If this week’s heat wave is any clue as to the summer weather to come, this season is going to be a scorcher! Staying hydrated will be a constant issue to keep after and prioritize. In the past, I have tried to learn about the natural sources of electrolytes or how to make homemade electrolyte drinks with no luck. I knew I wanted to avoid crazy sports drinks or mysterious powders with ingredients I don’t understand but never quite figured out what the best natural source was.
With that struggle in mind, I was delighted when local holistic herbal practitioner Rivka Schwartz of Health & Hearth shared some homemade electrolyte recipes this past winter during stomach bug season. I asked Rivka if I could share her recipes with the Mommy, UP! community in honor of all the summertime adventures to come and if she could help me understand when to prioritize these fluids.
Rivka, why & when should we drink electrolytes this summer? What should we all know about electrolytes?
“These are rehydration recipes for those really hot, sweaty days or after a workout. As you probably have noticed, sweat is salty. Drinking enough water is important but replacing the sodium and some of the minerals you’ve lost is also important for fluid retention. Having a rehydration drink can help fight the most common symptoms of dehydration such as fatigue, muscle cramps and foggy thinking.
I know there are videos out there pushing people to drink products with electrolytes and salt as an everyday beverage. In general, we get enough sodium and minerals in our food. It is at those really sweaty times or when we’re ill and losing fluids that rehydration drinks are important.
Luckily for us, we also get fluids from the food we eat. These are great days for enjoying watermelon and juicy fruits or even a quick cucumber snack.”
Thank you Rivka!
Basic Homemade Electrolyte Drinks
To start with the basics, this is the base electrolyte recipe. When some on our crew were sick with the stomach bug this winter and could only keep sips of water down, this was a huge help in lessening the toll the illness took on everyone’s body.
Simple Electrolyte Recipe
- 1 quart water
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
Summer Fun Homemade Electrolyte Drinks
In addition to the base recipe, Rivka provided citrus and strawberry lemonade recipes that really celebrate summertime flavors. Grab a bunch of lemons, oranges and strawberries during your next trip to the grocery store and you’ll be good to go!
If you don’t have raw honey around, I get mine at the Bedford Farmers Market from John at DJ’s Pure Natural Honey. The market is Tuesday afternoons all summer long!
Citrus Electrolyte Drink
Strawberry Lemonade Electrolyte Drink
Our Electrolyte Popsicle Experiment
For this heat wave, I doubled the strawberry recipe using just regular water and put half the mixture into our silicone popsicle mold to make strawberry electrolyte popsicles. They were delicious!
Usually I use smoothie recipes to make popsicles and this was so much more refreshing! I added a little water to them to stretch the drink mixture a little bit so I think adjusting the water/drink ratio to your liking will get you a 10/10 popsicle that everyone in the family will love!
Rivka Schwartz is a clinical herbalist that who works one-on-one with clients to create personalized plans that nurture wellness. She is based in the southern New Hampshire area and serves virtual clients all over. She is excited to let people know that she is accepting new clients starting the second week of July. For more information or to book a consult go to: https://www.healthandhearthnh.com
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