My homemade “Gatorade” has gotten us through many hot days working in the yard. Drinking it makes a big difference in how long we are able to work. We know we need it when we can’t taste the salt. It’s amazing how quickly it energizes us so we can go back outside to finish what we started. Then we finish off the pitcher during the rest of the day as we cool off inside and continue to rehydrate.
This homemade electrolyte drink is also valuable when a person is sick with vomiting and/or diarrhea. On a trip by myself, I got some food poisoning. Luckily, the ingredients were on hand where I was staying, and I gradually drank a half gallon of it over 24 hours. It made a big difference in my recovery.
I came home from that trip to a sick husband. He had only eaten 2 pieces of toast that day but had had the presence of mind to mix some up and start drinking it. His recovery was faster, too.
Faster than what, you ask? On a Thanksgiving trip to visit family, we both got a stomach virus. We forgot to mix some up and recovery was several days longer especially for me with my IBS.
I highly recommend keeping the ingredients on hand and using it not only for hot weather and hot work but recovery from vomiting and diarrhea. It could mean the difference between a quick recovery and dehydration resulting in a hospital stay. At the least, you will avoid the lingering effects of a partially dehydrated body.
Homemade Sports Drink
1 envelope unsweetened powdered drink mix
5/8 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon lite salt (or 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1/2 teaspoon lite salt for less potassium)
2 quarts water
Mix in a half-gallon pitcher. May be refrigerated or kept at room temperature.
Packages of drink mix (like Kool-Aid or Wyler’s) are susceptible to humidity over time and will compact and get hard inside the packet. To avoid this, I store them in wide mouth pint jars (you could use quart jars, also). Fill the jar and wipe the rim clean. Heat lids in simmering water. Take out lids one at a time and quickly dry. Put the lid on the jar and screw a ring band on tightly. Allow them to cool. The lid will adhere to the jar forming an airtight seal and keep out extra humidity. The jars could also be vacuum packed with a battery vacuum sealer. For ease of use in making the “Gatorade” keep a recipe card in the jar with the drink mix.
