If you've been doing "all the right things"... I'm talking eating clean, taking your supplements, trying to manage stress, working out regularly... and you STILL feel exhausted, bloated, or have miserable periods month after month, there's a good chance nobody has talked to you about minerals.

We hear a lot about macronutrients (like protein, carbs + fats), vitamins (like B12 + Vitamin D), and maybe even gut bacteria or candida.

But minerals? They're the quiet foundation everything else is built on. And most of us are running on E.

Let's dive into why minerals matter so much and what I personally use to keep feeling my best day to day.

Minerals are the spark plugs that run your body

Minerals aren't optional. They're required.  They're co-factors — meaning enzymes, hormones, and cellular processes in our bodies need them to work and keep us healthy. Without getting enough minerals, your body is essentially running on fumes and this is where symptoms like bloat, fatigue and hormonal issues creep in.

Magnesium alone is involved in well over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. We're talking blood sugar regulation, muscle function (and improving cramps), sleep quality, and estrogen detox. If your magnesium is low (and most people's is), everything downstream starts to get sluggish.

Sodium and potassium keep fluid balanced inside and outside your cells...which directly impacts your energy, blood pressure, digestion, and how your adrenals (the little glands about your kidneys that made) are functioning. And before you panic: I'm not talking about the processed sodium in junk food. I'm talking about real sodium your body knows what to do with. Society has told us for years that sodium is "bad" and while it may be problematic for special populations, it is a necessity for day to day functioning.

The gut-mineral connection nobody talks about

Here's something I see constantly with my clients who struggle with bloating, constipation, or unpredictable digestion...their mineral levels are often depleted or completely imbalanced.

This isn't a coincidence. Minerals like magnesium and potassium help with gut motility (to combat constipation and keep your bowels regular). Zinc and sodium are essential for producing stomach acid, which you both need to actually digest your food and absorb nutrients. 

And on the other hand, your gut is imbalanced and not absorbing key nutrients well, this can lead to low mineral levels which can cause your gut to suffer more, you become exhausted + cycles become miserable. It's a cycle. One of the most simple and easy ways to support your body is to consume electrolytes consistently.

What this has to do with your hormones

Your adrenal glands sit on top of your kidneys and regulate cortisol and aldosterone, both of which are extremely dependent on minerals like sodium and potassium. When you're chronically stressed (hi, modern life), your adrenals churn out cortisol and your body excretes more sodium and potassium in the process. This sets off a cascade that dysregulates blood sugar, disrupts sleep, impacts digestion and eventually throws off your sex hormones too.

For my clients with endometriosis, PCOS, fertility challenges, or PMDD, mineral depletion is almost always part of the picture. Magnesium and potassium are particularly important for calming period cramps. Zinc helps your body make progesterone and copper, especially if in high quantities in the body, can lead to high estrogen, driving painful periods, PMS, and more. Sodium and potassium help support your adrenal glands and your body's detoxification systems.

No, minerals alone won't fix your periods or balance your hormones. But trying to address your hormones without addressing your mineral status is like mopping up a leak without turning off the tap.

And your energy? Yep, minerals there too

If you're waking up unrefreshed, tired no matter how much you sleep or hitting a wall at 2pm every day, your minerals deserve a serious shot before you reach for another coffee.

Electrolytes, which are electrically charged minerals including sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride, are what allow your cells to produce energy. They govern the electrical gradients your nerve cells and mitochondria depend on. Low minerals = sluggish cellular energy production and cue all the pesky symptoms I just mentioned.

This is especially relevant if you eat a lower-carb, whole foods diet, sweat a lot, or are in a high-stress season. All of those things accelerate mineral loss.

The electrolytes I use religiously: Redmond's Re-Lyte

I'm pretty picky about supplements. I want to know what's in them, where it comes from, and whether it's going to actually do something. And I'm also big on testing first so you can actually see what your body needs

Re-Lyte by Redmond checks every box for me.

Redmond Re-Lyte is one of the best ways to hydrate at a cellular level. It starts with Real Salt (unrefined ancient sea salt from Redmond, Utah) and adds potassium and two types of magnesium (malate and glycinate), the two most bioavailable forms. It’s formulated with experts to include a 2:1 sodium-to-potassium ratio, plus magnesium, chloride, calcium, and 60+ trace minerals from Real Salt. Flavored varieties are sweetened with a touch of stevia that has minimal (if any) effects on blood sugar. It helps improve performance and reduce muscle cramps caused by dehydration. 

No junk. No artificial sweeteners. Just a clean, effective formula I feel good recommending to my clients and using in our household daily, especially on higher-stress days, before or after workouts, and to keep my endometriosis and POTS symptoms in check.

Want to try it?

My personal favorites are the watermelon lime AND the chocolate (that literally tastes like hot chocolate and can be used as hydrating treat!

Check out their products here and use my code "RITA" at checkout  to save 15% on your order.

And if you are a lady who is curious about mineral testing through the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis, this is something I offer inside my 1:1 services, send me a DM on instagram and let's chat about your health goals.

Disclaimer: nothing in this post is a replacement for medical advice. Please consult your provider before starting any new supplements.