What’s The Best Water To Drink When Exercising?

I think this is my favourite topic regarding the importance of hydration. I was raised in a family that encouraged an active lifestyle. From a young age I participated in sports and dance, and as a teenager I remember working out with my dad at the gym.

Adequate hydration as well as the Type of WATER  you’re drinking is critical for performance and muscle recovery. 

For every hour of activity you can lose up to 1.5 litres of water per hour.

With intense exercise like running and cycling you can lose up to 2.5 litres of water per hour. 

The most important thing to remember with hydration is to start with CLEAN, PURE water. Tap water is laden with chemicals and chlorine and when you’re drinking 2-4 litres of water a day, the chemicals in tap water absorb directly into your living tissues and organs.

Your body then must work hard to attempt to remove the toxins and chemicals thereby straining your kidneys and lymph system. Furthermore, it's impossible to remove all the toxins, so they get stored in your body. Toxin build up in your body can lead to long term health problems over time.

How hydration affects the body during exercise:

• Athletic performance:  Water cushions the joints, and being dehydrated can affect your flexibility and speed

• Endurance: Hydration is essential for proper muscle function (including the heart muscles), and it helps you avoid cramps

• Breathing: When you inhale, you need body fluids to moisten the air so it’s easier to absorb oxygen through your lungs

• Mood: Your brain needs water to work. Just as a drop in blood sugar can make a person “hangry,” dehydration can affect mood and concentration and cause headaches and irritability.

Along with water loss, is loss of electrolytes -sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, calcium, phosphate, and bicarbonates. Maintaining electrolyte balance is critical for performance and recovery. But many of the sports drinks on the market contain high sugar= high calories, dyes and added flavours.

But you can make your own recovery drink at home with purified, clean water that is less expensive and healthier. Here’s how:

1. One litre of purified Reverse Osmosis or Re-mineralized Reverse Osmosis Water

2. ½ Tsp of pink himalayan salt
   

3. ½ - 1 Tsp of honey

4. Slice for lemon for added flavour (or your favorite fruit)

Stir/ shake /mix and Enjoy !!

Whether you're making an electrolyte beverage or drinking just plain water to replenish from a good workout- start with clean, pure reverse osmosis water. Your future self will thank you for it.