Does anyone take electrolytes? I’m not brilliant at drinking enough water and don’t use salt much and considering a supplement
Electrolytes : Does anyone take... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Electrolytes
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LaceyLady
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Over the last few months I've started drinking natural coconut water and believe I feel so much better for doing that.
Natural coconut water contains five key electrolytes: sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Coconut water is packed with potassium, more than found in one banana or 15 sport drinks.
You still need to drink water though and cannot replace that with coconut water.
Jean
Is it high in calories? Can’t eat bananas 🤢
Hmm just looked on the box, but as I've never counted calories, don't know what to look for - it's not clear. I buy the Innocent one which contains no added sugar. You should be able to look at it online.
That’s great thank you! I know the innocent brand and shall get some to try. I have lapses of energy during the day not sure whether it’s due to paf or not great sleep.
Hello
I would like to try coconut water and wonder which one you would recommend? thanks
The make is Innocent, I think most places sell it. It's very mild tasting and to me looks like dirty water, I think it's given me more energy.
Have to put it on the list
wouldn’t recommend - last thing u want is excess magnesium potassium sodium in ur blood, u keep drinking electros or gatorade all day and ur electrolyte balance will become imbalance in ur blood and that’s when things will get nasty and start to unchain bad diarrhea and arrhythmias, so cut down on that if i were u! try water with a touch of natural lemon juice
I drink pure coconut water, one glass a day. I would never buy man made energy drinks. I had a friend who drank lemon in water and it ruined her teeth. Jean
Right again Jean about lemon ruining teeth shame as I have several lemon trees in my garden and 1 glass of coconut water is all I drink never touch sports drinks or even carbonated water
Excess in your blood is not good, worst is excess in your cells especially as potassium and sodium in heart cells help produce the electric signals to contract and relax the heart. The problem is very few know what our cell count actually is. Take magnesium which orchestrates our electrolytes, this can show as normal range in ones blood yet could be deficient in ones cells.
Generally many are low in magnesium as it is depleted in many food particularly processed food. Arrhythmia patients in hospital are regularly given a potassium drip as low potassium is regularly a cause of the the arrhythmia. People generally get enough sodium (if not too much) in their diet.
More often than not electrolyte supplement can help, for a few they can make things worst, others will not see a difference - all depends on so many factors. Coconut water does contain the electrolytes etc that will benefit many (but not all).
Magnesium is a particular favourite of many, but if you take it with a PPI it won't get absorbed, if you take magnesium oxide very little will get absorbed and will make you go to the loo. Other magnesium types are likely to be of benefit to many if they are compatible to getting absorbed to the individuals particular body (horses for sources).
"Arrhythmia patients in hospital are regularly given a potassium drip as low potassium is regularly a cause of the the arrhythmia. "
Only if their blood tests show lack of potassium.
Potassium is present in all body fluids, but most potassium is within your cells. Only a very small amount of potassium is contained within the plasma of the blood. Generally potassium within plasma is tightly controlled, however, many things can cause concentrations of potassium to become too high or too low. An abnormal concentration can alter the function of the nerves and muscles.of the heart.
Blood potassium levels are an indicator only, the levels on your cells are what matters for your heart. I know when I was in hospital 20 months ago my blood tests were fine but they still gave me a potassium drip. Perhaps all doctors react slightly differently.
I would rather take more water + salt (recommended 6g/ day) than take a supplement. I also use coconut water.
Hydration & electrolytes are so important for us AFers.
I had several bottles of Gatorade and use one if I have to, drank 2 yesterday also with water
Gatorade is very high in sugars. That would be enough to put you into AF on its own. I'd be careful about drinking too much water. That can dilute your electrolytes too much. A normal Med style diet should provide more than enough electrolytes.
My understanding is that if you eat a varied diet that includes green and coloured vegetables, fruits and nuts (including a few brazils and plenty of dates) and get out into the sunshine, then you'll be taking in all the minerals and vitamins your body needs for good health. Taking additional magnesium won't hurt and some find it helps, but taking extra potassium isn't a good idea without your doctor's approval.
Steve
The only way is organic I’m afraid, everyday fruit & veg is depleted. They pick everything before it’s ripe and soils are full of chemicals instead of organic matter 🤷🏼♀️
We do buy a lot of organic produce mostly because I hope the land is better for wildlife on such farms. I’ve never seen any evidence that it is nutritionally superior, though - even though it seems that it certainly ought to be.
On a separate note, the Internet has become such a repository of spurious nutritional claims, it’s near useless as a resource. I saw that profiteering is estimated to be behind 90% of what is published there.
Steve
I’ve been a Complementary Therapist for 22 years and listen to my nutritionist colleagues, but also food has lost its taste, and it’s not me😊 We’ve notice organic has flavour. My osteopath of many years used to be a biochemist with Thames water, he once said you can plot the rise in a serious bowel condition with the increased use of pesticides on grain. They apparently spray the grain just before harvest as it makes it weigh more, he told me that!
