Should You Limit Salt?
Should You Limit Salt?
Sent by JUDY CHO | December 20, 2020
Do you limit salt?
There are differing views on the need for added salt. Some low-salt advocates believe that there is sufficient sodium in our meats and no additional salt is needed.
Some anecdotal stories hold this to be true. But for most of us, we need to add more life-giving salt.
Depending on the type of salt, salt is mostly 40% sodium and 60% chloride.
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. In my next blog post, I’ll talk about the importance of balancing electrolytes.
Why we Need Sodium
More than 85% of the sodium in our 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).
Normal Sodium Levels
Sodium can be measured in 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 having a hard time balancing electrolytes on a lower carbohydrate diet, hair tissue tests are a great tool to getting to the root cause.
Getting a Better Pulse on Sodium
Balancing electrolytes is key and you can read more in the next blog about balancing electrolytes.
These electrolytes will depict a better idea of what may be going on with serum sodium levels
- Calcium
- Chloride
- Magnesium
- Phosphate
- Potassium
Kidney markers may also give you an idea of what’s going on with serum sodium levels as kidneys will ultimately be the detox organ to excrete excess sodium in the body. (note that the adrenal hormone, aldosterone has a role in this too).
- Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN — a marker for kidney function)
- Creatinine and creatinine clearance (another kidney marker)
- eGFR (estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate)
Are We Consuming Too Much Salt?
We are led to believe that we consume too much salt and that anyone with high blood pressure should be on a low-salt diet.
Continue reading here.
This week on my YouTube and Podcast, I had a chance to sit down with Angela Stanton, PhD, the founder of the Stanton Migraine Protocol. We talk about balancing electrolytes and what salt had to do with migraines.
The discussion was a fascinating one and I highly recommend watching it here.
Later on in the week, I’ll be releasing the second part of the discussion. One thing I’ll say is that I don’t agree with her on the type of salt to use. But you can always hedge your bets and use a little bit of everything. Or you can take a hair mineral test and check for any heavy metals after using a specific type of salt for several months.
I’m a big believer in bioindividuality and so no specific salt or no specific nutritional guideline works exactly the same way for every single person.
Find what works for you and I hope that I can help you to get to root cause healing and finding the personalized way of eating that works for you.
with ♥️ and hope for healing,
DISCLAIMER:
While I am a nutritional therapy practitioner and provide nutritional support, I am not providing medical advice. Any information provided in regards to nutritional therapy should not be considered medical advice or treatment. Always consult your primary care physician or medical team.
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