Stay healthy, stay hydrated!

By Beth Sylver

Ginger Tea: This simple tea is delicious and refreshing Recipe: Put a large pot of water on the stove. Peel and thinly slice a 1 1⁄2 to a 2-inch/5cm piece of fresh ginger root. When the water comes to a boil, drop the ginger in and cover. Turn the heat down to low and let the ginger simmer for 15 minutes. Strain into pitchers as soon as it is safe to do so and refrigerate. You can leave the ginger soaking in the water to make for a stronger flavor.

The importance is to stay hydrated.

We all know how important it is to stay hydrated. Here in Costa Rica, it is especially important to consume much more water than we think we need. In this hot, humid climate, our bodies tend to sweat heavily, a lot, losing much more water than we might realize to cool down.

The question then becomes, “How much water should we drink to stay hydrated?” A good rule to follow is to drink half your body weight in ounces/liters. For example, if you weigh 150/68kg, drink 75 ounces/2.2l of water, about six 12-ounce/350ml glasses per day. If you find yourself thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

Let's face it; sometimes, plain water gets boring to stay hydrated. Here are some of my favorite ways to spruce it up and make a glass of water more appealing.

It can be as easy as adding a slice of cucumber, a sliced strawberry, a pinch of mint, or a good squeeze of the many choices of flavorful citrus we have here. Another fantastic and readily-available form of hydration is a fresh, cold coconut.

Coconuts consist of 95% water, loaded with electrolytes, potassium, magnesium, and a healthy amount of sodium.

Contact: beth@sylverleap.com