We are now in a heat wave here in the Northeast. Other parts of the country are experiencing this scorcher as well, and for many it can be dangerous. The best way to protect yourself in a heat wave (besides applying sunscreen) is to hydrate hydrate hydrate!

Are you familiar with the 8×8 rule? It’s a an easy way to remember, on average, how much water you should drink in a day. Experts recommend drinking eight 8-ounce glasses a day, which equals about 2 liters, or half a gallon. However, some people may need to hydrate themselves more than others, depending on their gender, age, weight, urine color (yes, urine color) activity level and the temperature outside. A great way to calculate how much you need to drink is by checking out this awesome hydration calculator. Try it! It’s quite interesting—everyone is different!

Make sure that wherever you go, always keep a bottle of water handy because you need to have access to this essence of life at all times! I find it’s helpful to keep several water bottles with me throughout the day—I am constantly filling them up! You can put one in your office, one in your kitchen, and one in your living room as a reminder to keep hydrating :).  No plastic bottles, think green please.

For those of you who love the outdoors, it is advised to avoid daytime exercise during excessive heat. But some of us, such as myself, can’t skip our workouts, so here are some options to keep you going and hydrated during this summer heat wave.

Coconut Water

Coconut water is popping up everywhere, as it should! There’s so much more to this natural source of hydration. It contains simple sugars, electrolytes and minerals that help replenish dehydration.

Research suggest that the cytokinins found in coconut water offers “significant anti-aging, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-thrombotic (anti-clot formation) effects“. It’s also full of minerals such as calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc, and has a great source of B-complex vitamins which are necessary in order for your body to replenish itself.

And of course, you can’t forget the amount of electrolytes (potassium + sodium) found in coconut water. For every 100 ml, there’s 250 mg of potassium and 105 mg of sodium. These electrolytes aid in replenishing electrolyte deficiency in your body, especially after a hard workout!

Just make sure you’re buying real coconut water because many brands out there will add sugar and extra unnecessary calories to it, which defeats the purpose. I recommend Coco libre, it’s certified organic coconut water that comes in a handy drinkable bottle perfect for if you’re on-the-go.

Aloe Vera Water

Another one of my new favorites is aloe vera water. It’s full of B, C and E vitamins, as well as folic acid, which helps the body make new cells and strengthen the immune system. Aloe water has tons of minerals such as zinc, magnesium, potassium, and even germanium that helps with blood circulation.

It also is great for digestion, thanks to the anti-inflammatory glycoprotein called alprogen, which is aids the healing process for internal wounds that prevent digestion.

However, you should always remember to check the label when buying aloe vera water because some brands add sugar and other artificial ingredients. I like ALO® Exposed®, which has real aloe vera juice and pulp (not powder), is lightly sweetened with honey and cane sugar, is gluten-free, non-GMO verified, aloin-free, fat-free and has no artificial flavors, preservatives or colors.  Be sure to drink it very cold!

Sparkling Water/ Seltzers

Not all of us like bubblies, but if you do, have some sparkling water! My two favorites are La Croix Sparkling Water, available in so many different flavors with 0 calories per bottle—you will want to try them all.And Spindrift Seltzer, which comes in a variety of flavors with no added sugars or artificial sweeteners, all are under 15 calories per container.(The CUCUMBER flavored one is my new discovery!)

I love seltzer water because sometimes I get tired of plain H2O. There are so many great flavors to choose from! Even my kids like these, which is great…they also get bored with regular water sometimes.

Don’t forget your 8×8 today. Chug a lug, and keep cool! xoxo