Hi, I notice that I tend to get headaches after intense, longer swim practices, even though I feel fine during the practice. I drink plenty of water before and during practice but still get the headaches. I also noticed that I tend not to get the headaches when I have some sports drink mixed with water during the swim. So I'm thinking the headache is connected with a drop in blood sugar.
I have been using Gatorade, but I don't like that it is so high in sugar, so I'd like to find a better option -- either something I could buy or make myself. Any suggestions? Here are my criteria:
Low in sugar but not with artificial sweetener, including xylitol (which gives me digestive issues)
Not loaded with excessive vitamins or strange ingredients
Not expensive
No caffeine
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Have you been to a doctor lately, or do you have any upcoming appointments? There could be an underlying problem that they may catch through blood work.
I have been using Gatorade, but I don't like that it is so high in sugar,
Along with sugar, Gatorade (and other sports drinks) are high in electrolytes, which can be bad if you have any heart issues, or are prone to getting them (family history, past events, etc.)
I always used the powdered Gatorade mix for long practices, mixed at about half the ratio that they suggest (so double the water). It's pretty cheap, a tub costs like $10-15 and lasts forever.
I found a flavored water drink at Costco that sits well with me. Thanks! I will look into Costco.
An update on my search: I ended up trying Skratch and really liked it, though it's a bit more expensive than I'd hoped for. I did not see it locally so bought it directly through the company. I thought the company had great customer service.
When I look at the Skratch ingredients, I think it is possible to DIY by adding extra lemon or lime juice to lemonade, plus some sodium. It is an all-natural product with not many ingredients. Sure is convenient to have the powder handy for days I'm in a hurry.
I think it is the sodium I had been missing because I tend to have low blood pressure and my doctor told me a while back that I should actually increase my sodium intake. I've tried drinking water with a little Skratch powder during a few practices and have felt great afterwards, though granted, I'm not swimming as long or intensely these days, so it's not been put to a real test, yet.
Thanks to everyone for helping me think this through and I will post an update if I learn anything else that might be helpful to other swimmers. And now for no reason, a dancing banana (:
:banana:
