The Lowdown on Hydrating: 7 Tips

So this month seems like the perfect time to talk about making sure you stay hydrated, especially during summer. You don't need to change everything you do: just make #OneSimpleChange! Choose 1 of these 7 hydration tips to get started:

1. Replace 1 caffeinated drink each day with 1 glass of water of equal size. 2. Carry a reusable water bottle with you. When your bottle starts feeling too heavy, drink a little bit. That keeps you hydrated and lightens your load. 3. Drink a glass of water when you first get up, or drink an extra glass at lunchtime. 4. Set regular "Water break!" reminders on your phone or other device. 5. Eat plenty of dense vegetables and fruits for their water content. Some good choices: cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, watermelon, cantaloupe, and strawberries. 6. Slice some lemon or lime into a glass of water to add flavor and scent without reaching for a soda or other sugary drink. 7. Sometimes you want a switch from plain water. A little sweetness, a little color—a little something different. A glass of any of these can cool you through and through. Don't be afraid to experiment with fruit-to-water ratios. Drink up, and enjoy! Sip. Enjoy. Repeat at your leisure. Watermelon Strawberry Water 1 cup cubed watermelon        4-6 frozen strawberries 2 cups water Combine all ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into a glass, straining through a sieve if you wish to eliminate seeds and watermelon pulp before drinking. Mango Mint Infused Water 32oz Ball jar 2 sprigs of fresh organic mint (or about 8 small leaves) 1/2 mango, with the skin cut off and divided into pieces (about 6) Combine the mint and mango with water and let the infusion sit for 3-4 hours at room temperature. The warmer temperature helps the ingredients’ flavors intensify more quickly. You can also infuse in your refrigerator for up to 12 hours. Add your straw right into the jar and enjoy! Cucumber Lemonade 1 pound cucumber(s), peeled or unpeeled, cut into large chunks, plus a few extra thin cucumber slices for garnish 1 cup lemon juice (from about 7 to 8 lemons, although juiciness will vary) 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2 cups cold water Run cucumber through a blender or food processor until pureed, then run it for a full extra minute to ensure that it’s as processed as possible. Set a fine-mesh strainer or a regular strainer lined with a couple layers of cheesecloth or a coffee filter over a pitcher and pour cucumber puree through it, stirring to help it move along faster. Discard solids. In the pitcher, you should have about 1 cup cucumber juice.* Add lemon juice and sugar to it, then water. Give it a good stir or shake, and let it sit in the fridge (to get it started chilling) for 15 minutes, after which a couple more stirs or shakes should leave the sugar fully dissolved. Taste lemonade, adding more sugar or water if desired. (See Notes up top about concentration and sweetness.) Serve chilled over ice, with or without a splash of seltzer on top. You can fancy up the glass with a garnish of cucumber slice, if desired. Makes just over 1 quart (4 cups).