the-flash

I’m sure you’ve heard of Electrolytes before. They are heavily advertised in popular sports drinks such as Gatorade or Powerade. Almost like a buzz-word, Electrolytes seem to be this magic energy that gives us that jolt of energy when we need it.

Electrolytes aren’t magic. They are the essential components that fuel your cells. They are the motor oil that keeps our engines running strong. Electrolytes benefit us in powerful ways such as:

    1. Hydrating the body much faster than just water
    2. Preventing muscle cramps
    3. Providing lasting energy for exercise sessions

So, you want to take advantage of these electrolytes, but don’t have the money or the calories to spend on expensive, high-calorie sports drinks? I’ve done a little digging, and I’ve come up with a recipe for your own, homemade electrolyte drink.

Here’s the kicker – Instead of just rambling off ingredients, I did some research and identified what exactly each ingredient does for you and what makes it important.

Secret Homemade Electrolyte Recipe

    1. The foundation of your drink. Natures best hydrating liquid: The fountain of life itself.
      This is the main component of your drink: the electrolyte. Simple enough, this is what packs the punch. Baking soda alone will not react in the intended way until it is mixed with a solution, which in this case, is water.
      This one is a bit tricky because the salt must contain Potassium. This mineral is another electrolyte that will boost your energy even further. Potassium naturally occurs in Sea salts, so it is an obvious choice.

      However, many products at your local supermarket post on the label, “Sea Salt” when actually it is not. The ploy is that “it started as sea salt.” Fortunately, identifying Authentic Sea Salt is very simple.

      The perfect way to top off your drink. Not only will this improve the flavor of the drink, but it will also provide your body with sucrose. Sucrose is also known as a “simple carbohydrate” or “simple sugar” as it metabolizes into energy in as little as 30 minutes. Think of this as the spark that lights the combustion engine.
      If you think that your drink needs a little more personality, you can add flavoring. Don’t forget that this substitute sports drink is meant to reduce calories, so you get more bang for your calorie-spent buck. Some smart flavorings you could try are lemon juice, lime juice, or orange juice concentrate.
  1. One Quart of Water

    1/3 teaspoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)

    One teaspoon of Sea Salt

    10 teaspoons of table sugar

    (Optional) Flavoring

Share

Table Salt

The salt that most of us consume is not as natural as we might think.  In fact, table salt is the product of rigorous refining processes that include extreme heat exposure and chemical additives that breaks down, bleaches, and iodizes its molecular structure.  The end result of this process is Iodized NaCl – refined of all other elements.

However, these elements that were removed are essential vitamins and minerals.  Some 80 different elements are removed such as Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, and Zinc.  It’s for this reason that we need to make the switch to salt the way nature intended it: Sea Salt.

How can I benefit from Sea Salt?

    1. This is arguably salt’s main function.  The human body is made up of 65-70% water.  Salt will act as a balance in our bodies to guide our water content between cells and body fluids.  This function is the foundation to many other benefits of salt.
      Bones take up 27% of our bodies’ salt and 22% of our bodies’ water.  Osteoporosis is largely caused by a lack of salt and water.  The problem arises when the body needs more salt and takes it from our bones.
  1. 1. Salt regulates the body’s water content

    2. Salt stabilizes irregular heartbeats.

    3. Salt is needed for making bones firm.

    4. Salt is needed for cells to produce energy.  This is the place where electrolytes really shine.

    5. Salt aids in the contraction of muscle tissue and prevents muscle cramps

    6. Salt aids in the nervous system’s ability to communicate

    7. Salt helps to absorb food particles in the intestinal tract

    8. Salt clears the lungs of mucus plugs and phlegm that could cause asthma

    9. Salt is a natural antihistamine

    10. Salt aids in removing excess acidity from cells

    11. Salt can help you get regular sleep

    12. Salt is necessary for maintaining libido

How can I tell if my Sea Salt is authentic?

A good way to tell if your salt is genuine is to just look at the color and the texture.  Unrefined, natural salt will be slightly darker and may show a shade of color.  These colors are often the trace vitamins and minerals found in salt.  Also, natural salt will be of a coarser texture.  Salt Works offers a great visual comparison of the world’s unique salts.

How much salt should I have?

So now you understand how important salt is to your diet, but how much salt is recommended?

This is very difficult to answer as there are many different recommendations given from many different sources.  The average intake should be kept between 4,000-6,000mg a day which is about 2.5 teaspoons.  If you are older or African-American, or if you have hypertension or diabetes, you may want to go with the low-sodium route at 1,500-2,400mg a day.  Nevertheless, no one knows you better than your doctor, so the best recommendation will come from him or her.

Share

woman-sleeping

Let’s be honest.  In today’s day and age, we are overworked.  Stress is a main problem in nearly all of our lives.  In fact, some estimates report that over 90% of diseases are caused or complicated by stress.  Although, there are many ways we can deal with stress, there is one simple solution to this problem: the almighty nap!

Naps do all sorts of great things to keep us healthy.  Napping reduces your chances stroke, heart disease, and diabetes.  Napping can even keep you from gaining unwanted weight!  Immediate benefits include boosting your mental clarity and giving you a relaxed storage of energy.

I have found a great information guide on how to nap.  The guide was found in the Boston Globe and was done by Jennifer Ackerman and Javier Zarracina.  it includes all of the different types of naps you can take, along with tips on how to get the most out of your naps.  Click the image below for a larger view.

how-to-nap

Share

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »