photo provided courtesy of glutenfreehope.blogspot.com

A big concern on these overly hot and humid days is depleting electrolytes and minerals – which can lead to lightheadedness, lethargy, overheating and worse yet, heatstroke. So, hurry up and drink some water, right? Well, if you drink too much water too fast when you are in a dehydrated state, you can actually get “water poisoning.” You need to allow your body some time to restore the potassium, iron, and B vitamins. This is why sports drinks are so popular; because they do contain many of the minerals and vitamins your body needs to get your equilibrium balanced again. Yet, because of all the processed ingredients and toxic sugar in them you are actually defeating the purpose in the long run. This is because when you drink sugar or caffeine, your body needs an extra glass of water just to make up for it. So what is the answer, or at least a better solution, to re-hydrating and staying balanced? Well, I would suggest a more fresh, fruity and processed sugar-free alternative for sure!

Watermelon (or, water-melon) is 92% water. Its a powerful fruit that is packed with vitamins, antioxidants and re-fueling mineral components. It is very good for the kidneys, helping clean out the toxins storing up that may cause circulatory issues, cancers and free radicals. What a perfect natural option for staying hydrated and nourished this time of year. So besides drinking pure water to stay hydrated in this summer heat, try a watermelon smoothie! This recipe is quite simple, but you do need a high powered blender to help everything puree together. If you have a Vitamix you are in luck, or any other blender will do the job here.

ingredients
2 cups of chopped seedless watermelon chunks
1/2 cup of either sparkling water, pure water, or coconut milk if you want it creamy
fresh squeezed juice from 1/2 lime
1/2 cup of frozen blueberries
3-4 chunks of ice
optional: mint leaves for blending or just topping

directions

Blend all of the ingredients together in your blender and voila! – you have a juicy, summery, replenishing smoothie that is a great alternative to a glass of water and will help restore minerals and vitamins you may be lacking on a 100 degree day.

Add coconut milk to have a creamy fruit “milkshake”. If you do not have frozen blueberries on hand, frozen cherries or another berry will add similar benefits and flavor to your smoothie. The watermelon will blend down to be pretty liquidy, but also adds great texture because of its fiber.


recipe courtesy glutenfreehope.blogspot.com