Around the House: Banish Headaches in the Heat With Fun Summer Drinks

By Yehudit Garmaise

New Yorkers who start to feel a bit off when they head outside might blame the summer’s soaring temperatures; dehydration is likely to blame for feelings of dizziness, lightheadedness, and exhaustion.

Not only can ice-cold water and other healthy drinks boost your energy all day long, but keeping hydrated can prevent headaches caused by a lack of adequate fluids.

In particular, a feeling of shooting pains in one’s head usually indicates that more fluids are necessary as soon as possible.

In addition, eyes, lips, and mouths that feel dry are trying to tell us to head to rehydrate.

While soda cans may sound great, their high levels of caffeine, sodium, and sugar can cause further dehydration and blood sugar crashes that deplete energy.

To calculate your estimated water quota, divide your weight in pounds in half, and then drink that amount in ounces daily. 

A 160-pound individual, for instance, would need to drink 80 ounces of water each day to provide all the water needed to function and regulate body temperature.

If drinking what amounts to five 16.9-ounce water bottles a day sounds like a lot, here are a few tips to ensure you replenish your fluids stores so the heat and humidity don’t slow you down.

1. Buy and wash an appealing leakproof 32-ounce water bottle. Before you go to sleep, fill it with water and store in the refrigerator.

Start to rehydrate yourself in the morning by drinking the water bottle. Continue drinking the cold water as the day goes on. Refill and drink all the water in the bottle twice more until you go to sleep.

2. To add refreshing flavor to your ice-cold water, add any combination of lemon, orange, grapefruit, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, and/or mango slices. 

Cucumbers, mint or basil leaves also add great tastes to cool drinks.

3. Make a mocktail by adding a splash of your favorite fruit juice and chopped fruits to seltzer water.

4. Make your own coffee ice-blended treat. Blend 1 c. brewed coffee, ½ c. milk, 3 T. sugar, ¼ t. vanilla extract. Squirt some caramel, vanilla, or hazelnut syrup into a glass, and pour in your coffee drink. Top with whipped cream for a refreshing drink.

5. Make a Matcha Frappe - Add to a blender: 1 1/2 cups almond, soy, or dairy milk; 2 T. creamer; 2 t. matcha; 2 T. vanilla syrup. Blend until smooth and frothy.

6. Make Watermelon Lemonade by squeezing 10 large lemons and adding the juice to 6 cups of cold water. Slowly pour in 1 ½ c. extra fine granulated sugar. Mix well, add ice. Blend 2 c. chopped, seedless watermelon and pour it in the lemonade mixture. Chill for one hour, and garnish with sliced lemons and cubed watermelon.

7. Make a fruity mojito by putting a few mint leaves and one wedge of lime in the bottom of a glass,. Use a wooden spoon to mash. Squeeze in the juice from another lime wedge, add 2 T. sugar, agave, or honey, and stir. Fill the glass almost to the top with ice, pour in 1/4 c. club soda or seltzer water and a ¼ c. cranberry juice, and stir. If you want your mojito alcoholic, pour in 1 ½ ounces of rum, and stir. Garnish with mint leaves and a few different types of berries.

Are you a mixologist? What are your favorite refreshing, hydrating drinks in the summertime? Please let us know with a photo at [email protected]