Sugary, colorful sports and hydration drinks have been marketed to us since the ’60s. They help you run faster, play harder and achieve your ultimate game. Don’t they? Well, no, not really. In fact, pumping your body full of sugar is counterproductive to living a fit and healthy lifestyle. But we need electrolytes, so what should we be hydrating with after a workout?

Welcome to Fatal Conveniences™

This is a bite-sized segment that parallels The Darin Olien Show. In these segments, we get into society's Fatal Conveniences™. I define these as the things we may be doing because the world we live in makes us believe we have to. These things save us time and trick us into thinking they're actually good for us. But it's those same things that are breaking down our health, and the health of the environment around us.

I've spent most of my adult life obsessively researching these "conveniences." On every show, I pick one topic, and we dive into it. My goal is to make you more aware of these traps so that you can push back on them. Remember, it starts with you and the choices you make. 

So, if you're willing to look at your world from a different perspective and make little tweaks that amount to big changes, then this segment is for you.

Our body needs electrolytes. But is Gatorade the answer?

No, it’s really not. Studies show that drinks heavy in sugar and artificial dyes can lead to diabetes, obesity and a whole list of other health issues. But yes, when it comes to extreme athletes, sports drinks have been known to help with endurance and performance. But what about the average person? And aren't there healthier ways to get electrolytes and hydration?

Yes, there certainly is. In this segment, I go over the confusing research regarding sports and hydration drinks like Gatorade and Powerade. It turns out that studies funded by sugary drink companies can be hard to trust. Shocking, right?

Look, your body needs electrolytes. They’re responsible for so many of our bodies’ natural functions. And when you sweat from an intense workout, you lose quite a bit of them. I’ll go over healthy ways to restore hydration without having to reach for that neon green sports drink. And I’ll even give you a recipe for my ultimate natural hydration drink.

Other info in this segment:

• The history of Gatorade
• What happens during dehydration and what causes it
• The role of the kidneys
• pH and why it’s so important
• What happens when priority is profit
• Conflict of interest in scientific research
• The effects of artificial dyes
• Water and salt
• My ultimate hydration drink

Links & Resources:

The Science on Sports Drinks

Relationship between Funding Source and Conclusion among Nutrition-Related Scientific Articles

Looking Beyond the Marketing Claims of New Beverages

Consumption of Sports Drinks by Children

Sports Drinks

10 Myths About Hydration

Is Gatorade good or bad for you?

What are electrolytes?

Netflix’ Down To Earth’ Official Trailer

Download Darin’s amazing new lifestyle app and get 3 days free at 121Tribe.com

Barukas Nuts 15% discount with code “DARIN”

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The Darin Olien Show is produced by the team at Must Amplify. If you’re looking to give a voice to your brand, and make sure that it’s heard by the right people, head to www.mustamplify.com/darin to see what Amplify can do for you.