Wellness Weekly

By Sandy Considine

Summer means you’re more vulnerable to too much sun and dehydration, so staying hydrated and cool is essential in the heat. Here is the importance of hydration: Regulates your body temperature, lubricates your joints, Aids in organ function, prevents infection, delivers nutrients, Improves sleep quality and mood.

To help you avoid summer dehydration, here are a few incredible and refreshing drinks to enjoy this season!

I hope you find a new favorite refreshing drink from this list that you can enjoy this summer, confident that you’re making tasty, healthy, and affordable options!

Wishing you lots of refreshment and relaxation this summer

Refreshing Homemade Blueberry Lemonade
Ingredients
2 cups of fresh blueberries
2 cups of filtered water
1/3 cup raw honey or pure maple syrup
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice or freshly squeezed lime juice
2 cups of ice
To garnish:
fresh lemon wedges
fresh lime wedges
fresh blueberries
fresh thyme
Instructions
Add your clean blueberries, water, honey, and lemon juice to a high-speed blender and blend just until smooth.
To get this nice color I like to strain the lemonade through a fine mesh cloth before serving. This step is optional.

Cantaloupe Orange Ginger Turmeric Juice
Ingredients
4 oranges, juiced
1/2 small, very ripe cantaloupe, seeded, cut and cubed
1” nob of peeled ginger root, peeled and sliced
1 small nob of fresh turmeric root, peeled OR 1 tsp ground turmeric powder
6 ice cubes (if drinking immediately, otherwise leave them out)
Instructions
Place all ingredients into a high-speed blender
Blend until completely smooth.
Strain if you prefer… personally, I love to keep all that wonderful fiber in my diet when I make these blended juices, so I don’t strain them.
Chill for at least an hour in the fridge if not using ice and enjoy!
It will last 24 hours refrigerated, although it is best within a few hours of preparing.

Why this recipe works:
ORANGES are low in calories and full of nutrients, they promote clear, healthy, glowing skin and can help to lower our risk for many diseases as part of an overall healthy diet. One orange provides 130 percent of your vitamin C needs for the day! This helps to keep our immune system strong throughout the winter.
GINGER has incredible infection-fighting abilities and can help clear congestion. Ginger isn’t just a great spice to turn to when you’re already sick, it can help to keep you from getting sick in the first place! Its gingerol compounds lower our risks of multiple infections.
CANTELOUPE contains vitamin C, beta-carotene, folate, and water which are all super vital to keep us healthy, recovering, and hydrated each day!
TURMERIC has been shown to dramatically increase the antioxidant capacity inside our bodies. Oxidative damage is believed to be one of the culprits behind early aging and many diseases. Turmeric also contains natural anti-inflammatory compounds!

Frozen Whipped Coconut Limonade or Lemonade
Sweet Summertime in a glass
SO SO GOOD!
Both lemons and limes contain lots of vitamin C, and antioxidants, so drink up this Summer!
Ingredients
1/3 cup raw honey or pure maple syrup
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1 cup full-fat organic coconut milk (from a can)
2-1/2 cups of ice cubes
Instructions
For a creamy and slushy whipped limonade, freeze your coconut milk the day before making:
Simply whisk the coconut milk into a bowl. Whisking your milk first is important because coconut milk naturally separates.
Immediately pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze until fully frozen (overnight).
Once the coconut ice cubes are completely set, pop them into your high-speed blender or food processor.
Add freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice, honey and additional ice cubes.
Blend on high speed, stopping to scrape the sides if necessary for about minutes until it’s just nice and slushy.
Serve immediately as your limonade will only stay this perfectly slushy for about 10 minutes.

Healthier Homemade Gatorade
Ingredients
1 large fresh lemon peeled
1 whole bunch celery
1 large fresh organic cucumber
1/2 small fresh pineapple, peel and core removed
8 oz unsweetened coconut water
Instructions
You’ll need a juicer or a high-speed blender & medium mesh strainer to make this recipe.
Rinse your fruits and veggies well.
Peel the lemon then slice in half.
Chop celery into single ribs.
Chop the cucumber to fit the mouth of your juicer. Same with the pineapple.
Juice everything, then stir in the coconut water. Alternatively, if you don’t have a juicer, you can blend everything really well then strain through a medium mesh strainer.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Why this recipe works:

Why Lemons?

Lemons are a good source of potassium, an essential electrolyte that helps regulate fluid balance and blood pressure.

Potassium also supports muscle function and nerve function.

Lemons contain citric acid, which can help stimulate digestion and enhance the absorption of electrolytes.

Lemons are rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage and supports immune function.

Why Celery?

Celery is a rich source of potassium, making it an excellent addition to your electrolyte-rich juice.

Celery contains sodium, another essential electrolyte that helps regulate fluid balance and blood pressure.

Celery is a good source of magnesium, a mineral that plays a crucial role in muscle function, nerve function, and hydration.

Why Cucumber?

Cucumbers are a good source of potassium, adding to the overall electrolyte content of your juice.

Cucumbers contain magnesium, which helps regulate fluid balance, blood pressure, and muscle function.

Cucumbers are comprised of about 96% water, making them an excellent source of hydration.

Why Pineapple?
Pineapple is a rich source of manganese, a mineral that plays a role in the regulation of electrolytes and hydration.

Pineapple contains potassium, adding to the overall electrolyte content of your juice.

Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that helps reduce inflammation and supports digestion.

Why Coconut Water?

Coconut water is a rich source of potassium, making it an excellent addition to your electrolyte-rich juice.

Coconut water contains sodium, which helps regulate fluid balance and blood pressure.

Coconut water is a good source of magnesium, which plays a crucial role in muscle function, nerve function, and hydration.

Coconut water has a natural balance of electrolytes, including potassium, sodium, and magnesium, which can help replenish and rebalance electrolytes in the body.

When you combine these ingredients and drink the juice, you can expect to experience:

Replenished electrolytes: The natural sources of potassium, sodium, manganese from these ingredients can help rebalance and replenish electrolytes in the body.

Replenished electrolytes: The natural sources of potassium, sodium, magnesium, and
Improved hydration: The water content from the cucumber, coconut water, and other ingredients can help replenish fluids and support hydration.

Enhanced digestion: The citric acid from the lemon, bromelain from the pineapple, and other enzymes can help stimulate digestion and support nutrient absorption.

Overall, this juice recipe provides a natural, electrolyte-rich alternative to commercial sports drinks like Gatorade.

By combining these ingredients, you can create a refreshing, thirst-quenching drink that supports hydration, digestion, and overall health.

Bonus: Freeze the drink into popsicles

Please feel free to email on what you what to know about for a future article at
sandra.considine@yahoo.com