When the weather is pleasant, I love to run outside. I may even train for a race or a relay depending on how bold and uncharacteristically athletic I feel. As my daily workouts have increased in frequency, I concocted my own homemade electrolyte drink for the sake of my hydration (and my pocketbook).
Electrolytes include minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphate that produce a charge when they dissolve. Electrical impulses trigger many of our body’s functions. These charged minerals aid in regulating fluid balance, contracting muscles, repairing tissue, balancing blood pressure and transmitting nerve impulses.
When you exercise, your body loses electrolytes through your sweat. Electrolyte drinks replenish those essential charged minerals in a way that water alone cannot.
Running has many benefits: increased endorphins, improved heart health and quality time romping around outdoors. The main downside to my running habit is that I spend more than I usually budget for groceries when I purchase Gatorade, Powerade and other electrolyte drinks.
Like many others, I aim to spend less on groceries (and reduce my plastic waste — all those bottles add up), so I embarked on making a homemade electrolyte drink.
There are many different recipes online depending on what flavor you like and what supplements you want to include. I like this one the best because it is adaptable, effective and made out of items I already have in my kitchen.
Photos by Sam Schipani
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