How To Restore Electrolyte Balance
When exercising and sweating, we lose a large amount of electrolytes that we must replace so that our body works properly and thus avoid imbalances.
Restoring the balance of electrolytes in the body is essential. Electrolytes are minerals that are present in the blood and other body fluids.
Their importance lies in the fact that they help regulate the acidity in the blood, the amount of water in the body and the activity of the muscles. Now, how do we lose electrolytes? We do it through sweat.
If we carry out intense physical activity, the loss of electrolytes increases. For this reason, it is necessary that we learn to restore them properly so that they return to balance.
How to Restore Electrolyte Balance
There are some guidelines that can help restore electrolyte balance. Take note!
1. Consume more potassium
If we seek to restore the balance of electrolytes we must think of potassium, a mineral that contains them. Therefore, after physical activity it is very positive that we eat a banana, since this type of fruit is rich in potassium.
However, we can find this mineral in other foods:
- Papaya: taking half a papaya is enough to benefit from the potassium it offers.
- Prunes: to obtain the recommended amount of potassium, it would be convenient to take a cup of this food (180 g).
- Mango: if it is large we must take half a mango, if it is medium we can take it whole.
- Orange: we can also choose to make an orange juice or have an orange to increase our potassium levels.
These are some of the foods that contain more potassium, although there are some more that perhaps we did not know such as pear, raisins or melon.
The appropriate thing is to consume them in moderation, and if we can do it after having sweated excessively after having done physical exercise, for example, much better.
2. Bet on calcium to restore the balance of electrolytes
Today, many people believe that they cannot consume calcium due to lactose intolerance. However, calcium cannot only be found in milk or yogurts. There are many other ways to get the calcium your body needs.
If we need to restore the balance of electrolytes, calcium will help us a lot, along with potassium. Therefore, below, we are going to see what foods contain it in order to start introducing them more frequently in our diet:
- Dairy: if we do not suffer from lactose intolerance we can drink milk, yogurt or cheese.
- Vegetables: we can find calcium in broccoli, kale, spinach or cabbage.
Surely you did not know that some vegetables are very rich in calcium. In addition to the fact that we must introduce them abundantly in our diet, it is important that we know what this type of food can provide us.
How many vegetables do you eat daily? The recommended amount is at least the equivalent of two cups.
3. Increase magnesium intake
Magnesium is another mineral that helps us restore electrolyte balance. In addition, it is very important as it allows the muscles to receive both the calcium and potassium mentioned above. Therefore, it is essential for athletes.
The amount of magnesium that we should consume is around 350 mg daily. As we can see, although we must include these types of minerals in our diet, it is important not to exceed their consumption.
The fact of increasing their intake refers to introducing them into our diet on a regular basis, if we did not do it so far.
Some of the foods that contain magnesium are:
- Avocado: it is an ideal fruit to spread or add to salads.
- Nuts: almonds, walnuts or peanuts provide a lot of energy and magnesium.
- Green leafy vegetables: consume lettuce, watercress or celery, among others, to increase your levels of this mineral.
If we already consume the adequate amount of potassium, calcium and magnesium we should not increase their intake, just maintain it.
Healthy lifestyle habits
Just as eating foods rich in these minerals can benefit us, it can also harm us if we overdo it too much.
As we have seen, restoring electrolyte balance or needing to do so is a good way to acquire better eating habits.
Well, we always tend not to eat enough vegetables or, there are even days when we don’t even taste a piece of fruit.
In the market we can find a wide variety of foods rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium that will help to increase electrolytes, but also to feel and eat better.
Are you already consuming these minerals in their proper amounts? Have you ever been concerned about your electrolyte balance?
