Dehydration
Is proper rehydration possible at home? How do you rehydrate without an IV or an expensive sports drink? We’ve searched high and low for the best home remedies for dehydration so that you can get back to your best as soon as possible.
How to rehydrate fast at home?
What do you do when you’ve just got back from the gym, spent the day in bed with the stomach flu, or wake up with a tell-tale headache from the night before? Or when you’re feeling sluggish at work? Maybe you reach for a cup of coffee, chug a load of water, or turn straight to energy drinks? Cool, but there are much more effective methods of rehydration. We’ve done the rehydration research and have summed up our research here.
Fruits and Vegetables with high water content
Some fruits and vegetables have super high water content, and therefore are a great way to increase your water intake and thus, rehydration. Did you know that strawberries are 92% water, pineapples are 87% water, and cucumber comes in at a massive 96% water. Greenblender has a great rundown of the water content of common fruits and veggies—there are heaps to choose from! Not only are these a great way to get water into your system, but they also contain vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes that will help you hydrate properly.
Soups, smoothies, and yogurt also all have high water content. With added protein, carbs, or sugars, these foods are ideal post-workout, or when you’re feeling tired (and lazy—these foods are all easy to grab on the go or quick to prepare).
Salty Solutions and Homemade Oral Rehydration Salts Solutions (ORS Solution)
‘ORS solution’ is just a technical term for a rehydration drink. It sounds fancy, but it’s actually quite simple. ORS solutions are careful combinations of salts (sodium) and sugars (glucose) ingested to help replace the water and electrolytes in your body at the right concentration. Specific ORS recipes and supplies are provided by Unicef and the World Health Organization. These supplies are used internationally to help children with watery diarrhea and work just as well at home.
You can also look to the rehydration project for easy and effective ORS solution DIY recipes.
Here’s a simple and proven recipe for a quick homemade ORS solution
- 6 teaspoons of sugar
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 liter of water
Boil the water, stir in the salt and sugar, and leave to cool.
(Recipe courtesy of the rehydration project).
Natural Nutrition and Coconut Water
Coconut water is a common natural alternative to an ORS solution. Some people think of coconut water as a natural ORS solution. Coconut water contains lots of potassium and other electrolytes, and so can be a great way to achieve balanced rehydration. You can drink it straight or use it as a base for smoothies and juice drinks. Or try freezing it into popsicles for a refreshing post-workout snack.
Hydrant
ORS solutions and coconut water are great, but aren’t very appetizing, and not easy to make on the go! Hydrant is carefully formulated to make sure that you get exactly the right balance of electrolytes and water, along with a zingy lime taste! Check out Hydrant ingredients here. Everything you need to keep your body happy and hydrated so that you can recover quickly, keep energized, and be your best self.
Writer: Ailsa McKinlay
Editor: Elizabeth Trelstad, www.hellobeaker.com
