Sodium and Salt Eating

                  Many health authorities advise against eating salt.   My experience is that if one eats a diet of natural foods high in magnesium and only uses sea salt, most people will not have difficulty from salt, and in fact natural salt is a very healthful product.

                  This article discusses the differences between refined and natural salt, salt and magnesium, metabolic types and their sodium needs, salt and high blood pressure, monosodium glutamate and what to do if you are salt-sensitive.

WHAT IS NATURAL SEA SALT?

                  Unrefined salt usually comes from salt mines.  It is washed and strained.  It is called sea salt as the mines were usually former sea beds.  A few brands such as Celtic Salt are harvested from the sea.  Natural salt is generally a very healthful product.  It has an alkalinizing effect on the body and is a yang food in Chinese medical terminology.  The sodium it contains is critical for osmotic balance and to solubilize other minerals in the blood.  Deficiency of sodium causes other minerals to become biounavailable and precipitate into the soft tissues and elsewhere.

                  Humanity has been eating unrefined salt for thousands of years.  The word 'salary' comes from the same root as the word salt because it was such a valuable commodity it was used for currency.  It is more important in hot climates, where significant amounts of sodium are lost in sweating.

                  Unrefined sea salt is an important source of minerals, especially today when the food supply is mineral-deficient due to hybrid crops and modern agriculture.  Unrefined salt has little or no effect on blood pressure.  It helps maintain electrolyte and osmotic balance.   Avoiding it is ridiculous and I recommend it for all but a few who are very salt-sensitive due to adrenal or kidney imbalances.

WHAT IS TALBE SALT?
                  Common table salt is a highly refined product and one of the worst junk foods.  Virtually all its the trace minerals are missing so that it is almost pure sodium chloride.  The trace minerals are removed and sold separately.

                  The remaining waste product is often enriched with a poor-quality iodine.  Aluminum, a toxic metal, is added as a flowing agent.  It may be bleached for whiteness with other toxic chemicals.  It is an unbalanced, toxic product that should be avoided.

SALT AND MAGNESIUM
                  One of the most important minerals missing from refined table salt is magnesium.  Magnesium is required for over 500 enzymes, and is deficient in most people's diets.  Milling wheat to make white flour removes 85% of the magnesium.  Refining sugar cane to make white sugar removes 98% of the magnesium.  White flour and white sugar are two staples of the American diet.

                  Magnesium has a balancing effect on sodium.  Magnesium has a relaxing influence on the heart, which is one reason it is often the first element given during a heart attack.

                  The blood pressure-raising effect of table salt can be due to its magnesium-lowering effect.  This can constrict the arteries and raise blood pressure.  Sea salt contains some magnesium, which is why it usually does not affect blood pressure as much as table salt.  If one's magnesium status is adequate, salt-eating will have less effect or no effect on blood pressure.

SODIUM AND SALT IN THE AMERICAN DIET

                  Many natural foods contain sodium.  Excellent sources are seafood, carrots, beets, poultry and meats.  Kelp is an excellent natural source.

                  Refined foods are often loaded with refined salt.  Many refined foods are bland or even tasteless because of the poor quality of their ingredients.  In an effort to spice them up, salt is often added in great quantity.  Among the most salt-laced foods are french fries, chips, pastries, salted fish, processed meats, relishes and canned soups.  Many other refined foods contain a surprising amount of refined table salt. 

                  Since the same foods are magnesium-deficient, the combination is very unhealthful and not surprisingly can cause problems, especially if eaten repeatedly.

SALT AND SLOW OXIDATION.

                  Serum sodium usually remains in a narrow range, even when significant pathology is present.  The same is not true of tissue mineral analysis.  Most people's hair analyses reveal very low levels of sodium.  We find this is not related to salt intake, but to the adequacy of the adrenal glands.  Aldosterone secreted by the adrenals causes sodium retention. 

                  The mineral pattern characterized by low tissue sodium and potassium is called slow oxidation.  These individuals often crave salt and salty foods.  Many have a low blood pressure in part due to low sodium, which is related to low blood volume.  It is also due to underactivity of the adrenal glands.  Adrenal hormones cause constriction of the arteries, which raises blood pressure.

