Hydration 101: How to Hydrate
@ Pregnant mums, a lesser known tip for keeping nausea / morning sickness at bay: stay hydrated.
How does one truly hydrate?
Via the addition of critical Electrolytes: Sodium. Potassium. Magnesium.
Unfortunately, chugging plain water alone will flush out necessary electrolytes/minerals and leave you more dehydrated.
It makes sense if you think about it. You may have noticed that your tears, sweat, and bodily fluids (if you’ve ever tasted a drop as it trickled into your mouth) are SALTY.
You are made of 60% WATER and a THIRD of that is SALT WATER […] Stop drinking PLAIN water to “hydrate”
SODIUM
While many have grown fearful of salt, sodium is absolutely necessary
to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and maintain the proper balance of water and minerals.
Sufficient sodium intake is
REQUIRED to prevent excess magnesium excretion.
- Lily Nichols RDN, CDE and Author of Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes
This is critical to note as Magnesium is a mineral required for over 3700 bodily functions like sleep, bowel movements, muscle health (i.e. spasms, restless leg syndrome, & Charlie horse no more!), heart health, brain health, nervous system health, and MORE.
POTASSIUM
100% of the population is not meeting the minimum requirement of potassium.
Why is this shocking stat a reality? Largely it’s due to the fact that most diets are largely made up of processed foods, which are lacking in potassium.
Crucial for healthy hydration, bone health, and heart health (higher potassium intake reduced the risk of high blood pressure and kidney stones - PMID: 30369637), Potassium is critical for maintaining distribution of water in your body.
Potassium works with sodium to regulate your blood volume, a chief determinant of blood pressure. If you’re deficient in either mineral, blood pressure goes up. - Robb Wolf
Foods high in Potassium include dried apricots, avocado, banana, cantaloupe, spinach, asparagus, tomato, potato lentil, salmon, chicken breast, beef (in that order). Like Magnesium, Potassium is one of those electrolytes that are hard to get enough of via foods - supplementation is often recommended.
MAGNESIUM
93% of the population is not meeting the minimum requirement of magnesium.
While Magnesium is something you can get via foods like pumpkin seeds, avocado, cod, dark chocolate, salmon, Brazil nuts, almonds, tahini, and leafy greens, U.S. soil has been depleted so the amount of magnesium you’ll be able to get from food is insufficient compared to the quantity we needs. Especially if you’re an athlete, pregnant, or postpartum.
This is one of the minerals I often suggest supplementing as the vast majority of us fall short on consuming enough magnesium from diet alone; a deficiency can increase many health risks as well as keep us from feeling and performing our best.
Fun Fact: it helps prevent migraines and it’s important for activating vitamin D in the blood!
- Max Lugavere
What Type of Magnesium do I Need?
*Gylcinate (found in Mitigate Stress) : Sleep / relaxation, mood, general muscle health, bone health, and healthy mineral absorption, transport, and balance
*Citrate: sleep / mood / digestion / bowel movement
Taurine: blood sugar
Threonate: brain
Rotate: heart
Malate (found in LMNT) : healthy muscle relaxation, muscle relaxation, energy production, metabolic functions, strength
*Chloride: overall deficiency
*Oxide: digestion / bowel movement
*Sulfate: upset stomach
Lactate: stress
IF SUPPLEMENTING WITH MAGNESIUM
NOTE
this post is focused on Electrolytes but it’s worth noting that certain Magnesium supplements are poorly absorbed and taking only 1 or 2 forms can still result in a deficiency. I highly recommend the bran BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough if you are on the market for a full spectrum of magnesium. It’s meant to reach every tissue in the body to provide health benefits and address the vast majority of our issues that result from being in a magnesium depleted state.
TIMING
When taken in the A.M. it is said to support brain function and stress responses throughout your day. When taken in the P.M. it’s purpose is to promote relaxation and quality sleep.
EMPTY STOMACH OR NOT?
it depends on your individual digestive system. You are unique - some experience upset stomach when it’s not taken with food, but if you are able to take it on an empty stomach that’s recommended as that’s when your body will be able to absorb it more.
*Inorganic magnesium salts: (oxide, chloride, sulfate) these need stomach acid for the body to absorb these forms of mg. Hence they need to be taken on an empty stomach.
*Organic magnesium salts: (citrate, glycinate, chelate, etc) are absorbed more than inorganic mg even if taken with food
FREQUENCY
magnesium is one of those minerals that aren’t stored well by the human body. Generally it leaves the body’s system within 24hrs of consumption so daily consumption is recommended.
ADDITIONAL POST COMING SOON — about Magnesium, the “miracle mineral”
Benefits of Adding Electrolytes
Increases energy, clarity, focus, and strength
Makes transitioning off of processed foods way easier
Helps you actually stay/become hydrated
My Favorite Source of Electrolytes
LMNT Electrolyte packets.
These are electrolytes measured out into optimal ratios for the human body (without all the added weird fillers and sugars found in a lot of other electrolyte mixes). I always carry around a couple packets with me because when the afternoon slump hits, this is my very effective pick-me-up. Personally, I feel clarity, energy, and hydration almost immediately after downing 16oz of water + 1 packet.
