Don't eat too much salt or it may lead to high blood pressure or make hypertension worse.

Is this proving to be outdated advice that may actually be doing more harm than good?

Dr. David Brownstein, author of Salt Your Way to Health, says that " after testing tens of thousands of patient, I have found that the vast majority of people are deficient, with levels below 140 mmol/L.  Rarely have I seen a patient who has a high sodium level.

So, if so many people are found to be deficient in sodium, why are we conditioned to believe that we should lower our salt intake?  In fact, the American Heart Association recommends that Americans "consume less than 1,500 mg/day (of sodium)".1  To translate, that's just 1/2 tsp of salt per day.  The problem is that no one can thrive on that little amount of sodium.

Salt is integral to our bodies' functions as an essential nutrient.  It drives energy-producing cells, helps nerves transmit impulses, improves muscle function and holds water in the body--pretty important functions.

In fact, studies of low-sodium diets continually fail to show any great improvement in blood pressure, or any other health benefit for that matter.  A Cochrane Review study  found no strong evidence of any effect of salt reduction in cardiovascular disease morbidity in people with normal blood pressure and raised blood pressure at baseline."2

JAMA reported another study that found low-sodium diets associated with a fivefold increase in the number of deaths.3

The kicker is that low-sodium diets may predispose a person to deficiencies of calcium, magnesium and potassium. It even has been found to deplete B vitamins.

Curiously, low sodium levels may trigger elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels along with blood pressure (yep, higher blood pressure) along with elevated insulin levels. Don't worry, though, as these "side effects" can be treated with some of the most common pharmaceutical drugs out there.  But...weren't we told to decrease our salt?  You be the judge.

Common signs of sodium deficiencies are:

• Gastrointestinal Distress-nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite
• Cognitive Impairment -headache, lethargy, fatigue and confusion
• Muscular Problems -spasms or cramps

Please note that some of the above are also symptoms of dehydration which makes sense as salt retains water.

The average American diet contains about 5 grams of salt per day and there is no need to reduce that level unless you have kidney disease.  However, you want to be sure to eat the right kind of salt.

The most healthy type of salt to ingest is unrefined and full of trace minerals that our bodies thrive on. Refined salt is stripped of nutrients and bleached white with toxic additives.  I prefer pink Himalayan salt but off-white Celtic salt is great as well.  I use salt generously every day and Dr. Brownstein recommends 1 teaspoon of salt per day. 

To your health...pass the salt.

 

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