                  Consuming salt may help raise the sodium level slightly in slow oxidizers, as these individuals are excreting excessive sodium.  Consuming sea salt is strongly recommended for these people unless they are salt-sensitive due to other pathology.  However, to permanently and significantly raise their tissue sodium, they must improve their adrenal glandular activity. 

                  Slow oxidizers who are eating a magnesium-rich diet may have up to 200 mg of sodium daily with no adverse effects.  Some do well on more.  This is not a lot compared to that found in a diet of salt-laden refined foods.  However, it is certainly not an avoidance of salt.

SODIUM AND FAST OXIDATION

                  Tissue sodium levels may also be extremely elevated.  This metabolic pattern is called fast oxidation.  It is seen most commonly in children.  It is more normal in children.  In adults, it is more likely a secondary stress pattern associated with excessive levels of toxic metals affecting the adrenals, kidney or pituitary gland.  Excessive sympathetic nervous system activity may also affect the adrenal glands.

                  The presence of toxic metals, especially cadmium, mercury, lead, arsenic, copper, manganese, iron or aluminum will raise the hair sodium level.  This is due to a toxic effect on the kidneys or other organs.  The sodium level will drop when these metals are eliminated from the body.

                  If the tissue sodium level is elevated on a tissue mineral test, one may become salt sensitive.  This is not a problem with salt, but a pathology caused usually by toxic metals or toxic chemicals in the kidneys pituitary or adrenal glands.

                  A hormone-secreting adrenal tumor may also cause excessive sodium retention causing one to become salt-sensitive.  Other conditions of salt sensitivity include Cushings disease.

WHAT TO DO IF ONE IS SALT-SENSITIVE

                  Everyone should avoid table salt as much as possible.  Many salt sensitive people can tolerate some unrefined sea salt.  Restaurants can be a problem, as salt is hidden in many dishes.  One can ask in some restaurants for low sodium or sodium-free meals.

                  Eat only natural and unrefined grains and no white sugar.  This way one will obtain significantly more magnesium from food, which may help reduce salt sensitivity. 

                  Consider supplementing with magnesium.  Quality magnesium supplements include chelates, citrates, glycinates, aspartates and orotates.  The latter two contain less magnesium per tablet, though they are well-absorbed.

                  Taking a magnesium supplement may well reduce salt sensitivity.  Magnesium is very safe.  Excessive amounts will cause diarrhea.  Some physicians give magnesium to bowel tolerance, though I believe this is excessive.

                  Finally, salt sensitivity may indicate excessive levels of toxic metals or a fast oxidation rate.  This can be assessed with a hair mineral analysis.  Most people have some toxic metals, regardless of whether they are revealed on tests or not.  A nutritional balancing program and infrared sauna therapy are most helpful to remove toxic metals and chemicals that can affect the kidneys, adrenals and pituitary, and contribute to salt sensitivity. 

PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF SODIUM

                  Sodium is sometimes called the volatility mineral.  People with a high sodium level often have a volatile or elevated blood pressure and their personality may also be volatile.  Elevated tissue sodium is related to the alarm stage of stress, also called the fight-or-flight reaction.

                  Sodium is very yang in Chinese medical terminology.  Yang is the quality of being hot, hard and contracted.

                  People with a high level of sodium in relation to potassium are often leaders, starters, pioneers, outgoing, active and positive.  When sodium is in excess, they may become volatile, angry or paranoid.

MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE~MSG

                  A product related to table salt is monosodium glutamate or MSG.  This food additive is widely used as a flavor enhancer in oriental foods, soups and other processed foods.  It causes headaches and other symptoms in many people.  Glutamic acid is a pro-inflammatory amino acid.  The sodium in MSG is not balanced by magnesium or other trace minerals, so it too has a pro-inflammatory effect.

                  If one is deficient in magnesium, the effect is even worse.  I suggest avoiding all monosodium glutamate.

 

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