As the seasons change, one thing that stays constant in my wellness routine is my commitment to staying properly hydrated. It’s something we often overlook during the winter months, but hydration is a key piece of the puzzle when it comes to optimizing our health.
When we talk about being "hydrated," we're referring to a state called euhydration—which is simply having the right amount of fluid in your body. But it’s not just about drinking water; it's about balance. Your body needs the right mix of electrolytes—like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and others—to keep everything running smoothly. These little powerhouses play a big role in keeping your body functioning properly, including:
- Regulating nerve transmission
- Mediating fluid balance
- Promoting proper heart function (heartbeat)
- Facilitating cellular signaling
- Controlling muscle contraction
- Influencing immunity
- Maintaining hormonal health
Now, here’s the thing: Water alone doesn’t contain the necessary minerals—like sodium, potassium, and magnesium—that your body needs for proper hydration and function. When you're on a whole foods or low-carb diet, the sodium and potassium levels from processed foods are significantly reduced. This can make it more challenging to maintain an optimal electrolyte balance, especially if you're also consuming less salt or avoiding processed foods. So, it's important to consciously include foods that are rich in these essential minerals. Some great whole food sources of sodium, potassium, and magnesium include:
- Sodium: Sea salt, Himalayan salt, and certain vegetables like celery and beets.
- Potassium: Avocados, sweet potatoes, spinach, bananas, and tomatoes.
- Magnesium: Leafy greens like spinach, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and dark chocolate.
Other factors, such as intense physical activity and weather conditions, can also increase your need for electrolytes. In such cases, you may need to supplement your diet with electrolyte-rich drinks or powders.
Why Hydration Matters in Winter
During the winter, your body's hydration needs don’t decrease. In fact, dehydration can still occur, even if you don’t feel thirsty. This is because the cold air can cause you to sweat (even without noticing), and indoor heating systems can lead to dry skin and respiratory moisture loss. In these conditions, maintaining proper hydration with the right balance of electrolytes (like sodium, potassium, and magnesium) becomes especially important for several reasons:
1. Increased Sodium Excretion:
Cold weather can cause your body to excrete more sodium through urine, as your body works to maintain its internal temperature. You might not be sweating as much in the winter, but your body still needs to regulate fluid balance, and that means paying attention to sodium levels. Without enough sodium, you could experience dehydration and the negative side effects of an electrolyte imbalance, such as muscle cramps and fatigue.
2. Helps Maintain Fluid Balance:
Electrolytes are crucial for regulating the balance of fluids in and out of your cells. When you're dehydrated, the electrolyte concentration in your body can become unbalanced, potentially leading to symptoms like dizziness, muscle cramps, and fatigue. In winter, dry indoor air and cold temperatures can still cause fluid loss, especially through your breath and skin. Consuming water with electrolytes helps ensure that your body retains adequate fluid levels and maintains proper hydration. Studies show that drinking water with added electrolytes can improve fluid absorption and retention compared to plain water alone, particularly in dry conditions.
3. Supports Muscle Function and Prevents Cramps:
Electrolytes play a crucial role in muscle contraction and relaxation. Dehydration combined with low electrolyte levels can result in muscle cramps, spasms, and weakness. Although this is often associated with hot weather, the body still loses electrolytes through perspiration and urine in the winter. Additionally, winter activities such as skiing, snowboarding, or even long walks can put strain on muscles. Maintaining proper hydration with electrolytes helps reduce the risk of muscle cramps and promotes muscle function, especially during physical activity in colder months
4. Boosts Immune Function:
Electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium are involved in maintaining cellular function and supporting the immune system. Proper hydration with electrolytes ensures that immune cells can communicate effectively, defend against pathogens, and promote recovery. As winter is peak cold and flu season, staying hydrated with electrolytes can help support immune defense and minimize the impact of illness. Research indicates that electrolytes, especially magnesium, can improve immune cell function and help your body better respond to infections.
5. Helps Prevent Hypothermia and Cold Stress:
When you're exposed to cold weather, your body works harder to maintain its core temperature, and hydration plays a key role in regulating this process. Electrolytes help maintain the balance of sodium and fluid in your bloodstream, which is essential for healthy circulation and the prevention of hypothermia. Dehydration can increase your vulnerability to cold stress and make it harder for your body to retain heat. Proper hydration with electrolytes helps maintain blood volume and circulation, which are vital for keeping warm during chilly conditions.
