No matter where you are living in the world, March is the month of transition and unpredictability. In many places, temperature fluctuates day by day and air is usually dry both indoors and outdoors. It’s no wonder why cold and dry & sore throat are most common in this particular season.
For this reason, I am writing a series of posts about hydration and ways to better protect your family and yourself against getting the nasty flu or cold. We all know how important it is, especially if you live and work in a crowded environment.
When hydration becomes dehydration
Have you ever had the experience that the more water you drink, the dryer your throat gets? How did hydration become dehydration?
This is because the water you drink can’t be converted to useful bodily fluid. It simply passes your body without being properly used. The more water you drink, the more water you lose through pee and sweat, along with many essential nutrients, and hence, dehydration.
What’s holding water inside of the body are essential minerals or trace elements in the water. Another name you may have heard of is electrolytes! They are the ions that acquire capacity to conduct electricity in the body. They hold important functions to maintain certain voltages across cell membranes and carry electrical impulses between cells.
When we lose water out of body, for example after heavy exercise, we lose electrolytes through sweat particularly sodium and potassium. They must be replaced to keep the electrolyte concentrations constant. This is why many sports drinks have sodium chloride or potassium chloride added to them.
Solutions: take in extra electrolytes if needed. Sports drinks or Emergen-C supplement mix contain vitamins, electrolytes and other form of nutrients.
Foods High in Potassium
Not surprisingly, many fruits and nuts are a rich source of potassium, such as banana, dates, oranges, etc. The following list was taken from the USDA Nutrient Database.
| Foods with Potassium |
Serving Size |
Potassium (mg) |
| Apricots, dried |
10 halves |
407 |
| Avocados, raw |
1 ounce |
180 |
| Bananas, raw |
1 cup |
594 |
| Beets, cooked |
1 cup |
519 |
| Brussel sprouts, cooked |
1 cup |
504 |
| Cantaloupe |
1 cup |
494 |
| Dates, dry |
5 dates |
271 |
| Figs, dry |
2 figs |
271 |
| Kiwi fruit, raw |
1 medium |
252 |
| Lima beans |
1 cup |
955 |
| Melons, honeydew |
1 cup |
461 |
| Milk, fat free or skim |
1 cup |
407 |
| Nectarines |
1 nectarine |
288 |
| Orange juice |
1 cup |
496 |
| Oranges |
1 orange |
237 |
| Pears (fresh) |
1 pear |
208 |
| Peanuts dry roasted, unsalted |
1 ounce |
187 |
| Potatoes, baked, |
1 potato |
1081 |
| Prune juice |
1 cup |
707 |
| Prunes, dried |
1 cup |
828 |
| Raisins |
1 cup |
1089 |
| Spinach, cooked |
1 cup |
839 |
| Tomato products, canned sauce |
1 cup |
909 |
| Winter squash |
1 cup |
896 |
| Yogurt plain, skim milk |
8 ounces |
579 |
USDA Nutrient Database for Standard References, Release 15 for Potassium, K (mg)
Conclusions: Once again, I believe ‘natural’ is the best. To stay hydrated for this season, make sure you include some of the above natural foods in your diet. Reduce the amount of coffee, alcohol and soft drinks that dehydrate the body.
In the next post, I will look at dehydration from the perspective of Chinese herbal medicine, and provide 5 effective natural cures for dry throat and cracked lips. Stay tuned.
To your radiant natural health,
