As many of you know, the UK has been experiencing unusually hot weather for…

We for You | Daily Reflection | *by Maryam* ❤️

Assalamu Alaikum dear Sisters🌸🌿I hope you are all doing well.

As many of you know, the UK has been experiencing unusually hot weather for quite some time now.

*Yesterday, one of our sisters asked whether she should give electrolyte drinks to her 12-year-old son because of the hot weather.*☀️

It’s such a relevant question because electrolyte powders and drinks are everywhere at the moment. Social media and advertising often make us feel that plain water is no longer enough and that we all need electrolyte supplements to stay properly hydrated.

I thought it would be helpful to share some evidence-based information so we can better understand what electrolytes do, when they are beneficial, and when plain water is all our bodies really need.

💧*Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge*. The main ones include:

• Sodium
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Chloride

They are essential for many functions in the body, including:

✅Maintaining hydration
✅Balancing fluids inside and outside our cells
✅Helping nerves send signals
✅Allowing muscles, including the heart, to contract normally
✅Supporting healthy cell function

*Electrolytes are vital for life, but that doesn’t automatically mean we need to supplement them every day.*❣️

🌿We naturally lose both water and electrolytes through sweating, urine, breathing and stools.

*However, we lose far more water than electrolytes.*❣️

Allah SWT has created our bodies with an incredible ability to regulate these minerals automatically.

Our kidneys work 24 hours a day, constantly monitoring sodium and other electrolytes. If sodium levels begin to fall, the kidneys reduce the amount lost in urine. Even our sweat glands reabsorb much of the sodium before sweat reaches the surface of the skin.

This remarkable balancing system works continuously without us even thinking about it.

One of the biggest misconceptions is believing that dehydration automatically means electrolyte deficiency.
In reality, dehydration simply means the body has lost more fluid than it has taken in.

After sleeping overnight, spending time in the sun, gardening, walking, moderate exercise or fasting, the body usually just needs water.

The marketing of electrolytes is based on a real scientific principle.

Water is absorbed slightly faster from the intestine when sodium and glucose are present together. This is exactly why Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS) are used to treat dehydration caused by severe diarrhoea or vomiting.
However, faster absorption does not automatically mean the body needed extra electrolytes in the first place.
For most healthy adults and children, plain water provides excellent hydration.

🍽️ Most healthy people naturally replace the electrolytes they lose simply by eating regular meals.

*Sodium comes mainly from salt.*🧂

Potassium is found in foods such as bananas, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, avocados and many fruits and vegetables.

Magnesium is found in nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains.

Calcium comes from dairy products, almonds, chia seeds, and many fortified foods.

In fact, many people actually consume more sodium than their bodies require.

🏃🏼‍♀️ Electrolyte replacement becomes useful when the body loses unusually large amounts of both water and minerals, example:

✅ Marathons and endurance sports
✅ Heavy physical work for many hours in hot weather
✅ Construction, farming or road work under intense sun
✅ Military training
✅ Repeated vomiting
✅ Severe diarrhoea
✅ Heat illness
✅ Certain medical conditions where a healthcare professional recommends them

For vomiting or diarrhoea, oral rehydration solutions from the pharmacy are generally much more appropriate than ordinary sports drinks because they contain the correct balance of water, glucose and electrolytes.

👧*For healthy children enjoying warm weather:*

💧 Encourage regular water intake.
🍉 Offer water-rich foods such as watermelon, cucumber, oranges, strawberries and melon.
🥗 Continue providing balanced meals, which naturally replace the small amounts of electrolytes they lose.
🌳 Encourage regular breaks in the shade and avoid prolonged activity during the hottest hours of the day.

If a child is healthy, hot weather by itself does not mean they need electrolyte drinks. Drinking plenty of water and eating regular meals is usually enough.

🚰 Some people notice they urinate less after drinking electrolyte drinks and assume they have become better hydrated.
What actually happens is that sodium temporarily causes the body to retain more water. Once the kidneys restore the normal balance, the excess water and sodium are naturally removed.
So urinating less for a short period doesn’t necessarily mean the body needed extra electrolytes, it simply reflects the body’s normal regulation of salt and water.

Remember, marketing often convinces us we need products that our bodies can usually manage perfectly well on their own. Allah SWT has created the human body with remarkable systems that continuously regulate water and electrolytes. The foundations of good hydration remain wonderfully simple, even after a typical jog outdoors or a gym session:

💙 Drink enough water.

🥗 Eat nourishing, balanced meals.

🍉 Enjoy plenty of water-rich fruits and vegetables.

🌿 Listen to your body’s thirst.

☀️ Protect yourself and your family from excessive heat.

May Allah SWT bless us and our families with good health, protect us during this warm weather, and grant us beneficial knowledge that helps us care for the amazing bodies He has entrusted to us.
Ameen. 🤲🏻