6. Improves Cognitive Function and Mental Clarity:
Just like in warmer months, dehydration with electrolyte imbalance can lead to brain fog, poor concentration, and irritability. These cognitive effects are just as significant in winter, particularly when the lack of daylight and cold weather may already impact your mood and mental sharpness. In fact, research shows that mild dehydration can impair cognitive performance, and that maintaining proper hydration with electrolytes improves focus and mental clarity. In winter, when seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can affect mood, ensuring you're properly hydrated with electrolytes can help maintain emotional and mental balance.
How I Maintain Electrolyte Balance Through the Changing Seasons
For me, winter hydration is all about being mindful of the factors that contribute to dehydration—like dry indoor air, cold weather, and the fact that we often don't feel thirsty when it's cooler outside. To stay on top of my hydration, I make sure to incorporate both hydrating foods and beverages, such as bone broth, hearty stews, soups, and herbal teas.
On top of that, I prioritize drinking water with added electrolytes to help maintain a healthy balance of essential minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium—key nutrients that support fluid retention, muscle function, and overall cognitive performance. My go-to for this is LMNT's electrolyte mix—a perfect blend of 1000 mg of sodium, 200 mg of potassium, and 60 mg of magnesium, with no gluten, fillers, or added sugar.
And when the colder months roll around, I make the switch to LMNT’s Chocolate Medley, which has become one of my favorite ways to support my electrolytes in winter. It’s the perfect mix of indulgence and nourishment, especially as the holiday season approaches.
With three delicious flavors—Chocolate Chai (new!), Mint Chocolate (back by popular demand), and Chocolate Raspberry—LMNT satisfies your sweet tooth while boosting energy, focus, and clarity. What I love most about LMNT’s Chocolate Medley is that it’s the perfect winter pick-me-up—delivering that sweet chocolate flavor without the sugar overload.
You can enjoy it hot on its own, mixed it into my favorite holiday treats, or add them to Fab 4 smoothies for a delicious, nutrient-packed boost. Here are a few of my go-to recipes for the winter time:
Peppermint Mocha - Hold the Sugar:
This sugar-free Peppermint Mocha is the ultimate winter treat—creamy, energizing, and free from the sugar crash. It’s a delicious, nourishing twist on the classic peppermint mocha, packed with electrolytes and Be Well Protein Powder to keep you hydrated and satisfied, without any added sugar.
- 10-12 oz of coffee
- 1/2-1 LMNT Mint Chocolate
- 1/2 scoop Be Well By Kelly Chocolate Grass-fed protein powder
- 4 oz hot water or nut milk of choice
Extra Salty Chai Fab 4 Smoothie:
This delicious and nourishing smoothie blends the comforting flavors of chai with a boost of chocolately electrolytes. It helps boost hydration, support digestion and satisfy cravings for something both sweet and salty.
- 1 scoop Be Well By Kelly Chai Grass-fed protein powder
- 1/4-1 LMNT Chocolate Chai Packet
- 1-2 tbsp MCT oil
- 1 serving psyllium husk
- 1/4 banana
- 1/2 cup frozen cauliflower rice
- 1-1.5 cups of unsweetened nut milk or water
Chocolate Raspberry Fab 4 Smoothie:
When chocolate cravings hit, I reach for a nourishing Fab 4 Smoothie to help balance my hunger hormones. This smoothie is the ideal mix of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and electrolytes, giving you sustained energy, curbing sugar cravings, and stabilizing blood sugar—all while keeping you full and satisfied throughout the day.
- 1 serving Be Well Chocolate Grass-fed Protein powder
- 1/4-1 LMNT Chocolate Raspberry packet
- 1 tbsp coconut butter (or sub almond butter)
- 2 tbsp chia seeds from NOW Foods
- 1/2 cup frozen cauliflower rice (or greens of choice)
- 1/4 cups frozen raspberries
- 1-1.5 cups unsweetened nut milk or water
- 1 tsp cacao nibs, for topping
Tip: For a less salty taste, use 1/4-1/2 LMNT packet.
Grab it while you can, the LMNT Chocolate Medley is only available while supplies last. As always, LMNT offers no-questions-asked refunds on all orders so you can try it out and cozy up to the perfect salty and sweet treat. And for a limited time, you can receive a FREE sample pack of all their other flavors with your purchase when shop LMNT through my link.
