7 reasons why you may have an electrolyte imbalance

- The main cause of imbalances is lack of dietary intake – primarily potassium and magnesium
- Not all food is made equal – modern farming techniques can rob vegetables of precious electrolytes
- You can be deficient in an electrolyte by having too little relative to another, not just in absolute terms
- It’s easy to develop electrolyte imbalances through exercise, especially when drinking a lot of water
- Taking diuretics can potentially cause life-threatening deficiencies in sodium and/or potassium
A basic rule of thumb to get the right amount of each is to avoid foods that are highly processed and/or high in sugar (which promotes sodium retention – see our other blog post here for details), and to focus on eating whole foods, vegetables (particularly leafy greens like kale and spinach), nuts and seeds, and a good amount of protein.



- Focus on increasing your intake of potassium and magnesium, rather than sodium or calcium
- Make a habit of checking your food’s nutritional content where available
- If you must drink a lot of water, sip it rather than chug
- Only take diuretics under medical supervision
- Learn more about hydration in our
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