Use my link to make your first purchase and the LMNT team will send you each of their flavors for free! (Limited Time Offer)
What’s great is that the LMNT Team is so confident that they’re willing to offer you a refund, no questions asked if you aren’t satisfied with it. I love the watermelon salt and the grapefruit… sometimes with a squeeze of lime & ice.
Cheers to happy (& legit) hydration!
Mouthwatering Coconut Sticky Rice Recipe
This is the sticky rice recipe you’ll want to try
First off I want to say this sticky rice recipe was absolutely inspired by Chrissy Teigan. She has a fabulous coconut sticky rice recipe in her cookbook that I tweaked to ensure that my toddler and I wouldn’t experience any mood swing inducing blood sugar roller coasters whenever we indulged in this delicious sticky rice treat!
Coconut Sticky Rice Ingredients
1 can 100% coconut milk (full fat or coconut cream works!) be sure to read the label and make sure it doesn’t have any gums, preservatives, or fillers (all of which cause digestive upset)
1 3/4 C filtered water (just refill the coconut milk can to fulfill this measurement)
1 scoop BeWellByKelly Vanilla Grass-Fed Protein (Code MUMWITHABUN for $10 off)
OR substitute with 1/4 C lakanto powdered monkfruit (powdered version)
1 tsp sea salt
How to Cook Coconut Sticky Rice
Combine the *soaked, soured, and well-rinsed rice with the can of coconut milk, 1 3/4 C water, vanilla protein OR lakanto monkfruit powder, and salt in a saucepan with a lid.
Bring to a boil over high heat and stir occasionally.
Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and leave it as it barely simmers until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed. This takes about 20 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and fluff it up with a fork.
Re-cover the saucepan, and let it *cool.
*Read here to see the amazing benefits and the WHY behind my recommendation to always “soak & sour” your rice before cooking and why I urge you to then “cool” your cooked rice for yourself or any body!
Optional Topping: Raw Honey Drizzle
WHERE TO PURCHASE INGREDIENTS
I find the best price for
one of the best quality rice brands (Lundberg) I’ve seen in the market
Pure coconut milk (without all the added fillers)
Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetner (all types),
And even quality salt (i.e. Maldon)
ALL ingredients online at Thrive Market — this link gives you 40% off of your first order!
How to Make Rice Truly Healthy: Soak, Sour, and Cool for Better Digestion
Transform your everyday rice into a health powerhouse: simple “soak & sour” activates enzymes that unlock vital nutrients, while “cool & cook” turns rice into resistant starch that supports gut health, stabilizes blood sugar, and improves mineral absorption.
How to Make Rice Really Good for You
Rice can be much more than just a simple carbohydrate — with two small tweaks, you can increase its nutritional value, improve digestion, and support your gut and blood sugar. The secret? Soak & Sour, then Cook & Cool.
1. Soak & Sour — Unlock Nutrients
What Is Soaking & Souring?
This step is quick but powerful. By soaking rice in water with a little acidity (like apple cider vinegar or lime), you help increase phytase activity — an enzyme that breaks down phytic acid, an “anti-nutrient” that binds important minerals.
Why Care About Phytic Acid?
Phytic acid reduces your body’s ability to absorb minerals like iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and B vitamins. (Source)
By activating phytase through soaking + souring, you lower phytic acid and improve nutrient absorption. (Source)
How to Do It
Use a glass jar (with a loose lid) to soak your rice.
Add filtered water and a splash (~1 TBSP per cup of water) of something sour (apple cider vinegar, lime juice, etc.).
Submerge the rice, cover loosely, and let it sit for 6 hours (if dealing with histamine overload) ideally 12–24 hours (if you’re not dealing with histamine issues).
After souring, rinse the rice thoroughly before cooking.
2. Cook & Cool — Build Resistant Starch
Why Cooling Matters
When you cook rice and then cool it, some of its starch retrogrades into resistant starch — a type that resists digestion in your small intestine and instead feeds good gut bacteria. Healthline
This kind of starch can:
Lower blood sugar spikes PubMed
Improve insulin sensitivity BioMed Central
Support gut health through butyrate production, which helps gut lining integrity and reduces inflammation MDPI
How to Do It
Cook your rice as usual.
Let it cool (ideally in the refrigerator) for several hours (12 h+ is common in studies).
Reheat before eating, if desired — but the resistant starch benefit remains even after reheating. PubMed
3. Why This Matters for Different Groups
High nutrient needs: Babies, pregnant or postpartum people, and those recovering from illness can especially benefit from better mineral absorption via soaking.
Digestive or gut issues: Resistant starch feeds good bacteria, supports butyrate production, and helps seal a “leaky” gut.
Blood sugar management: Cooling rice helps blunt the glycemic response, which can support mood, cravings, weight, and hormone balance.
4. Other Tips for Rice
Which rice to use: I prefer basmati (lower in arsenic), but jasmine works too.
Which rice brand: I like to get Lundberg rice for their farming practices & to minimize toxins / heavy metals in our rice.
Storage:
Fridge: 4–6 days in an airtight container.
Freezer: Up to 4 months.
Reheat: On stovetop, add ~ 2 TBSP water per cup of cooked rice, cover, and heat ~5 minutes.