Drink Safely July 4th!

Alcohol is a diuretic. It dehydrates you and thus increases the alcohol level in your blood. During the summer months when one is already prone to dehydration, this can lead to very unpleasant side effects quickly. Diuretics cause excessive urination which lead to loss of electrolytes, causing headaches, vomiting and further dehydration. How can one drink safely in the heat of the summer?

1. Go one for one.

Drink water all night long. An easy rule of thumb: one glass of water for every drink!

2. Drink lots of water!

Make sure you are well hydrated before you go out drinking.

3. Snacks!

Eat some healthy snacks before going out. Have snacks that are hydrating, such as fruits and vegetables. Avoid high salty snacks.

4. Add water!

Have a drink on the “rocks.” This will dilute the drink or simply add a splash or two of water. Try a pina colada or other fruity drink. These drinks can actually be fairly hydrating due to the fruit, ice etc. Try carbonated water blended with alcohol. Club soda, seltzer and mineral water all hydrate just as well as water. When choosing club soda, ask for no sodium.

Most importantly, don’t drink and drive!  To prevent a hangover, hydrate and hydrate! Hydrate before, during and after drinking!. Most of us do not drink enough water during the summer as it is, so take the opportunity to guzzle!

By: Jodi Schaeffer, MPH, RD, LDN