Make your own electrolyte drink

Electrolytes are a must when you're partaking in endurance sports like running, cycling or hot yoga due to the amount that you sweat. Here is a quick and easy way to create an electrolyte drink to help you replace all of the electrolytes you lose when you sweat.

Electrolytes
Sodium, Chloride, Calcium, Potassium & Magnesium

Ingredients
1/2 to 1 Lemon Juice (Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium)
1/4 tsp Natural Sea Salt (Sodium, Chloride)
1 tbsp Honey (Calcium, Potassium + High Carbs for energy)



Instructions

1. Add all of the ingredients together in a drinks bottle and shake to mix together.
2. Increase the salt if you're training outside or doing hot yoga as the more you sweat the more you need to replace.
3. Increase/decrease all ingredients per taste.
4. Options: Lemon can be switched for orange/grapefruit or lime per taste. Honey can also be switched for another sweetener however never use processed sugars like white refined, castor or brown sugar (blog on sugars and sweeteners and their side effects to come soon)

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Nutritional Facts
Sodium and Chloride are the two electrolytes that are most lost in sweat and must be replenished to keep you running healthy. Running low on sodium can cause dizziness, muscle cramps and loss of appetite. Running low on chloride can mean changes in PH and irregular heartbeat. The honey and lemon contain some electrolytes but not as much. A banana is a great source for potassium and carbohydrate. For the remaining Potassium, Magnesium and Calcium which are lost in small quantities through sweat, spinach is the best source which can be consumed post work out.

Sustainability
Instead of buying sports drinks in plastic bottles which are detrimental to the environment, use your reusable drinks bottle for your home made sports drinks.

Remember, honey is a carbohydrate that will also give you energy to work out. If your goal is to lose fat or become more efficient at burning fat to create energy for endurance sports then don't add honey. It won't taste as good but you will get more from the work out.

Sources
Ace Fitness - http://www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticle/715/electrolytes-understanding-replacement-options/
Self Nutrition - http://nutritiondata.self.com

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