Your Water is Dead.  Bring it back to life to bring your cells life!

I stepped outside yesterday and it felt like I walked right into an oven.  Feeling my skin sear just to check the mail.  Exaggeration, you think?  Well, then you've never experienced a summer in Phoenix.  It's hot, hotter and airport-shutting down hot.  How do we find a little BEST™ with the weather stinks?  Finding one small win to add and BEND the expectation that perfection is what you're going for.  My next BEST™ step right now?  Making sure I'm hydrated.  But not just ANY hydration.  Hydrating well to replenish all the loss from my cells.

Unless you're living off the grid and have tapped into some luxurious mountain spring for your fresh water source, your water is dead.  But since you're here reading this with access to internet, let's talk about this dead water.

We all know filtered water is important these days.  Our tap water is tainted with all sorts of toxins we don't want in our system, so a good water filtration system is key.

But while we are filtering out all the bad stuff, we're also filtering out the good stuff, some key minerals that our body needs for optimal cell function.  We've heard that we can actually over hydrate, and one of the ways this happens is because we are flushing out our cells without replenishing them with the proper balance they need.  Yes, our cells need water.  But they need Sodium, Potassium and Magnesium, Calcium, Chloride, Phosphate and Bicarbonate to do their job.

WHY Do Electrolytes matter?

• To assist with nerve conduction.  These electrolytes play a role in communicating signals from the brain to the body.  It's like our body's perfect texting system.
• Muscle Function:  Can help with cramping, weakness or spasms.
• Maintaining pH Balance:  Electrolytes such as bicarbonate help with managing the body's optimal pH levels (you don't want them too high or too low).

Where Do I Get These Electrolytes?

• Of course, there are lots of electrolyte drinks on the market.  This is a simple add to your water bottle, but not the only way.  However, if you're going to do this, make sure you're watching the sugar content.  (So sorry, Gatorade and Powerade, you are a thing of the past).  But even a newer, popular one, Liquid IV, the first ingredient is cane sugar and between the sugars and added sugars, it equaled 22 grams of sugar!  Thats over 5g of sugar!  My two faves that taste good, supply what you need and ditch the sugar are LMNT and Just Ingredients.
• Other Food Sources:
  • Potassium:  Bananas, Strawberries (did you know 1 strawberry has more potassium than an entire banana?!), Spinach, avocado, Watermelon
  • Magnesium:  Nuts, seeds, dark chocolate (yay!), Watermelon (again for the win, perfect for summer!)
  • Sodium:  Table salt, sea salt, jerky, nuts, crackers (again, watch the sugar count)
  • Phosphate:  Meat, dairy, nuts, potatoes (with the skin)
  • Bicarbonate: Baked goods, fizzy drinks (again, watch the sugar!)

But Wait, Isn't Salt Bad?

Salt has turned into a villain in the past years.  The truth is, without salt, your cells aren't happily functioning.  If you're eating a diet high in ultra processed food, then yes, you're probably getting a little too high a dose of sodium.  But if you're eating clean, real food homemade and seasoning reasonably, most likely you're on the safe side of sodium.  Truthfully, it's sugar that's the bigger culprit, but that's a talk for another day.

 The bottom line:  These electrolytes are essential to you moving, feeling and living your BEST™.  One size fits all supplementation or eating isn't the key, but rather BENDING the expectation of what you "should" do and meet yourself where you are.  

Listen to your body and find the right combos for you to build your energy and healthiest cellular function.

Remember, feeling your BEST™ is a unique journey.  Start small, wherever you are on this electrolyte journey and keep finding small wins to build upon your success.