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SearchTired of drinking just water? A physician highlights some of the fruits and vegetables that can help you stay hydrated in the summer heat.
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CLEVELAND - The summer heat can be rough, which is why it’s important to stay hydrated.
But water isn’t the only way to quench your thirst, fruits and vegetables can be another good source.
“Good fruits to hydrate on a hot day would include cherries, strawberries, watermelon, cucumber, celery even,” said Jaclyn Railsback, DO, internal medicine physician for Cleveland Clinic Florida. “One of the best things to do would be to maybe make a smoothie of some sort because not only is it cool, but you can also incorporate a lot of those hydrating fruits into the smoothie to help.”
Dr. Railsback said you want to pick fruits and vegetables that have a high-water content.
Some other examples include apples, oranges, cantaloupe, grapefruit, peaches, lettuce, broccoli, spinach and zucchini.
She notes that while these foods can help with hydration, they shouldn’t replace water altogether.
You should still be drinking water regularly throughout the day.
And if you’re planning to spend time outside, Dr. Railsback suggests skipping any drinks that have caffeine in them, like coffee, tea or energy drinks.
The same goes for alcohol.
“If we go out on boats or go to the beach and have a good time or at a pool, alcohol a lot of times is available and that can certainly deplete the body of those necessary electrolytes and fluid and cause easier effects of heat exhaustion outside in the sun,” she explained.
Heat exhaustion occurs when your body overheats and can’t cool itself down.
If left untreated, it could lead to a heat-stroke, which can be deadly.
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 81,000 employees worldwide are more than 5,743 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,160 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,690-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 276 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2023, there were 13.7 million outpatient encounters, 323,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 301,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 132 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
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