Electrolytes Balance
Electrolytes Balance
Electrolytes
- Essential nutrients play a key role in various body functions which include the brain, nerves, muscles.
- Signs and symptoms of electrolyte imbalance: fluctuations in your heartbeat, anxiousness, difficulty in sleeping, confusion, mood swings, giddiness, sluggishness, digestibility issues, muscle spasms.
- In case of severe conditions like weakness of the muscles, chest pain, severe mood changes, irregular heartbeats, and convulsions.
Electrolytes namely are:
K (potassium) – maintains blood pressure in the body, regulation of heart contractions, and helps muscle functioning.
Na (sodium) – maintains the balance of fluids in the body, required for the contraction of muscles, and sending nerve signals.
Mg (magnesium) – required for contraction of the muscles, regulates proper heart rhythms as well as nervous functioning, helps in building bones and gives strength, lower anxiousness, and digestibility issues maintains protein and fluid balance.
Ca (calcium) – required for contraction of the muscles, sending nerve signals, blood clotting, division of cells, and formation of bone and teeth.
Cl (chloride) – helps maintain fluid balance, and regulates blood pH, required for making stomach acid
P (phosphate) – strengthening of bones and teeth, plays a role in energy production for growth and repair
Bi (bicarbonate) – regulation of proper heart function and regulation of pH balance
Causes of Electrolyte Imbalance:
- Loss of fluids post exercise or any intense physical activity
- Perspiration
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Malabsorption syndrome
- Poor eating habits
- Excessive use of antibiotics, diuretics, cancer drugs
- Imbalance of hormones
- Alcohol
- Liver cirrhosis
- Kidney disorder
- Diabetes
- Anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa
- Heart failure
- Burns
- Cancer
Diagnosis:
If you feel any of the above symptoms of electrolyte imbalance it is important to visit a doctor, and also get a blood test or urine test done for your electrolytes.
ECG if there are major fluctuations in the heart rate, due to low levels of sodium, potassium, magnesium
USG of the kidney
X-ray of the kidney
Treatment:
- Make sure the nutrients deficiencies are corrected with an adequate amount of hydration
- Supplementation is needed to meet or correct the nutrient requirement and maintain the levels
- Severe conditions may also need to be treated with IV fluids or IV medications
- Haemodialysis may cause electrolyte imbalance and kidney damage therefore it is important to make sure the levels are always in control.
Maintain Electrolyte Balance:
Adequate hydration:
- Filter water
- Drink and think of water as soon as you wake up
- Constantly keep having small sips of water
- Reduction in caffeine intake
- Flavored water
- Limit alcohol intake
Nourishing foods rich in vitamins and minerals:
- Sodium: bone broth or vegetable broth, tomato (juices, soups, homemade sauces), olives and natural salts
- Chlorides: tomato juices, sauces, and soups made at home, lettuce, celery stalk
- Potassium: kale, spinach, all dark green leafy vegetables, Brussel sprouts, beans, lentils, apricots, sweet lime, banana, artichokes, zucchini, prunes
- Magnesium: pumpkin seeds, spinach, halibut fish, avocado, almonds, bananas, cashew nuts, quinoa
- Calcium: spinach, kale, sardine fishes, yogurt, sesame seeds, almonds, chia seeds, lady finger, broccoli, navy beans, figs, salmon sweet potato
Sea salt:
- Improves fluid balance
- Supports energy production in the body
- Improves mental health conditions
- Memory booster
- Supplies major minerals and electrolytes
Stress: there are various factors that trigger an electrolyte imbalance because of stress
Keep a check on your medicines:
- Blood pressure medicines
- Diuretics
- Corticosteroids
- Antibiotic
- Hormonal medicines
- Chemotherapy drugs
Excessive perspiration:
- Dehydration can cause a lot of muscle cramps, pain, sluggishness, giddiness, disorientation
- Hydration is the key to avoiding hypovolemic shock and coma
- Include fluids rich in electrolytes like electoral or ORS solution
ORS solution recipe – can be made at home
- 1 lt water
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp fruit salt (ENO)
- 1 tsp potassium chloride
- ½ tsp Epsom salt (rich in magnesium sulfate)
Method: mix all the ingredients in 1 lt water and drink 2 – 3 in an hour to maintain electrolyte balance.
