Now that summer is here, you may be headed for the beach. And chances are, you'll be bringing a beverage or two with you. Before you open that refrigerator, be sure to take a look at my beverage guidelines and best picks below:

1. Drink Each Time You Apply Your SPF
Ideally, you should reapply sunscreen every hour while in the hot sun. The same goes for drinking fluids, to decrease the risk of dehydration in the heat. Note that losing as little as 3% of your body water can decrease blood volume, which impairs nutrient and oxygen delivery to cells. Drink as often as possible, and aim for a total of 64 ounces of fluids each day, and at least 80 ounces if you exercise or sweat a lot. And it's important to drink even if you are not thirsty, because your thirst mechanism is not 100% reliable—that is, your body can usually benefit from extra water before you actually feel thirsty. A good idea is to carry a water bottle with you at all times!

2. Can the Caffeine When Sunbathing
Sodas, coffee, and tea all contain varying amounts of caffeine. And since caffeine has a diuretic effect and can cause water loss from the body, it’s best to avoid consuming lots of these beverages as part of your daily fluid intake, especially in the hot sun. If you enjoy caffeinated beverages, limit yourself to 2 per day, and add an extra glass of water for each caffeinated beverage consumed. If you enjoy the taste of coffee and want to take it to the beach, do iced decaf, and prepare it the night before.

(Note: The amount of caffeine in beverages varies:- it can be as little as 20 mg in a 5 oz. brewed tea, up to 180 mg of caffeine in the same amount of brewed coffee)

3. Sip Your Fruits and Vegetables
Fruit smoothies are very refreshing during the summer months and provide a great source of health-protective vitamins and minerals. You can make your own, with your favorite fruits! Vegetable juices such as V8 Juice are also a great option, especially if you have trouble getting in your veggies. Additionally, these beverages contain potassium and sodium, important electrolytes that are lost in sweat.

4. Be on Your Guard with Herbal-enhanced Drinks
There are a lot of "energy drinks" on the market these days, that contain caffeine and guarana (both stimulants) along with vitamins and herbs. If you really enjoy these drinks, limit yourself to one beverage. One will not harm you but two are three can cause jitteriness, and dehydration, as mentioned earlier. And if you are taking other supplements or medications, be sure to read the labels carefully. While these beverages do not contain major amounts of herbs, if you are already taking herbal supplements you may exceed safe limits. And some medications can negatively interact with these herbs. For example, if you are on coumadin, it's best to avoid drinks with gingko biloba; because both have blood thinning effects, the combination can cause excessive bleeding.

5. Avoid Going Overboard with Alcoholic Beverages
Alcohol also has a diuretic effect, and can cause frequent urination; thus you can become dehydrated if you drink too much, especially while in the hot sun. Additionally, alcoholic beverages contain a lot of calories! For example, drink a 12 ounce Piña Colada and you will consume about 600 calories! 12 ounces of beer has 150 calories. If you want to have an alcoholic beverage, limit yourself to one during a hot day, and go for lower calorie options, such as light beer instead of regular, and wine spritzers instead of mixed cocktails. And be sure to alternate alcoholic beverages with water, to help minimize the risk of dehydration and to save calories.

The Best Beverages for the Beach

Waters

You can't go wrong with plain water. Water is a great beverage (especially with a slice of lemon), and has no calories. But there are other beverages worth considering:

Iced Teas and Lemonade

• Crystal Light Bottles (Pink Lemonade flavor)—Crystal Light beverages are an excellent choice. They are essentially calorie-free (only 5 calories in 8 ounces) and caffeine-free as well (except for Crystal Light Tea, which has 11.2 mg of caffeine/8 ounces).
• Homemade Iced Tea—Brew tea bags at home, then chill. Add sugar or a nonnutritive sweetener. To get a sweet-tasting tea without added sweeteners, experiment with flavored tea bags. For 1 gallon of iced tea, use 4 plain tea bags and 3 flavored ones. Try mint, lemon, Earl Grey, or whatever strikes your fancy. Decaffeinated teas are available if you are limiting your caffeine intake.

Fruit and Vegetable Juices

• My Favorite Smoothie 3 medium bananas 3 cups frozen strawberries 2 cups soy milk 1 cup orange, apple or other fruit juice 1 tablespoon raw wheat germ (optional) Put all in large blender and puree until desired consistency

  Low-Sodium V8 juice—Get the health benefits of vegetables with less sodium, so you are less likely to feel bloated at the beach. Low-sodium V8 contains 140 mg sodium, 900 mg potassium, 40% vitamin A and 80% vitamin C. For extra tang, squeeze some lemon juice into your V8.
• Fruit Smoothies—Make your own with your favorite fruits! Smoothies are a great way to get calcium, vitamin C, and folic acid.

Sports Drinks

• Gatorade and All Sport—Most sports drinks have a small amount of sodium in them, which can trigger us to drink more-definitely a good thing when it comes to staying hydrated. Moreover, sports drinks like Gatorade and All Sport offer small amounts of carbohydrates, which are absorbed quickly, and offer extra energy. Overall, if you participate in intense beach volleyball, (or any other sport for more than 60 minutes), then you will want to have a sports drink handy. In addition to giving you a needed energy boost, it will help you to maintain stable blood sugar levels