I don’t know about you, but when I think of summer I think of the pool, Reggae music and a drink in hand. From experience, and a bit of education of what alcohol does to my body, I learned that alcohol dehydrates me. That is quite contrary to what our bodies need in the midst of the summer heat.
What our bodies really want is water, water and more water. However, every so often enJOYing a cocktail feels right, doesn’t it? But then again, your goal isn’t to wake up suffering with a hangover, but rather to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to enJOY your day.
With this conundrum in mind, the JOYVIAL Health Coaches and I created this list of summer cocktail recipes that we believe you and your body will love.
As you enJOY some of these delicious libations, make sure to rehydrate every cell in your body by drinking lots of the ‘Party Recovery’ waters shared at the end. You’ll not only replenish your body with water but also give it a slew of nutrients your body loves.
With that said…
EnJOY!
Homemade Lemonade…plus a little extra
JOYVIAL health coach MJ loves homemade lemonade. It can be so tasty without all the added sugar you find in many store-bought brands. You can add in a splash of vodka to make the adult version of this beverage.
Typically, summer drinks are consumed over the course of hours. Just add a little to each drink and you’ll be enJOYing it all afternoon and evening, while also cleansing your digestion by drinking lots of lemon juice. I like this one a lot.
Ingredients:
4 cups water
Juice from 2 large (or 3 medium) lemons
1 tbsp of organic pure maple syrup
For the adults you may elect to add a splash of vodka
Most skinny & refreshing Margarita EVER
Everywhere I go I hear people asking for a “Skinny Margarita”. The reason most margaritas aren’t that healthy for us (well, besides the alcohol) is the sugar and chemical filled margarita mix that is used in most bars.
EnJOY this refreshing version of a margarita that truly surprised me. It gives you the traditional margarita taste that I love but I still felt rehydrated with every sip. Two thumbs (or bottoms up) to this one!
Ingredients:
1 Lime La Croix
Fresh squeezed lime
A splash of organic margarita mix for a touch of ‘Margarita’ (see below)
To make it an adult beverage add a splash of Cointreau
Ice
Lime for garnish
We hear that the Simple Truth Organic Margarita mix is tasty and we love their ingredient list. Remember, use just enough to get the nostalgic hint of margarita flavoring.
If you like the frozen drink version, make sure to crush the ice separately and add it to the mix later as blending a soda can get messy!
Aperol Spritz
JOYVIAL executive health coach Liani says that Aperol Spritz is her favorite summer drink. Aperol is a bright orange, bittersweet apéritif liqueur. Like other aperitifs it is meant to stimulate the appetite and is typically enJOYed before dinner.
According to Masterclass.com Aperol’s recipe is top secret but includes citrus oil from oranges, rhubarb, gentian root, and cinchona bark. Some ingredients, like the gentian root are even meant to help digestion and reduce inflammation.
Ingredients:
Aperol
Soda water
Some like to add prosecco as well but we invite you to try it without to keep this drink most refreshing while getting just a little alcohol from the Aperol
Cucumber Agua Fresca with a twist
I like this drink recipe a lot. It’s full of nutrients and so very hydrating. You can always add another tablespoon of maple syrup to taste but go easy on the vodka if you go there at all. Every ounce you add, you take away the hydrating effects of all the other ingredients. The nice thing is that over the course of an afternoon you will still get a bit of a buzz. :)
Ingredients:
2 English cucumbers
12-15 mint leaves
½ cup fresh lime juice
2” piece of fresh ginger
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
4 cups water
For adults you may elect a splash or two of vodka
Peel the skin from the ginger
Place the ingredients (holding back 2 cups of water) into a blender, blend until smooth
Pour the mixture through a strainer
Add the remaining 2 cups of water, stir and pour over ice
Garnish with mint sprig or lime wheel
Party Recovery:
Recovery is all about water, water and more water. As said, alcohol is dehydrating so you need to drink extra water to make up for it. There are 3 ingredients we like to add to water:
Lemon juice: It’s alkaline, meaning it helps your body reduce inflammation by offsetting some of the not-so-healthy foods we like to eat. One lemon also delivers about 20% of your daily vitamin C requirement.
Lemon water: Add juice of 1 lemon to 16 oz glass.
Cucumbers: First, cucumbers are full of water, but they also offer a lot of antioxidants which delay cell damage and therefore slow down aging. They apparently even lower blood pressure and boost bone health.
Cucumber water: add as many slices of cucumbers into your water as you can fit while still being able to drink the water…ha! But seriously, add as much as you like.
Mint: Mint has been a household remedy for upset stomachs for generations. It’s great for anyone who could use digestive support…which is all of us. Its refreshing aroma also helps you stay alert making it perfect for a hungover morning.
Mint water: add ~10 mint leaves (more or less) to your water. I recommend also adding lemon juice for all the reasons I shared before.
While talking about cocktails isn’t something we often do in our coaching sessions, it is our goal to help you find JOY in all areas of your life. Becoming who you want to become only takes one step at a time. Allow one of our JOYVIAL executive health coaches to be your guide on that journey, helping you create the roadmap to your best life and holding your hand every step of the way.
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