We're lucky to have access occasionally to truly original, organic produce that is treated or fed fully naturally. I wouldn't say it all tastes different from other "normal" food except in the case of chicken and pork, which are very different being rather tougher but much more tasty.
You friend might have known one farmer maybe, but certainly none that I know around here spray before harvesting. One thing I have been told by a farmer is to buy organic root crops and especially carrots owing to the need to use lots of insecticide.
Steve
Hi
I take 500ml of coconut water a day normally late morning. I feel it’s helped me in terms of the ectopics I suffered from. Used to get loads every day but the coconut water and my increased intake of magnesium seems to have helped. As a side note I love the taste of the coconut water and I get a pack of 6 1 litre cartons from Amazon. The brand I get is UFC from Thailand.
I also use UFC brand it tastes so good especially cool in Summer
Drink a pint of water on rising. Pop it into the microwave for one minute to take the chill of it, and down the hatch it goes. You need about 4.5 pints a day.
Great idea, but how many times a day would I have to visit the toilet in order to pass urine?
The more your body is used to the increase water consumption, it begins to use it rather than expelling it.
I believe that too little salt intake contributed to my arrhythmia.
I now add a little more salt to my food and eat sunflower seeds (some salted mixed in).
I also take 200mg Magnesium Taurate daily.
All is well.
I’m thinking lack of salt also 👍🏻
Try to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, your condition permitting, of course.
I live in hot Greece and salt depletion can happen very quickly (39C yesterday).
I can attest that my life changed two months ago after following the above suggestions and the Magnesium supplement.
Good luck !!!
Saul
Yep. Dehydration triggers my Afib. I use half a High Five zero capsules in 1 pint plus a pint of water with dash of lemon and salt, plus at least two more pints of water per day. Plus severall huge mugs of weak tea.
High 5 Zero (no caffeine) are my go to electrolyte tab too. Generally one tab after exercise or on particularly hot days
Hi jajarunner, how many times a day do you have to visit toilet to mt bladder ?
Surely we should only drink water when we feel the need to. I can't think that making yourself drink lots of water is a good thing. Yes, we should drink some but not to excess.
With my complementary therapy hat on, no because in this county many do not feel the need to drink often enough. We eat when in fact we need water. We need to retrain the Hypothalamus to trigger the need for water not so much food. If you ignore the signals, the body will stop recognising them. I know when I’m in a hot country, I need to drink more, at home not so much.
Dehydration is often confused with hunger. Also it leads to tiredness and lethargy. A study in a carehome where they made sure elderly patients drank enough cut falls by a remarkable amount.
2 litres sounds a lot but it only a wine glass (old size small one 125g) every hour!
But no point in forcing tons of water down as that can cause it's own problems mainly dilution of electrolytes, which has lead to death in marathon runners!
Everything in moderation!
Ha ha! Quite a lot.. but it beats afib. I try not to drink too close to bedtime though!!!
Being a man I can check the colour of my urine quite easily . pale straw is just about right One pint usually takes about 2 hours to pass through - then I go for a 5 mile circular walk with a cafe in the middle. to replenish my liquid, usually black coffee, which is diuretic, so I get back in time to carry out another inspection.
Been following this with interest. Totally agree that most of us drink insufficient water. I drink water on and off throughout the day always at least 20 mins before or after a meal. I aim for about 1.5 litres. I try not to drink water after 8 in the evening for obvious reasons. Salt - lots of you are mentioning salt and that really surprises me because I'm guessing a lot of us have hypertension. I deliberately cut down on salt for that reason. Then results of my last two blood tests came up with low sodium... You're suggesting this leads to tiredness and might trigger AF. Thoughts from anyone who picks thus up?
I drink coconut water too.
I have a stoma and have been told to stop drinking so much water! I have no large intestine and very little small intestine so I need electrolytes I was drinking lucozade sport but I have just realised it contains lots of sugar!! Do you think coconut water would be any good for me?
Maybe, the amount people drink seems to be from 200-250 mls. My husband got me a bottle of organic coconut water last evening, quite palatable, bit the one he chose was £4 a bottle!! I have just ordered a pack of 6 x 1 ltr bottles from Amazon, ‘Vita Coco’ £18.15, I ordered this brand over the other mentioned here because it seems to be higher in potassium. My Consultant read my ECG readings from my Kardia and said I was most likely to be potassium deficient.
Have you a Colorectal nurse? I am a Complementary Therapist of 22 years and attended a course to add to my Reflexology knowledge about the bowel, we had the daughter of the presenter who was a Colorectal Nurse. I’m thinking you need professional help and and this could be your source. Ring your doctor for advice on this, you should be given help to have the best diet possible. 💗
Ps Lucozade 😳 My son used to drink it years ago till, he spilt a whole bottle on my pale green carpet and I had a massive orange stain! Wouldn’t allow it in the house.
I drink water with Propel packets twice a day. Great electrolytes no sugar. Dehydration definitely triggers arythmias.
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