Homemade Sports Drink

We have jumped right into summer around here.

Although the temperatures hover in the mid-80's,

it feels a whole lot hotter.

One of my jobs required me to work outside in the afternoons,

and I found myself with a bad case of dehydration.

Even though I thought I was drinking enough water,

the sweat was poring out of my body so fast

that I couldn't get enough liquids to feel better.

It took me a full three or four days to improve.

A call to my naturopath validated my hunch.

She suggested that water is often not enough to stay hydrated

during the heat of summer,

especially for someone like me who works outside.

I've never been able to stomach the store-bought hydration drinks,

and they are so full of junk that they don't appeal to me in the least.

Still, I knew that my electrolytes were out of whack

and needed to be put more in balance.

A quick search led me to this recipe 

for a homemade version of sports drink

that tastes nothing like the commercial brands.

It's a bit flexible too,

as you can add other flavors to it 

and the benefits of the minerals will be unaffected.

The original recipe can be found here.

My sweet client was willing to allow me

to work mornings through the summer.

That should help.

The Mayo Clinic outlines these symptoms

of deydration:

Extreme thirst

Less frequent urination

Dark-colored urine

Fatigue

Dizziness

Confusion

You might have one or all of these issues.

If you feel overheated, take a break, get out of the sun,

and get into a cooler spot if you can.

I will follow my own advice

so that I don't have another incident like last week.

It'd be a good idea to mix some of this up

and have it chilling in the fridge

so that it's ready should you need it.

Homemade Sports Drink

(for staying hydrated)

1 quart liquid (tea, water)

1/8-1/4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon magnesium powder

1/4 C juice (opt.)

1-2 Tablespoons honey (opt.)

I also added about 1/4 C of water kefir to my jar.

Warm liquid on stove top, then add salt and magnesium.

Stir until dissolved.

Turn off heat and let cool.

Add remaining ingredients and chill.

Enjoy!