Being a mama can be, well…. draining. There are a multitude of reasons why we moms may be feeling a bit extra sluggish, especially if your little one is still ‘partying it up’ at night. There are many things we mamas can do to help keep ourselves feeling strong such as proper nutrition, exercise, hydration, and meditation/ focused breath- the obvious. But sometimes, there are more subtle contributing factors to our low energy and strength.
Recently, there has been a bit of buzz about the seemingly forgotten “electrolyte”. But why?
Well, turns out electrolytes are a substance that creates ELECTRICAL ENERGY when mixed with water. They are in your blood, urine, tissues, and other body fluids. They help to:
- Balance the amount of water in your body
- Balance your body's acid/base (pH) level
- Move nutrients into your cells
- Move wastes out of your cells
- Make sure that your nerves, muscles, the heart, and the brain work the way they should [1]
Just as sweating, illness, & breastfeeding, along with other factors, increases our body's demand for H2O- it also needs to replenish it's electrolytes in order to keep you feeling balanced and energized.
This past year I have began making this electrolyte drink my morning ‘go-to’ before eating anything, especially if I’m doing a morning ‘fast’- and it has made a night and day difference for my energy levels (along with supplementing a natural iron source- but that’s for another day).
Skip the packaged ‘electrolyte’ or ‘sports’ drinks which generally have added sugars, preservatives, artificial colors, & flavors (blah!)- and opt for your own simple, natural option and customize it to make it suit your taste buds or even the taste buds of your toddlers and older kids!
Mom’s Electrolyte Re-Charge Drink
1 quart sized jar of clean filtered water
2 large pinches (1/4 tsp) Course Sea Salt or Himalayan Salt
Juice from 1 Lime (or ½)
Juice from 1 Lemon (or ½)
Optional:
Dark Maple Syrup, or Raw Unfiltered Honey to taste
ELECTROLYTES. It’s what plants moms crave.
Movie reference: ‘Idiocracy’
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387808/
[1] https://medlineplus.gov/fluidandelectrolytebalance.html
Additional Sources:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153188
https://www.dripdrop.com/blog/pregnancy/dehydration-breastfeeding-risk-factors-causes