Feeling sluggish, tired, wilted, headaches, flushing of the face, dizziness, fainting, nausea, stiff or sore muscles? It could be because your body needs help dealing with the heat.
What does the body need to keep cool and working well during the summer heat? Here are some simple basics of how the body works with heat & hydration along with some recommended nutritional support for keeping your body working in balance.
* Water! Being the most important nutrient of the body and being 70% of the makeup of most living things, is vital for life. Humans can survive more than a week without food but will die within a few days without water.
o It helps conduct electrical impulses through the body giving us a sense of mental alertness and energy, a brighter light bulb! So don’t dim the lights, drink your water!
o Regulates and maintains a safe body temperature so we don’t stress our vital organs and experience life threatening conditions.
o Sweating is how the body cools itself with water during and after physical activity or exposure to heat. The sweat on our skin evaporates and cools the body down.
o Did you know?! We sweat more while swimming than most other activities! I learned this from my nieces professional swim coach. This can dehydrate us even faster so drink even more water when swimming!
* Minerals
o Sodium (salt) is important to help keep water in the body. Men usually sweat more easily than women and can dehydrate without enough sodium (salt) to retain plenty of water in the body. If you are sweating a lot due to work, sport or exercise you may need to consume more salt in food or tablet form to help maintain balance.
o Potassium (important electrolyte) helps move water through the body. This aids in moving water to the skin so moisture can evaporate and cool the body. Women usually don’t sweat as easily as men and need more potassium to help move the water through the body for cooling. Signs of low potassium start with fatigue, muscle tension, headache and advance to migraine, stomach ache, nausea, vomiting and then heat stroke.
* It is helpful to take salt and potassium during summer months, sport activities and general hard labor to support the body’s function of cooling and to maintain proper hydration.
* Men usually require a little more salt than potassium and women usually require a little more potassium than salt. Salt and potassium tablets can be taken to keep the balance.
o **The full range of minerals is essential to support the body’s full range of function, especially blood pressure. Hydration & cooling usually require more Electrolytes – those minerals that help the body conduct electricity and directly support hydration. Minerals should be consumed in liquid form, plant tissue or salt crystal form!! Consuming minerals in pill form is like getting your cement delivered dry! Yes, it is cement, but it’s dry and not in the right form to work with! There are many effective mineral & electrolyte products to choose from.
* Healthy oils
o Healthy oils help the cells make their own water.
o Healthy oils help the body keep hydrated. Without water in the cell to attract more water from the blood stream, the water you drink just goes through the blood and passes out the urine without hydrating your tissues. This will help get your skin more hydrated and moist.
* Product suggestions:
o Put a pinch of sea salt in 8 oz of water for a quick replenishment of electrolytes.
o Eat a banana for potassium, orange juice has a little in it too.
o Salt & Potassium tablets: Women usually need twice as many potassium as salt. Men usually need twice as many salt as potassium. Start with recommended dosage and increase as needed based on symptoms.
o Cell Salts – also called Bio-plasma – are little tablets that dissolve under the tongue and provide instant absorption into the blood stream. I find these the most fast acting! This product is a combination of 12 vital mineral salts to balance cellular function. Take recommended dosage and increase as needed based on symptoms.
o Citrus water – slice a lemon, lime & orange and place in pitcher of water then add a sprig of peppermint. Amazing taste and energizing after feeling wilted from the heat! It’s a great pick me up and looks beautiful in a punch bowl for your luncheon or dinner party.
o Extra grape-seed or olive oil on salads, in smoothies, on sandwiches or a straight shot each morning. A ΒΌ cup daily is a good amount to intake for balanced hydration.
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