got potassium?

Summer is here and along with it is higher heat and much higher humidity.  The natural reaction is to quaff vast quantities of cold water in an attempt to keep hydrated.

The problem is, when we sweat we lose electrolytes much faster and drinking water just doesn't do it.  Water doesn't replace electrolytes.  Gatorade has some electrolytes but it also has more sugar and chemicals than Pepsi, which only makes things worse. 

I tend to think spring fever, that time of the year where our energy levels drop to very low levels, is an electrolyte imbalance brought on by higher temperatures and humidity.  My grandmother used to give her kids a dose of sulphured molasses in early spring to get them on their feet when she saw lethargy set in.  I've done it myself and it works like a charm.  Problem is, it's full of sugar and preservatives and not the best choice for long term dosage.

A better way is making your own electrolyte water from stuff you may already have in your kitchen.

I mix 1 tablespoon each of Himalayan salt, baking soda, and No-Salt in a half gallon of water.  Any clean sea salt will do but it's the No-Salt that makes this stuff really kick ass.  No-Salt is a salt substitute but instead of sodium chloride it's pure potassium, a mineral we all need to keep us alive.  We need about 1500mg of potassium a day to keep healthy.  That's equal to eight avocados, or ten bananas a day.  You can get the same amount of potassium from a half teaspoon of No-Salt. 

When it's hot and humid, like summers can get around here, I'll drink a half gallon of this stuff on ice and manage to get things done under the worst conditions, with a smile on my face.

Yeah, I get it.  Too salty, right?  Ok, dilute it with more water and give it a few squirts of stevia to neutralize the salty taste.  Use some of that stuff you squirt in water to give it flavor.  Or you can eat a cup of beet greens every day, instead.

Common signs and symptoms of potassium deficiency include weakness and fatigue, muscle cramps, muscle aches and stiffness, tingles and numbness, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, digestive symptoms and mood changes.  

All I'm saying is potassium deficiency is nothing to mess with.  Without enough potassium, your heart stops beating, your liver quits, organ failure... you get the picture.

Just do it.  You're welcome.