Hey guys! Carrie Giordano here to talk to about some of the basics behind SlayRx and why it’s important. I am a professional in the health and fitness industry as a coach, personal trainer, bike fitter and fitness instructor – so I make it my priority to keep my athletes and clients informed on why certain hydration and nutrition practices are important. They effect recovery, performance, mood, energy level and sleep. Hydration is actually the most important over caloric intake, since the body can get calories to burn from many different sources but it can’t get fluids from anywhere unless you put them in. When we think hydration, most folks think just drink more water, right? And doing that is great! But the body need electrolytes in order to adequately absorb the water you drink. So, what are electrolytes?
We know we need em, but what are they actually? What do they do? Why are they important and how much do we need when we workout?
Without reading further, here’s your quick science lesson courtesy of PBS:
Basics
Electrolytes are minerals, mostly salts (not just pure sodium), that are used to help regulate and carry water throughout the body. These minerals include, but are not limited to, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium and Sodium. While these four are not ALL the electrolytes in your body, they are the main minerals you should concern yourself with. They work together and require maintaining a balance in an effort to achieve optimal performance. You may have heard of the potassium-sodium balance, that is delicate and necessary in the body. According to Harvard’s health website, “potassium and sodium play a critical role in blood pressure and may even contribute to your bone health.” These two things are vital in endurance and intense fitness sports.
When you add load, whether it’s weights or distance/time, the skeletal muscular system breaks down. That’s the point to exercise. What makes you stronger is the repair of those muscles and bone fibers. When you hydrate properly, you’re already set up for success in your rebuilding process after a solid workout. When you add electrolytes into the mix instead of plain water, you’re getting the vital nutrients that you lose through sweat back into your bloodstream to adequately keep your muscles hydrated. Electrolytes, as illustrated by the video, allow water to penetrate the cellular walls, providing balance inside and outside of the cells themselves. Low on electrolytes? Your cells shrivel and die like grapes in the sun. Too much, and the cell walls can become too full, or lead to edema.
Avoid the Slosh
Ever seen anyone on a race course or at an event and their stomach is distended? They are perhaps very fit athletes with six pack abs or lean profiles but during/after an event, they are rotund in the abdomen. Ever had that sloshy gut feeling? Guess what? That’s a lack of electrolytes! You can intake plain water on a course or in training, but if there is no electrolyte replenishment, the body doesn’t have the ability to absorb the water coming in. Some folks take plain salt on the course and this is fine and good. It can work fine for helping absorb fluid. However, this again plays into the precious potassium-sodium imbalance. It can also cause serious water retention or edema making your ankles, hands, feet and other joints swell. Having fluid in the joints is a good thing. Having too much fluid in the joints can lead to tendonitis, rolling of joints and hyper movement, or just plain old pain & discomfort. This can cause form failure and lead to injury. Be careful with isolated salt intake!
Conclusions
Having a well rounded diet and staying hydrated throughout the day is your ultimate weapon against electrolyte deficiency, but if you plan on working under intense load for 30 minutes to an hour, OR if you plan on an endurance workout/event that will last more than an hour, electrolyte replenishment is vital. SlayRx comes in 3 different electrolyte strengths to fit your specific needs. The best way to decide which one is right for you, is to have a sweat analysis test done. Well what is that? THAT is a topic for another blog 🙂
