Happy Monday friends! Hope your previous week was a very productive one. Here are three practical and health-forward things that have been on my mind.
Hydration and Electrolytes
When we think of hydration, we immediately think of chugging water.
But hydration is a bit more than that – it's also about balance. Specifically electrolyte balance.
The main electrolytes are sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, calcium, phosphates and bicarbonates, and these play a very underrated role in helping maintain overall bodily fluid balance , supporting muscle contractions and the nervous system, keeping you hydrated and more.
Have you ever felt dehydrated, drank a ton of water – but not actually felt much better? It might be an electrolyte issue, as opposed to simply a water issue - and you could look for an electrolyte blend to support your daily activities.
I know that they are super popular now – but they do carry benefit in my view, particularly if you train a lot, are in hot climates, and sweat a lot.
Tip: get one that doesn't have a huge amount of sodium, as you probably get enough of that through food (Humantra is my personal go-to).
The 'plant-based' trap
This is something I've touched on a few times in social media content and previous newsletters: the term 'plant-based' isn't always what it seems, and in fact has been hijacked by many companies.
If you go into any supermarket/grocery store, there will be a 'vegan' or 'plant-based' section.
That's automatically a great thing for health and wellbeing...right?
Not always.
If you comb through many of these products, it's actually in many ways the second coming of the junk food market.
A laundry list of questionable ingredients (yes they help to improve appearance, texture and shelf life of these products but have their downsides).
Do these processed foods have a place – such as at an occasional social event where dietary choices are out of your control?
Sure – having them infrequently isn't the end of the world for your health.
But should you strive to limit their presence in your own home? I believe so.
The best tip I can offer to you to win the battle in the store is to shop on the supermarket perimeters. That's where you'll find an array of fruits and vegetables, and lean meats (if you consume those).
And if you're going to venture into the middle, seek out whole grains and legumes (canned or dried), tofu and tempeh, plus herbs and spices.
Keep your grocery shop as simple as you can – despite all of the attractive, greenwashing-style marketing terminology thrown at you.
I'll leave you with this: all of the healthiest plant foods in the store don't have the plant-based label on them. Lesson in there.
Seasonal summer fruit picks
For all those who are smart enough to not fear fruit because 'it contains sugar': here's a list of summer fruits that are coming into season that will give you a ton of antioxidants, fibre, other beneficial compounds and serve to hydrate you too.
- Berries: loaded with antioxidants such as anthocyanins, as well as Vitamin C and fibre (raspberries have 9 grams of fibre per cup!!!)
- Cherries: also got tons of anthocyanins, Vitamin C and potassium, as well as being a natural source of melatonin to help improve sleep (tart cherry juice very popular for this
- Peaches: an undeniably elite summer fruit. Very hydrating due to its high water content, good amounts of fibre, as well as some Vitamin C for skin and immune health
- Watermelon: arguably the Queen of hydrating fruits (90% water content), lots of lycopene (an antioxidants linked to heart health and reduced prostate cancer risk in men) as well as l-citrulline, an amino acid that can reduce muscle soreness
Load up on these in the summer – juices, yoghurt/oatmeal bowls or just by themselves.
Have a great week friends and stay healthy,
Jeff