Do you have a burning, health related question?  As announced on my Facebook page, I am taking YOUR questions!  I will be featuring at least one question and answer a week on my blog, so be on the look out!  Also, if you have a question for me, go to my Facebook page and post your question either on my wall or in a personal message.

If I get ten or more questions, I will have a random drawing for a $10 Gift Card to my favorite place... Whole Foods! (If you do not live near a Whole Foods, I will provide a similar gift)

So.... with that said.... here is your first question!

How To Naturally Replenish After A Hard Workout

 A fan from CA writes:

"What is the best way to replenish your body after an intense workout? I am so afraid of synthetic supplements and would prefer real food."

GREAT question!! 

Kellie's answer:

First of all, I applaud you for choosing real food over synthetic supplements.  Anything synthetic at best is not very effective, and at worst, can even be dangerous. That being said, there ARE supplements on the market that are all natural, but that is not my area of expertise. 

I am going to assume that you are working out intensely on a regular basis?  I am also going to guess that by "replenish" you are talking about replacing electrolytes? 

We all lose electrolytes when we sweat, and it does depend on the level of activity-- a walk in the park will not deplete electrolytes as quickly as a one hour run in the heat!  I think for most of us, we fall somewhere in between. 

Electrolytes are so important because they keep our body hydrated.  If we do not stay hydrated, we could get muscle cramps, nausea, or even pass out.  

The main electrolytes are: 

sodium

potassium

chloride

and magnesium

First, I urge you to NOT rely on popular sports drinks such as Gatorade.  They do contain electrolytes, but they also contain either sugar or sucralose, (artificial sweetener)  plus unnecessary food colorings.  

Obviously, old fashioned water is  always helpful, but sometimes,  one needs more than that, particularly if they are exercising very intensely.

If you are looking for a drink, coconut water is great- it contains minerals such as potassium and magnesium.  However, it can be a little pricey so would not be something to have every day.

The good news is that there are many FOODS that can supply you with these important minerals and help sustain your energy as well! 

Sodium:

The best way to replenish with sodium, is simply by adding a teaspoon of salt to a food.  Or, you could put some salt under your tongue, hold it there for a few seconds and then drink water.  

Potassium:

Bananas are great for potassium.  Other foods that contain a significant amount are spinach, kale and avocados.

Chloride:

This is a lesser known mineral, but it is found in lettuce, celery, olives and seaweed.

Magnesium;

Leafy greens such as spinach and kale contain magnesium, and also raw nuts  and whole grains such as brown rice.

Citrus fruits are also a great source of electrolytes such as lemons, grapefruits and oranges

You could eat all of these foods separately, but after an intense workout, you probably don't want to take the time to do that!  So, enter the..... GREEN SMOOTHIE! 

This may not come as a surprise to you, as most people I know how much I love them!

I think it is a great way to replenish electrolytes.

A great smoothie for that purpose would be:

Replenishing Green Smoothie

2 cups spinach

2 cups blueberries

1 celery stick

1 banana

1 lemon

1 cup coconut water (or coconut milk) 

OR fill it all up with water

Green smoothies are great because not only do they rehydrate you....they also fill you up and give you much needed energy after a work out.  If you need added protein along with it, you could add a serving of raw nuts, or a hard boiled egg.

If you are just looking for a drink, I found this awesome recipe for a 

Make Your Own Electrolyte Drink!

The Lip Twister - tart and sweet

• 1/4 cup of lemon juice

• 1/4 cup of lime juice

• 1 teaspoon of salt

• 1 whole squeezed orange (or one frozen can of orange juice)

• 1 liter of water

Recipe found HERE: 

I hope this helps!  If you have any other questions regarding this, I welcome all comments! 




Remember to check out my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/nourishedandnew)


as well as my website: www.nourishedandnew.com


Kellie