dehydration

One of the best things you can do to support hydration is to know what dehydration feels and looks like. If you can spot it coming, then you can act quickly and avoid it. But please note that dehydration is nothing to mess with, and seeing the signs might mean it’s time to seek medical help.

♦ Less frequent urination. If you haven’t used the restroom in a long time, it could be that your body is using every little drop of water, so there is essentially no waste. This is a big sign that you need more fluids.

♦ Dark urine. The darker your urine, the more concentrated it is. Ideally, you want your urine to be clear or almost clear. It is important to note that some medications or supplements can make your urine appear darker. This isn’t a sign of dehydration but rather the extra concentration of nutrients from the supplements.

♦ Dry mouth. If your lips, tongue, and inside of your mouth feel dry, then it’s time to grab some water.

♦ Weakness, dizziness, or fatigue. You know that feeling when you’ve drained all your energy? When this happens, it can be because your body doesn’t have enough fluids to function, so it begins to slow your system down as a way to conserve energy. 

♦ Headaches and/or nausea. Sometimes these symptoms come together, and other times they happen independently of each other, but they’re both signs of dehydration.

The Essential Element

Hot weather is wonderful, and summer is the perfect season to get outside and enjoy yourself. The problem is it can also be hazardous for your health. Too much exercise and sun can quickly deplete your body of moisture which can lead to dehydration. 

Knowing the signs of dehydration can be life-saving, and the best approach is to constantly add water to your body. You can do this in several ways, and you can also take a two-pronged approach and avoid things that will dehydrate you.

But as we said, it’s not all about water; electrolytes are important too, especially if you’re exercising. There are some ways to add electrolytes through your food choices, but that’s not always an option in the middle of a hot day. While some sports drinks contain electrolytes, most of them also have a lot of empty calories that you certainly don’t want. We think the Essential elements Hydration Mix is the best way to go. It doesn’t have added sugar, there’s no salty taste, and it’s a convenient mix in a variety of flavors you can add to water for grab-and-go hydration and an electrolyte kick.