Hydration & Electrolytes

So, everyone says you need to drink more water, you need to replace your electrolytes, but what does that all really mean? And why is it so important? Here we go...

Your body is made up of mostly water, so as we work, play, eat, sleep, we are using that water for my different tasks and processes in our bodies and it's important to replace it throughout the day. 

How much water do you need in a day? It depends on the person, your health history, physical activity level, body mass, but the general recommendation is eight, 8-oz glasses of water per day. Ask your doctor or dietitian for exact numbers.

Electrolytes – That’s A Fancy Word

Electrolytes are:

• Minerals in the blood & other fluid in the body that carry an electric charge

Electrolytes effect:

• Amount of water in the body
• pH balance of the blood
• Muscle function

Electrolyte facts:

• You lose electrolytes when you sweat
• Must be replaced by drinking fluids with electrolytes
• Water does not include electrolytes

Common electrolytes:

• Calcium
• Chloride
• Magnesium
• Phosphorus
• Potassium
• Sodium
• Can be acids, bases, and salts

Sources of Electrolytes:

• Gatorade, Powerade - some type of sports drink
• Coconut water
• Nuun tablets (tablet that you put into water, doesn't give calories only electrolytes)
• Electrolyte pills
• Food: any food that contains any of the above minerals will be a source (examples would be: tomato juice, pickles, milk, dairy, fruits and veggies, pumpkin seeds, just to name a few, there are thousands of others!)

When should I add electrolytes or some type of sports drink?

• Exercise or training last longer than 1 hour, you can add a drink including electrolytes
• During high humidity or heat
• Anything physical activity shorter than 1 hour, isn't necessary 

Super Snack Ideas

I get asked about healthy snack ideas all the time! So here they are! These could be good go-to snacks, or good add-ins to your lunches. 

Fruits: banana, apple, nectarine, peach, fruit cup, sliced melon, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, applesauce cup with cinnamon (or those squeeze packets that make you feel like your eating astronaut food!)

Veggies: carrots, sliced peppers, sliced zucchini, cucumber, grape tomatoes, broccoli. You could do raw veggies, or set aside some time on Sunday to roast some veggies to throw into lunches or in with dinner for later in the week. 

Want to dip? 

Start with what to dip: 

Tortilla chips, pretzels, any of the above veggies, Triscuits, Wheat Thins, Pita (chips or bread)

Choose what kind of dip:

Dip any of the above veggies in hummus, salsa, lite ranch, guacamole (wholly guacamole makes 100 calories packs), Annie's has a great line of lite dressings (Goddess and the Italian are my favorites), peanut butter, almond butter

Other Snack Ideas:

Whole grain goldfish

Yogurt and fruit

Yogurt and granola or crunchy cereal

Yogurt and chia seeds

Pudding cup

Shelf-stable chocolate milk or regular milk

Cheese and crackers

Crackers and hummus

String cheese

Granola bar (Luna, Clif, Kind, Lara are all good kinds)

Trail mix (make your own with a variety of nuts, dried fruit and maybe a few chocolate chips)

Any kind of nut (walnuts, pistachios, almonds, cashews, peanuts, brazil nuts)

Popcorn (watch the added butter and salt though)

Hard-boiled eggs

Frozen waffle topped with ricotta and jelly

Going with the cheese and cracker theme? Here's some good "appetizer" type ideas:

• Sweet Potato and Roasted Sweet Onion Triscuits with Laughing Cow cream cheese and pomegranate seeds on top

• Cracked Black Pepper and Sea Salt Triscuits with Nutella and strawberry slices on top

• Wheat Thins with peanut butter and banana slices on top, maybe even add a chocolate chip

• Sweet Potato and Roasted Sweet Onion Triscuits with Laughing Cow cream cheese and mandarin orange slice on top