Get Salty, Stay Hydrated
July 18, 2022 | Words by Gabe Yanez
Electrolytes & Hydration
We’re all somewhat familiar with electrolytes when it comes to hydration. Thanks to big brands like Gatorade marketing to us how important it is that we drink “more than just water,” electrolytes have become synonymous with hydration over the years.
But is all that information just good marketing or are electrolytes really that important?
It turns out that electrolytes are indeed a very necessary component for proper hydration, especially if you’re an active person that regularly exercises. You see, whenever we sweat, we end up losing a lot of electrolytes that we need to replenish in order to keep our bodies in a good balance.
So, hydration isn’t just about drinking as much water as you can. If you focus solely on water consumption, you could get to a point where the imbalance between water and electrolytes causes more problems than dehydration alone.
This can impair exercise performance, cause muscle cramps, and make you feel sluggish and foggy.
So yes, electrolytes do matter. That doesn’t mean you need to guzzle down a sugary drink like Gatorade in order to stay hydrated, but it does mean that salts play an important role when it comes to hydration.
One Thing to Try This Week
Last week, we talked about kicking off your morning with a big drink of water so that you can be better set up to hit your hydration goal for the day.
This week, let’s add a layer of salt to that morning routine.
Your goal this week is to continue to get a head start towards your hydration goal first thing in the morning, but this time add a pinch of high-quality sea salt to that water to get some electrolytes in as well.
This can be a pinch of pink Himalayan or Celtic sea salt. Remember, you don’t have to overdo it. It shouldn't taste like you're gulping down a tall glass of seawater here. As a matter of fact, it shouldn’t really taste salty at all. We just want to add enough so that you are getting some sodium, potassium, and magnesium in your body to start the day.
