Is too much salt really bad for you?

[Audio Terrorist]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...nel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

My understanding from reading that, is that there is some belief that people specifically from China that consume more salt have higher blood pressure.

I quote "residents living in the cold northern and northwestern areas of mainland China consume significantly more sodium than people from the south, that the average blood pressure and prevalence of hypertension are higher in the high-salt-consuming populationresidents living in the cold northern and northwestern areas of mainland China consume significantly more sodium than people from the south, that the average blood pressure and prevalence of hypertension are higher in the high-salt-consuming population"

This doesn't take into account any other differences in lifestyle. Do these people have exactly the same lifestyle and diets as people in other parts of the country other than salt intake? I personally don't believe that to be true.

I also quote "In the same period, due to improved living standards, the occurrence of overweight or obesity in adults has increased significantly, which might contribute to the elevated prevalence of hypertension"

This would suggest to me that salt intake has little to do with blood pressure and other factors have a much larger impact on someone's blood pressure, especially obesity in this particular case although I suspect other factors may be involved.

I believe the researchers in this case have given salt more credit than it is due in it's part in causing high blood pressure. Of course the findings are open to interpretation, that is just how I see it.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...nel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

I do have to agree that this does seem to point towards a link between high blood pressure and salt intake. Although the researchers have only used subjects that already have resistant hypertension thus not really answering my question of the link between the 2 in healthy individuals.

Thank you for the links though. The second link's research does seem to show a link between certain individuals although this isn't something I really doubted. I'm more interested in it's effect on healthy people in general.

The fact is, humans are meant to run mainly on carbohydrates, with some fat and protein in the backround(roughly 65%,18%,17% respectively). This is an evolutionary fact. But the modern human diet consists of mainly fats and sugars, with protein and carbs bringing in the rear.
I was simply saying that some toxic minerals build up in the body and when these antinutrients begin to increase you must therefore increase levels of nutrients to stay healthy.

But fatty food tastes so fucking good doesn't it?! :D

If we grew out oun crops and raised our oen livestock(like our ancestors did), food poisioing would not really be an issue and you could eat practically every meal raw.

I'm not going to get going on THAT conversation, I've already had it with someone and it lasted waaay too long

*WHOLE POST*

I'm inclined to believe this post from what I have read. Unless anyone can point to anything convincing. I still believe that it is an old way of thinking that for some reason has just caught on.

I do understand that people already with a condition need to limit their salt intake but the same could be said about Diabetic patients and sugar. Healthy people shouldn't cut out/reduce sugar intake quite as drastically as someone suffering from diabetes as long as they have a healthy pancreas and don't stuff their face with sugary foods indulgently there is no real need to avoid the occasional chocolate bar or glass of fruit juice.

 

[KStoner6tb]

moderation is key

 

[Lady Codone]

Excessive salt intake is generally considered unhealthy. It can lead to high blood pressure (but doesn't for everyone), bloating/water retention and dehydration. Iodized salt presents its own set of problems, such as getting too much iodine.

While too much salt isn't GOOD for one's health, it's probably the least of your worries if you eat the typical Western diet. Young people with normal blood pressure and no history of heart problems probably won't notice many immediate problems, but over time it can contribute to certain health conditions (but nowadays, what DOESN'T?)

 

[BeckyLee]

Potassium is better for you.

 

[delta_9]

Not really. 1 mineral isn't "better" for you than another, they all work together.

 

[Dtergent]

Anything that is food can also be a poison in excess.

Salt is usually considered to be heating to the body. It adds moisture (as is evident as you take some salt into your mouth) and warmth. In excess, it actually affects one of the body's mechanisms for regulating blood pressure, which is the kidney or renal system.

Notice when you take too much salt, you become thirsty. This has to do with the occurrence of osmosis within your cells caused by salt, by which your cellular fluid levels increase, and your body compensates by looking for fluids that will retain a balance of fluid within the cell and outside. Thus, you wanting to attack large glasses of liquid after a bag of chips.

Cellular fluids are increased but urination is actually decreased because hormonal secretions cause the kidneys to reabsorb fluids meant for urine production. This causes strain on the kidneys, most especially if you do not increase your level of water consumption that can eventually contribute to auto regulation.

The general increase in fluids cause an increase of blood volume, pressure, and heart activity. It also causes bloating.

There is a good chapter in this book (page 122) detailing more relationships of blood pressure and the renal functions.

I have to note that natural sea salt that is natural has a cooling effect on the body and contains many minerals, and women will tell you (we know these things) that it does not cause nearly as much water retention as processed salts.

You may choose to stress your body out by eating constantly overly salty food (very common in commercial establishments) and try to counteract it with medicine. Do note that most medicines cannot address the full spectrum of body/organ interactions taking place, some merely address one part of that. Over the long term you will still feel effects.

Like I've said before, learn to listen to the small clues of your body (without being hypochondriac). Do you bloat after eating salt? Does your thinking become unclear, do you get parched? What is the appropriate level for you? Take your most optimum feeling, and observe from there. People have very different ways of reacting to food based on their constitution, needs, sensitivities. To read about bad effects is not as powerful as genuinely knowing that something causes you to feel a certain way, then you can more easily make a decision about your food.