If you eat a whole foods diet, are an athlete, or practice intermittent (or extended fasting), you may think you are totally dialed into all aspects of healthy living, however, there is one thing you really need to watch out for. If you’re not careful, it’s actually pretty easy to develop a deficiency in one very important area, and this deficiency can manifest in various ways, especially in more severe cases, in headaches, muscle cramps, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and dysregulation of critical hormonal and cellular function. Even cases of mild deficiency can inhibit your day-to-day mental and physical performance. Wondering what I’m talking about? I’m referring to electrolyte deficiency, which is often at the root of many of the problems that can plague health-conscious individuals. Unfortunately, the symptoms people commonly experience can lead many people to point the finger at dehydration, but it’s actually more complex than merely not drinking enough. And while many people try to cure the problem by simply drinking more water, the problem with that approach is that drinking more water will actually make the problem worse, if your electrolytes are not also replenished.
Everyone needs electrolytes, especially those of us who are active and sweat at workouts, and those who follow low-carb eating patterns. Also, if you have been wondering what electrolytes even are, they’re charged minerals that conduct electricity to power your nervous system. They also regulate hydration status by balancing fluids inside and outside your cells. This is especially important for athletes and active people because when you sweat, the primary electrolyte you lose is sodium—research shows athletes can actually lose up to 7 grams a day. And when sodium isn’t replaced, muscle cramps and fatigue can become quite common. As an athlete, and also as someone who eats a whole foods diet and stays away from sodium-laden processed food, replenishing electrolytes is crucial for my day-to-day performance. For the last few years, I have been consistent with my daily use of the LMNT Electrolyte drink mix, which contains a science-backed electrolyte ratio of 1000 mg of sodium, 200 mg of potassium, and 60 mg of magnesium. I was introduced to the product by two of the founders, Robb Wolf and Luis Villasenor of Ketogains. These guys are at the absolute top of the class as leaders in ancestral health and athletic peak performance.
If you are an active person, eat a super clean diet, or practice both, and haven’t been supplementing electrolytes, then I really suggest checking out LMNT, because it’s made a noticeable difference for me. And I’m not the only one—everyone from NFL and NBA athletes to Navy SEALs, the Marines, and even Olympic athletes have been relying on LMNT for years to support their physical performance and to avoid the dangerous effects of hyponatremia, which sadly many athletes have died from. LMNT isn’t just for athletes and super fit types though—nearly everyone who has made the switch from the Standard American Diet to a clean, whole foods diet will experience a pretty drastic drop in sodium levels since over 70% of the sodium found in the average American’s diet comes from packaged and processed foods. Obviously, adopting a whole foods diet is always preferable to eating processed junk, but when you eliminate processed foods and all that extra sodium from your diet and don’t replace the sodium lost, this can negatively impact your health and performance. The same thing happens if you switch to a low-carb eating plan because less carbs and less insulin production will limit sodium uptake in the cells. I also have a really exciting deal to share with B.rad listeners right now— a free LMNT Sample Pack with any order you make at DrinkLMNT.com/bradkearns—this promo comes with lots of extra packets so you can try their different flavors and see what you like best. Click here to try it out! And if you are worried you won’t like it, don’t sweat it, because this is a totally risk-free offer—if you don’t like it, LMNT will give you a full refund (you don’t even need to send it back, although I seriously doubt you’ll want to!). |
