HAbits for replenishing minerals
Remember, healing takes time & consistency. Make it easier by building small habits into your life.
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s easy to overlook the importance of replenishing essential minerals in our bodies. Yet, these minerals play a crucial role in maintaining our health and well-being. So, how can we incorporate habits into our daily routines to ensure we’re getting the minerals our bodies need? Let’s dive into some simple yet effective strategies to maintain mineral health.
Consume Mineral-Rich Food & Drinks
One of the easiest ways to replenish minerals is through our diet. By incorporating mineral-rich foods and drinks into our meals, we can support our bodies in staying healthy and balanced. Minerals can be found in a variety of foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. You can make one of my favorite DIY mineral-rich drinks in a few easy steps. You will need:
Base: Choose from water, tea, seltzer, or coconut water.
Sweetener: Opt for natural sweeteners like monk fruit, stevia, or a splash of fruit juice.
Sodium: Redmond’s sea salt is a fantastic choice for replenishing sodium levels. Start with 1/4 tsp for approximately one week, then gradually increase to one teaspoon throughout the course of the day (including on your veggies, eggs, meat, etc).
Potassium: Coconut water or potassium powder are excellent sources of this essential mineral. Begin by adding about 300 mg per day to your drinks. Then increase to 300 mg twice daily. Look for citrate, chloride, and bicarbonate salts - all of which can be easily found on Amazon and are linked below. Cream of tartar is also a great option. Be sure to read labels correctly, here are a few brands I recommend for drinks, all powdered:
Bulk Supplements Potassium Chloride: 270 mg potassium in ⅛ tsp*
NOW Potassium Chloride: 365 mg potassium in ⅛ tsp
Magnesium: Liquid or powder forms of magnesium are available on Fullscript and can be easily added to your drinks. I recommend using either glycinate or citrate (especially if constipated). Start with 100 - 200 mg magnesium per day, being mindful not to exceed this dosage to avoid low calcium levels.
Vitamin C: Incorporate fruit juice for a boost of vitamin C, which supports overall health and well-being.
Understanding Potassium’s Role
Potassium is a vital electrolyte that does not receive enough attention. It helps us maintain acid-base balance and calcium levels. Potassium has the ability to decrease calcium secretion, which is essential for supporting muscle and nerve function. Athletes, in particular, benefit from adequate potassium intake as it aids in muscle contraction and nerve excitability. Deficiency in potassium can lead to various health issues, including muscle weakness, confusion, fatigue, chronic diarrhea, hypertension, strokes, kidney stones, and osteoporosis. People with Rheumatoid Arthritis have been found to have lower levels of blood potassium. Potassium has an anti-inflammatory effect which may help decrease joint pain and other inflammatory symptoms.
A high alcohol intake and chronic stress can further induce potassium deficiency. Increased physical or emotional stress and increased insulin levels can decrease our serum potassium (something pregnant women especially need to look out for!). High blood potassium levels, also known as hyperkalemia, can be induced by drugs or severe diarrhea but not by a high intake of potassium from food. Incorporating potassium-rich foods such as acorn squash, avocado, and banana into your diet is a great way to meet potassium recommendations and avoid deficiency symptoms.
Potassium can be taken in doses of 200-400 mg, 1-3 times daily. For lowering blood pressure in those with hypertension, higher amounts may be taken. If you experience GI side effects, cut down your dosage and take with meals.
Is Salt Bad for Me?
Salt is one of those topics that can be quite confusing in the nutrition world. Low-sodium diets have been recommended for years to decrease heart disease risk or treat heart problems. While some people are more genetically “salt sensitive”, sodium is an essential mineral that we need in our diet. Especially in many of the clients I work with who are stressed and need more minerals, taking out salt could actually causes more harm than good. Sodium deficiency when severe can cause headaches, fatigue, weakness and muscle cramping. If you are quite believing me, check out the results of the “Intersalt Study”, which compared 52 groups of people in 32 countries and concluded salt intake does not cause high blood pressure. Rather than focus energy on our sodium intake I encourage my clients to: assess where else they are metabolically stressed (we then tackle this through targeted supplements and lifestyle changes) and eat a whole foods, minimally processed diet, which includes liberal amounts of sea salt to flavor foods, many of which will hopefully contain potassium. Also note, if sweating a lot salt needs will increase.
Balancing Calcium & Magnesium Levels
It’s important to be mindful of magnesium deficiency’s impact on calcium levels in the body. For example, stress reduces magnesium and can lead to calcium being released from bones. To prevent imbalances, ensure you’re consuming enough calcium-rich foods. Some of the best sources are full-fat cheese, milk, and yogurt - ideally from an organic supplier. Goat cheese is another great option that I recommend to a lot of my clients! Kefir is a good calcium source, especially if you’re interested in added probiotics. If you feel a supplement is necessary, work with a Registered Dietitian to determine if it’s right for you. Also keep in mind that other complimentary minerals from fruits and vegetables are essential for keeping calcium levels optimal as well. As Amy Lanou, Ph.D. and medical writer Michael Castleman authors of Building Bone Vitality: A Revolutionary Diet Plan to Prevent Bone Loss and Reverse Osteoporosis write:
“Eating fruits and vegetables improved bone density in a whopping 85 percent of studies.”
“Think of calcium as the bricks in a wall of bones. Bricks are essential for sure, but without enough mortar - which comes in the form of 16 other nutrients - the wall can’t hold itself up.”
“Bones are dynamic organs that thrive in a mineral-rich environment. A refined food diet is associated with weak bones and poor teeth.”
So yes, calcium matters, but more than likely eating more produce and exercise is going to benefit you more than blindly supplementing calcium for bone health.
By integrating these simple habits and choices into your daily routine, you can better support your body’s mineral needs. Remember that wellness is a journey, so start small and gradually build upon these habits for long-term wellness. Here’s to a healthier you!
*BulkSupplements Potassium: 1/10th of a tsp provides 270 mg of potassium. They over-estimated on the label according to ConsumerLab.com.
Cowritten by Kelli Hanson, RD and Paisley Kintigh, ACSM-EP
