THE HYPE AROUND HYDRATION

It is H.O.T. in Nashville, Tennessee right now! I am holding many outdoor training sessions, and we are burnin’ it up under this southern sun! A big question I get from my clients is: 

“Do I need to be consuming electrolyte drinks or powders?”

To answer that question, first, let’s look at what electrolytes do. Electrolytes are minerals that are involved in a number of metabolic processes, and each one is essential to wellness. When electrolytes become imbalanced due to dehydration, fluid loss, poor nutrition, kidney problems, eating disorders, certain medications, and a host of other reasons, a person can experience muscle weakness, headaches, confusion, numbness, stomach pain, and fatigue. With more serious imbalances one might experience an irregular heartbeat, vomiting, convulsions, and even death. 

So, how do we keep electrolytes in balance? One of the simplest ways is to follow a healthy diet, like the one I outline in my program, “The Anti-Diet.” https://lifebyloriz.com/products/the-anti-diet-1 

Veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, and beans help balance electrolytes and are also full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

For most healthy adults, electrolyte supplements and drinks are not necessary, as long as proper nutrition and hydration is in check. Athletes typically use sports drinks containing electrolytes after long sessions of intense physical activity. Also, those suffering from an illness accompanied by diarrhea or vomiting need to rebalance electrolytes with supplementation. 

Generally speaking, while those electrolyte drinks sure seem necessary, we can chalk that up to great marketing. The fact is that we are made mostly of water, and we need to be drinking a lot of it. Water is a thirst-quencher, body healer, detoxifier, & weight manager. Water carries nutrients to our cells, aids digestion, flushes our bodies of wastes, and keeps our kidneys healthy.  It regulates our body temperature, our metabolism, and plays a crucial role in disease prevention. 

Bottom line: Water is crucial to our wellness, electrolyte water is necessary sometimes, but use excellent nutrition and lifestyle practices to keep your body in a balanced state.  As always, if you need help creating a personal outline for greater wellness, contact me anytime: [email protected]