Its hard to miss the neon colored drinks promoted by (well-paid) sports celebrities as the ideal sports recovery drink.  Despite their tremendous popularity, sports drinks are a TERRIBLE substitute for water. Electrolytes are critical for proper recovery but most sports drinks contain too much sugar and toxic ingredients like artificial colors and high-fructose corn syrup. These should be avoided!!

If you need to replace electrolytes due to intense exercise or sports it’s best to make a homemade rehydration beverage using natural ingredients. You could also try drinking coconut water but best is just pure clean water!  

COCONUT WATER is the clear liquid found inside the fruit. It has a tangy nutty flavor and none of the fat found in coconut milk. Coconut water is great to consume after a workout because just 11 ounces contains 670 milligrams of potassium-way more than a sports drink and even a banana! Potassium is an important mineral that works closely with sodium to maintain water balance and help trigger muscles to contract and relax optimally.

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When you sweat you lose a lot of minerals and electrolytes. Coconut water is packed with potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. These electrolytes are critical for proper recovery! Also helping to aid in recovery coconut water contains the things that your body typically uses during the workout: sugars, electrolytes, and water!

Best of All it’s ALL NATURAL!

Even before coconut water the best drink during intense exercise should always be pure clean water first. It is the single most important nutrient you can put in your body!  You body is 75% water so it makes sense that this essential fluid MUST be continually replenished or your not going to feel well.

Many people are confused by how much water they should be drinking.  Basically a smaller person would need less than a bigger person and it also depends on your level of physical activity, the climate in which you live and your diet.

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Drinking more water makes the body lighter and more balanced.  Did you know that cravings for sweets may actually be signals of dehydration?? Drinking water may reduce or eliminate the cravings. Believe it or not a large majority of the American population is dehydrated! When you regularly consume enough water you flush out the kidneys and bladder which ensures that dead cells and other waste products can be eliminated.

Plastic water bottles are popular but NOT the best option for you or the environment.  They can leach harmful chemicals into the actual water and contribute to pollution in our environment. Invest in a good travel glass water bottle instead.  Also be aware that most tap water contains chlorine, fluoride, and sometimes lead.  It’s best to get some type of filter system such as Brita (least expensive), carbon water filters, or a reverse osmosis filter (more expensive). A Berkey water filtration system is what I use in my home.

Timing is also important in water intake.  Right when you wake up you should drink 1-2 glasses of water to hydrate the body.

Surprisingly many people suffering from low energy, cravings and annoying health symptoms simply start to feel better by merely drinking more water!

So what if you don’t like the taste of plain water?

Adding fruit or herbs into your water can make all the difference in taste! Cut up the ingredients and put about ¼ cup in to infuse the water. You can make them ahead of time and store in GLASS mason jars in the fridge!

cucmber-water-300x198 Hydrating the Healthy WayTry these delicious combo’s

  • -Strawberry, orange, mint
  • -Lemon, mint
  • -Orange, lemon, lime
  • -Watermelon
  • -Cucumber,lemon,thyme
  • -Cucumber, mint, lime
  • -Pineapple

Stay hydrated and

Be Well! 🙂

Susie R.