Food Freedom Friday Edition 276 - Limiting Salt

Sodium is a mineral and an electrolyte. Sodium helps to keep the balance of fluids in and outside of the body’s cells and how the nerves and muscles work in the body.

Traditionally, salt was used as a tool to preserve food. High amounts of salt prevented bad bacteria from growing. This is how many of the fermented food processes developed. Today, salt is added to foods to help manufacturers to find the perfect formulation of salt, sugar, and fat that optimizes tastiness and, subsequently, the desire to go back for more.

You Need Sodium

More than 85% of the sodium in your body is found in the blood and in the lymph fluid (part of the body that carries lymph fluid, nutrients and waste around the tissues and bloodstream). Many tribal communities drink the blood of the animal which may. Be due to its sodium level.

Sodium can be measured through urine, blood and hair mineral tests. Blood tests show a normal range between 136-145 mmol per L.

While blood markers show serum sodium levels for a brief snapshot in time, hair tissue mineral tests show an average of 3-month-mineral-levels in the cells. If you are feeling challenged with balancing your electrolytes on a lower carbohydrate diet, hair tissue may provide pertinent information regarding the root cause.  

 Hypernatremia – High Serum Sodium

High sodium serum (blood) levels are considered results above 145 mmol/L.

This can happen for many reasons including:

·       Extreme thirst is a sign of mildly high sodium levels (so the body can urinate out the excess sodium) but in more serious cases, it can lead to stroke or seizures.

·       Excess processed carbohydrates and processed foods (with iodized salt)

·       Diarrhea, vomiting

·       Excessive sweating

·       Not enough drinking water or dehydration

·       Dehydration from medicines such as diuretics and lithium.

·       Kidney disease can contribute to concerns with balancing sodium levels

·       Liver disease

·       Low levels of specific hormones

·       High aldosterone hormone levels. When the body is stressed, often, excess aldosterone is produced by the adrenals and in turn, retains more salt in the body.

·       Imbalance in adrenal glands (overusing adrenals and high cortisol outputs)

·       Imbalances in kidney function

·       Diabetes

Hyponatremia – Low Serum Sodium

Low sodium levels are defined as serum sodium levels under 135 mmol/L.

The reasons for low or imbalanced sodium levels include:

·       Medications such as birth control pills, corticosteroids, estrogen, antibiotics, some antidepressants, heparin, diuretics, lithium, NSAIDS (Advil), and blood pressure supports.

·       Malnutrition—this includes both simply not eating enough and not eating enough nutrient-rich foods

·       High serum glucose levels, triglycerides and protein levels

·       Consuming too much water while excessively exercising or sweating (marathons). In fact, excessive water ingestion is more dangerous than dehydration.

·       Adrenal gland imbalances (underactive adrenals, hypoadrenalism)

·       Underactive thyroid (hypothyroid)

·       Heart disease

·       Kidney disease

·       Not urinating enough

·       Liver disease (cirrhosis)

·       Cystic fibrosis

·       Addison’s disease

·       Excess beer and recreational drugs

·       Diuretics and laxatives

·       Excess diarrhea and vomiting

·       Ketones in the blood

Creating Balanced Sodium Levels

Balancing electrolytes is key to balancing serum sodium.

These electrolytes include:

·       Calcium

·       Chloride

·       Magnesium

·       Phosphate

·       Potassium

Kidney markers may also provide information regarding your serum sodium levels as kidneys will ultimately be the organ to detox the body and excrete excess sodium. The adrenal hormone, aldosterone plays a further role in this process.

·       Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN – a marker for kidney function)

·       Creatinine and creatinine clearance (another kidney marker)

·       eGFR (estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate)

Salt Consumption

You may have been led to believe that you are consuming too much salt and that anyone with high blood pressure should be on a low-salt diet. Interestingly, the frequency of low sodium blood results for hospital visits says otherwise.

A high-stress lifestyle (including a diet high in sugars and excessive carbohydrates, stress, over exercise, undereating and lack of adequate, high-quality sleep.) can cause a need for more salt. Additionally, a further cause of lower sodium levels is the presence of ketone bodies in the bloodstream. Ketones can create a need for extra sodium.

The blame may have been unfairly placed on salt and sodium. Perhaps the issue is the adrenal and electrolyte imbalance that high-stress lifestyles and excess carbohydrate consumption does to the body.

What The Research Says

·       A large global study showed that low-salt diets increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and death compared to average salt consumers. 

·       A study of 60,000 nurses, following a diet low in calcium and magnesium concluded they had a 23% greater chance of developing high blood pressure.

·       Further research revealed that by balancing calcium, magnesium and other electrolyte minerals produced improvements in both blood pressure and hypertension – this was not about reducing sodium consumption.  

·       When patients were prescribed a low-salt diet, 33% of the patients lowered their blood pressure but 33% also increased their blood pressure.

Choosing Your Salt

Iodized table salt is not the same as mineral salts. Iodized salt can create a mineral imbalance by providing too much sodium and chloride to the body whilst failing to provide sufficient levels of the other essential minerals.

Natural salts contain trace minerals that can support hormone, electrical and chemical processes in the body. Trace minerals can support heart and nerve health. Minerals are what support chemical reactions in the body. In fact, irregular heartbeats, heart palpitations and even neurological disorders can be better supported by managing sodium levels.

High-quality mineral salts can also be supportive of:

·       Adrenal (and thyroid) health – Aldosterone is made by the adrenals, especially when the body is under stress. Water retention (edema) is directly related to aldosterone and can be a result of both excess and insufficient salt. The body may be holding onto the deficiency until there is sufficiency.

·       Allergies – may be a natural antihistamine

·       Asthma and sinus – Salt can help clear excess mucus and phlegm.

·       Blood sugar – may help to increase insulin sensitivity and support those with diabetes

·       Bone health – a ¼ of the salt in the body is in your bones. When the body is deficient in salt and minerals, it pulls these resources from the bones. This can worsen osteoporosis. Magnesium and sodium are critical to prevent this from happening.

·       Cell cleaning – negatively charged ions and trace minerals in salt can better cross into cells and possibly pull toxins out

·       Cellulite – may be lessened with more salt consumption

·       Digestive function – salt can increase stomach acid and may help with heartburn.

·       Heart health 

·       Hormonal balances – can support normal hormone function, including for reproductive health.

·       Migraines – migraine sufferers tend to need more salt

·       Muscle cramps – a balance of magnesium and sodium is important to help to balance muscle cramps. Sodium and magnesium ratios are critical in adrenal health. This soaking your feet in Epsom salts is therapeutic, especially after exercise which causes a cortisol (adrenals) release which can be supported with sulfur, sodium and magnesium Normalize blood pressure

·       Nutrient absorption from water and food

·       Skin health – Improvements in eczema and psoriasis have been seen with balancing electrolytes and sodium intake.  

·       Sleep – balancing electrolytes can support hormones and improve sleep quality

·       Teeth – trace minerals may help to remineralize teeth. Saltwater gargling can benefit oral health.

Avoiding iodized salt is important as much of it is processed with synthetic chemicals and may be toxic to your health. These chemicals include manufactured forms of iodide, sugar, dextrose (sugar) to stabilize iodide, fluoride, sodium solo-co-aluminate, sodium bicarbonate, MSG, anti-caking agents, and toxic amounts of potassium iodide and aluminum derivatives.

The natural forms iodine is lost when salt is manufactured. Without this natural iodine, the thyroid is severely harmed. This is why the salt industry began to add synthetic forms of iodine to their products. Salt found in the natural world is not white. Table salt has been colored white with bleach.

Furthermore, the majority of ‘table salt’ is the actual flaky residue from oil extraction. Table salt can also cause headaches with high sodium in the blood and a dilation of blood vessels, as this processed, dry state and mineral-deficient product is unusable by the body.

Real Mineral Salt

Mineral salts include Celtic sea salt, Redmond’s real salt, and Himalayan salt.

Himalayan salt has been compressed for millennia and can be difficult to absorb. Studies show that Himalayan salt has about 84 minerals but it is mostly sodium, magnesium and calcium.

Sea salt assimilates well in the body which can easily digest it and use its minerals. Sea salt may have the greatest quantity of trace minerals and the body needs these electrolytes to maintain the right balance of fluids. If any of the trace nutrient minerals are lacking, the body will lack the triggering bioelectrical impulses and mineral building blocks necessary to operate at full efficiency.

All-natural salts can also be used to support HPA axis dysfunction, thyroid disorders and headaches.

Sodium is one of the most important electrolytes in the body and supports the body’s fluid balance. This becomes especially important when removing most carbohydrates from the diet. Glycogen is stored in water in the muscles. When the body is depleted of glycogen stores, the body removes a lot of the water. With less water, electrolytes become critical. Make sure to replenish your electrolytes on days you are more active. If you fail to do so, you will begin to feel the symptoms of electrolyte deficiencies.

Consuming too much salt does not raise blood pressure and then increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Studies show no evidence that limiting salt intake will lower the risk of heart disease. The one caveat is those diagnosed with salt-sensitive hypertension who might benefit from monitoring salt intake.