Make your own sports drink!

Jeepers it's hot up here right now! Rain is a distant memory but the kids sporting activities do..not..stop! My eldest gets off the Futsal field and I could seriously ring his shirt out...his face is red and blotchy and the sweat is running down his legs..eeeeewwwww.  My little gymnasts fair no better and it it weren't for the happy grins I'd keep them home!

We know that water is the best hydrator there is but on the occassions that you are in an excessively hot climate, doing unusally high amounts of sports, gardening or other activity or have even had a gastro bug you might want to consider something a bit more heavy duty to replace the electrolytes you've lost.

Why make my own?

Check out the labels on the sports drinks next time you see them.  The second ingredient is almost always sugar followed by a dazzling (and scary) array of artificial colourings and flavourings. When you break it down they contain precious little of anything that may be of benefit like for instance...electrolytes!  

Make your own and skip the sugar and make sure it has in it what you need ie magnesium, sodium and potassium! Add some real fruit for natural sugars and vitamins and away you go!

What are electrolytes? 

They are the ions in salts that are necessary for many body functions including the movement of water across cells and muscle movement. The ones I'm targeting with this drink are potassium, magnesium and sodium as they are most commonly lost through sweat!

I'm adding in tissue salts for an extra boost! Mag Phos is brilliant for muscle and muscle recovery after sports.  It can help the cramping associated with dehydration too.  And Nat mur which is awesome for making sure the water in the body goes where it is needed- the fluid balancer!

Recipe

This is so easy! The recipe makes 1L but I often make up a quarter if it's just for one person. Use any fruit you wish and any ratio of water to coconut water (or just water if you wish however coconut water has potassium in it so it is a good addition). I usually use half/half.

1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
OR replace the orange/lemon with a cup of raspberries, pinapple etc and whizz it up in the blender!
​1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups coconut water
OR any ratio of water/coconut water you like. Even just water will be fine.
4 doses of Nat Mur tissue salt (4 Scheussleur tablets or 12 pillules if your Homeopath made them up)
4 doses Mag Phos tissue salt (4 Scheussleur tablets or 12 pillules if your Homeopath made them up)
1/4 tsp himalayan salt/celtic sea salt/ murray rive sea salt

Crush the tablets with a mortar and pestle or similar. Add all the ingredients to a bottle and shake til it's all dissolved. Enjoy!

One cup is a serving.  Keep drinking water as well! 

PS I think it tastes like old fashioned Staminade that you made up from powder!

Ciao, ciao! Til next time!

references
http://dontmesswithmama.com/homemade-citrus-electrolyte-drink/#
http://wellnessmama.com/2575/natural-sports-drink/
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/electrolytes/article_em.htm
​http://foodwatch.com.au/blog/healthy-eating-for-wellness/item/how-healthy-is-coconut-water-really.html