My last post I talked about drinking enough water so to follow on with this vein of thought it is important to get minerals as well.

If you are exercising and feel thirsty then you are already dehydrated and your electrolytes are out of balance.

You should always hydrate before and during exercise to maintain a good level throughout to avoid unnecessary stress on the body.

I mentioned in my last post that it was not good to drink more than 3 litres of water a day, the reason for this is you will flush out your minerals and become mineral deficient.

Many health conditions are a result of mineral deficiencies like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and arthritis.

Sodium, chloride and potassium are all electrolytes and play a huge role in keeping the fluid of the body balanced.

Salt is a very important mineral in the body we must have salt to live, our tears, sweat and all the fluids in our body are salty including the brain and spinal fluids.

The word electrolyte means they carry a electrical charge in water, they can move in and out of the cell to transport nutrients and remove waste, as well as water to keep the fluid balance.

They also carry electrical impulses along the nerve pathways which helps the muscles to contract and relax. Not only the skeletal muscles but the heart and diaphragm as well.

Electrolytes are also responsible for carrying glucose (blood sugar)into the cell after insulin opens the gate to allow the glucose in.

Our bones are not only calcium but also salt crystals are woven in with the calcium, and this is what makes the bones hard. When the body needs more salt than is present it can borrow some from the bones but unfortunately when the salt is drawn out of the bones it takes the calcium with it. This makes the bones thin and brittle and osteoporosis develops.

Many Dr.’s put there patients on a low-salt diet but in fact they need the opposite, but the type of salt is the most important aspect here.

Table salt is purified by removing the trace mineral [ where this crazy idea came from I don't know] and heating the salt to 1200 degrees F. Now what is left is 40% sodium and 60% chloride, then a anti-caking agent is added.

Salt is sodium chloride and is not assimilated well by the body it helps to raise blood pressure and clogs up the arteries causing heart disease.

Table salt is not a good option, nature provides salt with minerals and trace minerals attached [ it stand to reason that we need these as well as salt] the best way to get them is in an organic salt like sea salt and himalayan salt.

Adding a 1/8 tsp of organic salt to your water will help to get your minerals, you can also add to your food.

But you can also drink a large class of pure water and then put a pinch of sea salt on the tip of the tongue and allow it to dissolve.

Kelp or any sea vegetable is also a good source of minerals and can be added to you diet very easily by sprinkling on you salad.

Concentrated mineral drops are another great option, I use these, you can get them  in a health shop.  Follow the instructions on the bottle.

Green smoothies are a great way to keep you mineral reserve up, dark leafy green vegetables are very high in minerals, which are released when you blend them.

This is a delicious drink that will give you an abundance of energy.

Don’t just take my word for it check out what Dr. Batmanghelidj has to say about water. http://www.watercure.com/

I dare you to try this recipe.

Basic Green Smoothie (for one)

1 apple

1 kiwifruit

1 banana

200 ml of water

1 ½ cups of fresh well washed spinach (or any other dark leafy green vegetable)

2 pitted dates (optional)

Peel and chop kiwifruit and apple, place with the rest of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy.