ELECTROLYTES: THE GOOD & THE BAD
When it comes to information about electrolytes, what they are and where to get them, it can be confusing and overwhelming if you are researching electrolytes. You will find that there is concern about maintaining electrolyte balance, but on the other spectrum, you will find information telling you to not be concerned about your electrolyte intake and to just fill up as much as you can. Let's look closer at the important role that electrolytes play in keeping your body functioning properly in a simplified way that is a little easier to understand.
Questions We Will Discuss In This Article About Electrolytes and Minerals:
- What are electrolytes?
- What are minerals?
- What minerals are in our bodies?
- How do we acquire minerals?
- What is the best way to acquire electrolytes?
WHAT ARE ELECTROLYTES AND WHERE TO GET THEM
What are electrolytes?
Electrolytes are minerals in your blood and body fluids that carry an electric charge. The minerals become electrolytes once they are electrically charged when mixed with water. The body is about 60% water. Once they turn into electrically charged ions, they can be either positively charged or negatively charged depending on their function within the body.
Where do we get these minerals our bodies desperately need?
Minerals are nature's provision for our bodies. They are elements that come from the earth and are found in food and water we consume from the earth. In other words, they are found in "real" food and water. Those minerals essential for health include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, chromium, copper, fluoride, molybdenum, manganese, and selenium. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body and more than 99% of that amount is found in bones.
Minerals are necessary for 3 main reasons: Building strong bones and teeth. Controlling body fluids inside and outside cells. Turning the food you eat into energy.
Hundreds of your body’s critical daily functions can’t run without minerals.
Brain fog, poor digestion or constipation, fatigue, trouble sleeping and weakened immune systems are all symptoms of mineral deficiency. If you feel like crap, your minerals could be out of balance.
In a perfect world, all our vitamins and minerals would come from nature — the food we eat and the water we drink — but modern farming practices have depleted our soil of these essential nutrients and most of us rely on filtered water. Many of us aren’t getting the minerals from our diet that our bodies need to thrive.
Since our bodies do not make minerals or electrolytes, we need to get them from our diet. They come from the soil, our food, great spring water, and natural salt. They come from nature! Commercial/GMO farming has stripped the natural minerals from our soil. Bottled, purified, RO water filters out natural minerals, so we need them more than ever.
Just like vitamins, minerals help your body develop and grow, as well as about a billion other things. Literally a billion! There are two main types of minerals that benefit our bodies and we need them both, Macro and Trace. Minerals help to make hormones, help to maintain a normal heartbeat, and even aid in digestion.
BENEFITS OF ELECTROLYTES AND PROPER HYDRATION
What do electrolytes do for the body?
Assists in muscle contraction.
At the most basic chemical level, your cells use electrolytes to conduct electrical charges, which enables your muscles to contract, including one of the most important ones, beating your heart. Their main function is to help your body regulate chemical reactions, especially when it comes to hydration and the balance of fluids.
Boost athletic performance.
Athletes especially need to be taking in more electrolytes because they put a huge demand on muscles. When you see athletes cramping it’s usually because of the lack of electrolytes and dehydration. You lose electrolytes when you sweat and as your body sweats over long periods you must replenish your electrolytes with water.
People often ask what athletes drink to replenish electrolytes because athletes are going to choose the best source. Well, the answer is yes and no. Many college and professional athletes use hydration drinks because of their sponsorships. Most of the main hydration brands are filled with sweeteners and other ingredients that are harmful to the body.
In ENDO 2018, the 100th annual meeting, researchers presented new data showing “sucralose, a popular artificial sweetener, promotes metabolic dysregulation….low-calorie sweeteners promote metabolic dysfunction similar to that of regular sugar, despite the lack of calories”. In other words, just as sugar is bad for the body and creates problems, so do artificial sweeteners. These artificial sweeteners cause havoc in your body's normal response to glucose and insulin, and rather than helping you they harm your body and make you prone to diabetes.
