Salt Your Watermelon!

A mouthwatering hydration suggestion during this Extreme Heat 

Salt your watermelon!

Can I just say YUM!!

My mother prompted me to try this. Truly I thought she ruined a perfectly good slice of watermelon ~ that is until I bit into heaven! Talk about an explosion of flavors. 

Adding salt took the sweet, sour and bitter usual, and morphed it into monumental sweetness. (Apparently salt knocks down any bitterness.) 

This has become a staple in my house. With today’s dangerously high heat index, I cannot think of a more yummy way to stay hydrated. 

In case you need more reasons to try this tasty treat:

1 cup of watermelon offers many nutrients, including Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium, Magnesium, Vitamin B1, B5, and B6  

Even though watermelon has a high water content, fluids need the presence of sodium to cause water to be absorbed into the cells of the body. Natural salts - Celtic Sea Salt and Himalayan Salt - are loaded with mineral nutrition that the body needs. (Stay away from iodized or bleached processed salt.) (Of course, keep your personal health requirements in mind. If you have high blood pressure, this may not be the treat for you.) 

Salted watermelon is actually a great post-workout snack. 

Kids may fight you when it comes to drinking water to stay hydrated... But they won’t when it comes to eating salted watermelon! 

(Ok... maybe they’ll still fight... but this time it will be for another piece!)

Are You Dehydrated?

1st Obvious Signs: You’re thirsty, your tongue, mouth and lips are dry. You have a headache, or are lightheaded, dizzy, even weak and lethargic. Your urine is dark.

The adverse effects and symptoms only gets worse from here...

Focusing on tasks become difficult. Concentration and alertness wain, mood is effected due to fatigue and confusion. That fatigue and confusion impairs physical performance - further reducing motivation and endurance. To add to all this, your body temperature increases. 

Health consequences to dehydration are of particular concern for the elderly and very young. 

When it comes to metabolic processing, balancing electrolytes, regulating temperature, and the ability to lubricate internal organs and joints - making sure we are well hydrated is a big deal!

There is much to factor in: environmental conditions, your level of physical activity, dietary intake, age. Think input verses output. 

🍷🍸🍹Alcohol and Caffeine Increase Water Loss 🍺🍻

Read more here ⇛ Causes of Dehydration and Dehydration Symptoms

Q: How's the Water?

A: Wet.

Q: How do you make Holy water?

A: You boil the Hell out of it.

Q: What did the ocean say to the other ocean?

A: Nothing, they just waved.

Q: What do you call an old Snowman?

A: Water.

They say that the body is made up of 90% water. 

So... I'm not fat. I'm just Water Logged!

Okay... I'm officially tapped out of water jokes. 😉 Time for a little seriousness. Proper hydration is no joke.

Drink Water to Improve: 

Joint Lubrication

The maintenance of Body Temperature

How cells manage Energy 

Mental function: clarity, concentration, depression, temper

Migraines

More info. can be found here ~  To Help Stay Mentally Sharp, Don't Forget Water & Why We Need To Drink Plenty Of Water

.

Fever

A temperature over 100.4 degrees is a fever. 

Over 104 degrees... and it’s time to see a doctor. 

There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to having a fever. As far as illness, fever can be the bodys attempt to fight infection. I’ve explained to my kids, the body is trying to cook - a.k.a. kill - the coodies. If they were relatively comfortable, we would allow the fever to run its course. If they were uncomfortable, a dose of ibuprofen or acetaminophen helped to ease their symptoms.

There are other fever factors to consider when it comes to fevers: the time of day, age, energy levels, recent exercise, drugs, etc. (Read more -> Does a fever always mean you have an infection?)

Heatstroke is an honorable mention, red flag heat-related condition. Seizures and/or brain damage are more common when it come to this type of temperature elevation. In an attempt to regulate, the body sheds heat to cool off. You can help keep cool, by wearing light colored, thin fabric, breathable clothing. 

Friday. Fry day?! 100 degrees and rising...

Another great article find, posted by P.J. Skerrett

Worth a read!  -->  Heat is hard on the heart; simple precautions can ease the strain

Warning signs of heat illness.  Be on the lookout for:  Nausea or vomiting, fatigue, headache, disorientation or confusion, and/or muscle twitches

Another sense to add to the human mix!

How awesome are we?!  5 senses... maybe even 6 if you consider the new study that finds we Amazing Human Beings have magnetosensor capabilities?!   What’s this you ask?  Basically, it’s what helps migratory birds navigate.  (For more, check out this article - Humans May Have ‘Magnetic’ Sixth Sense)

I decided, I am adding another...  Common Sense.

Remember that ol’ saying your parents told you?  ...the one about the older you get, the less you know?  Well, it’s happened to me.  Seriously, no matter how much I learn about anything... there is always information to counter.  Maybe counter is not the right word, that sounds negative.  Balance is more like it.  I love that word.  Now the trick, to maintain balance. 

My post for today begins with a question:  With summer in full swing who would think about hypothermia?  (a.k.a.  Dangerously low body temperature.)

Well....... THINK!  Especially if you do any kind of boating.  Cold water can rob you of your abilities:  ability to maintain a normal body temperature, ability to speak clearly, ability to feel with your hands and fingers, ability to move, ability to breath normally, ability to judge, ability to think... ability to stay alert and ALIVE!

Watch this video - Before You Wade In - Effect of Cold Water on Body  - to see how quickly cold water can alter your abilities. The accompanying article is pretty informative as well. (The cold truth: Hypothermia a danger no matter the time of year) 


Now the counter... our frigid frosty friend has its counter balance... meet Extreme Heat.  Another article came my way, "Use 'common sense' when dealing with summer heat."
The focal point:  Hydrate, hydrate, HyDRaTE!  Warning signs for heat exhaustion include cramping in your calf muscles and hamstrings, stomach cramps, feeling dizzy and/or light headed, nausea, headaches, as well as the oddity of not sweating any more - even though you're cool to the touch.  Major warning on that last item, as this could indicate that your organs are literally beginning to shut down in an effort to keep your heart beating.  Add to that awfulness some disorientation and lack of focus, and your headed for disaster.


Remember to use your Seventh Sense.   Common Sense is above all, your best defense.  
(Related Posts:  Boaters be wear... as in WEAR your lifejackets! & Need help calming your racing heart?)