Athletes who want to be at top performance will choose pure ingredients for their electrolyte intake. They choose drinks with real ingredients that have minerals from the earth and avoid sugar and artificial anything.
GOODONYA HYDRATE Electrolyte Powder Mix only has 6 ingredients in it, all real and all organic:
- Lemon Juice
- Coconut Water
- Stevia
- Aquamin Magnesium
- Himalayan Pink salt
- Ascorbic Acid
- The one gram of sugar is from the real lemon juice
Boost hydration in sick children.
When trying to keep a sick child hydrated, parents pull out all the stops and this is why parents often choose these popular hydration drinks like Gatorade and Pedialyte for their children, they are sweet and taste good. The truth is, they are not as healthy as people believe they are.
Let's take Powerade Zero, for example. If you have diabetes, this is a drink you may reach for to hydrate and replace electrolytes thinking it would be a great alternative for a drink without sugar. Here is a breakdown of the less than desirable ingredients found in Powerade Zero.
SUCRALOSE
- Sucralose has been linked to interfering with gut bacteria. There is a delicate balance of good and bad bacteria in our stomach and intestines that allow each other to co-exist without consequence. It is called a microbiome. Upsetting this balance could lead to stomach or intestinal illness.
- Recent studies have also shown sucralose to alter glucose and insulin levels in the blood, which is the very thing that diabetic patients are trying to avoid.
- Sucralose has been linked to higher incidences of some cancers, including Leukemia.
- The Centers for Science in the Public Interest have recently downgraded the safety rating of sucralose from "caution" to "avoid."
ACESULFAME K
- It's a little known artificial sweetener that hides among other sweeteners; it is often blended in with other artificial sweeteners to give them a more "sugar-like" taste.
- The first ingredient that goes into manufacturing Acesulfame K is a solvent called methylene chloride. Methylene chloride is the solvent used in paint strippers and paint removers; it is also used as a propellant for bug spray and aerosol paint sprays.
BLUE 1
- Also known as Brilliant Blue FCF is a water-soluble, artificial blue dye used in food, drugs, and cosmetics.
- So when you reach for that sugar-free drink feeling like you are doing a good thing by avoiding sugar, you might need to think again. It's important to note, though, that all sugar-free sports drinks are not created equal.
GOODONYA HYDRATE Electrolyte Powder Mix is a great choice for sick children and children in sports who need to stay hydrated.
The primary benefit of electrolytes is that it prevents dehydration and makes you feel GOOD. They do not give you a sugary energy boost like you’d get from an energy drink, (thankful for that) but if you’ve ever been dehydrated you know that sluggish feeling I am talking about. It’s not fun! Hydration is so important.
Who can benefit from proper hydration?
- Adults/Elders - We all need these electrolytes, because we need to stay healthy and strong.
- Diabetics - with only 1g of organic lemon sugar our electrolyte powder is perfect for them. Most electrolyte powders have artificial sweeteners, like sucralose, which is no bueno. Since Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, HYDRATE electrolytes and minerals will help keep their immune system strong!
- Kids - Our electrolyte is great for kids, because it is low in sugar, organic, and real. Their bodies are always growing, so they need these electrolytes.
- Pregnant Women and Moms - Electrolytes help put the GOOD stuff back into pregnant women who are experiencing morning sickness. The electrolytes help replenish the essential nutrients the body needs for both the Mom and the baby.
WRAPPING UP
Your body gets electrolytes or their components from what you eat and drink. Concentrate on real foods and spring water. Your kidneys filter excess electrolytes out of your body and into your urine. So, it’s better to be less concerned about electrolyte imbalance from too much electrolyte intake and just be more concerned about consistent healthy hydration.
When you are low on electrolytes, you will feel dehydration, which results in brain fog, lethargy, and constipation, which NO ONE wants to feel. HYDRATE is the most natural, certified, organic, real food-based, and low in sugar electrolyte drink available. And the best part is that OUR electrolyte powder tastes AMAZING!
