Back in the 1970s, three strong dietary recommendations came out that are still part of our diet culture today that really need a reframe. Eggs – don’t eat too many, which has now been debunked repeatedly. Avoiding fat, which then brought on the high carbohydrate diet, could be tied to the rate of diabetes rising and a massive shift away from the essential macronutrient fat in our diet. Fat is GOOD, of course, in balance. The third is salt. Salt has been demonized and has led to anyone with blood pressure or cardiovascular issues putting the salt shaker down or not even having salt in the house. The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) that many go on with heart disease is a low-salt diet, and what if it’s causing more harm than good? Those nighttime muscle cramps, feeling the effects of Keto flu as you decided that it was the diet for you, and your indigestion could possibly be tied to too little salt in your diet. Am I suggesting that you are salt deficient? Amazingly, I might be. As with everything in our body, balance is the goal of good health and salt, and its mineral co-factors or BFFs. If you have high blood pressure, could it be because your arteries are blocked, of course? Could it be from too high salt intake? Yes. But research and the discussion in the book The Salt Fix says that if you’re consuming under 2300mg of salt per day, there is more harm done than eating a high-salt diet with respect to high blood pressure and cardiovascular issues, as studies suggest that low-salt diets increase blood viscosity and platelet activation, or make your platelets more likely to stick together and increase the risk of stroke, or heart attack. Hmmm, yes, this topic kinda blew my mind too. While I’m starting to dive into this topic more, and as usual, taking you along with me, what I want to know is that if I’m going to add salt to anything, how do I make sure that it’s the best for me? Today on EAT THIS with Lianne, my guest has led the sea salt industry through trends and innovation, and sources high mineral sea salts from all over the world, so yes, we are going to explore the good side of salt.
Now, please know that I’m not saying go out and have more salt, there is a fine line here, and this doesn’t mean pour salt over your next meal, but hear us out today and make changes slowly; talk to your doctor (who will likely look at you like you’ve lost your mind), but it needs to be done.
But what if you could be salt deficient?
The Salt Fix by Dr. James J. DiNicolantonio, PharmD.
Reading that low salt diets can cause insulin resistance. Cutting out carbohydrates from your diet could beg for more salt going in. Then there’s the other side of salt from sodium, that’s chloride, and it’s needed to make your stomach acid, I recommend Physica Energetics Hypo Zymase to help, but what if adding a nutrient-dense salt to your diet could help your digestion and even ease your heartburn? Drinking caffeine can lead to excreting more salt. Sweating on a hot day, exercising, or even if you heard episode 153 saying get yourself in the sauna, taking in salt can actually lead to better hydration and allow your body to find that balance. The Salt Diet book talks about Chrons, colitis, and celiac patients; those with colon cancer, IBS, and kidney damage don’t absorb salt well. What if your kidneys are saying thank you as you do up your vegetable intake (a natural source of sodium) and get out of the salt shaker again? There’s definitely room for a deeper dive into this.
Stress, untreated sleep apnea, and hypothyroidism are also issues where salt won’t be reabsorbed. Being salt deficient can make you more susceptible to being addicted to foods and even sugar.
Intracellular dehydration – electrolytes can help that, and sugar is the worst. Glucose can increase dehydration more than salt.
What is a good salt? Table salt is highly processed, just like sugar. Dextrose or sugar is added, and they’re made at high temperatures. Sourcing the right salt can help you much more than you know. Minerals in various levels include calcium, potassium, and magnesium, but not in all salt brands.
You lose ½ tsp of salt on average during sports or working out. You can get an energy boost pretty fast by ensuring you have the right minerals. Sea salt has almost no iodine. Iodized table salt is iodized, and the bioavailability is low – it’s like iron in grains with less than a 10% absorption rate. Eat seaweed and fish instead.
What if eating real salt eating real food for your heart issues was the way to go?
Some add ⅛ tsp of salt to their coffee to balance out what they lose from the salt. The Mediterranean diet is not low in salt, yet it’s heralded as one of the healthiest.
If we don’t have enough salt, we lose magnesium and calcium; the body pulls those two minerals out of the bones! A low salt diet hinders your magnesium status, so it once again comes back to balance.
Minerals are so important, and with most of our minerals coming from vegetables, we could all do with more coming in via a supplement, Take This by Lianne Cell Mins is most excellent for giving your body minerals that are needed every day.
Do we have it all wrong about salt? There are benefits and a good side to salt:
1. Enhances Flavor: Salt is a natural flavor enhancer that brings out the taste of other ingredients in a dish, making it more enjoyable to eat.
2. Food Preservation: Salt has been used for centuries to preserve food. It inhibits the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms that cause spoilage, thus allowing food to last longer.
3. Electrolyte Balance: Salt is essential for maintaining the proper balance of electrolytes in the body. Electrolytes are necessary for proper muscle and nerve function.
4. Digestive Health: Salt helps to break down food in the stomach, promoting healthy digestion.
5. Hydration: Salt is a natural thirst stimulant that can help to keep the body properly hydrated.
6. Cooking: Salt is an essential ingredient in cooking. It can be used to season food, to enhance flavors, or to help achieve the desired texture.
7. Mineral Content: Salt contains essential minerals such as sodium and chloride, which are important for health.
8. Natural Antihistamine: Salt can act as a natural antihistamine, helping to reduce allergy symptoms such as sneezing and congestion.
9. Skin Health: Salt has antibacterial properties and can help to cleanse the skin and reduce inflammation. It is also used in skin care products for exfoliation and hydration.
10. Mental Health: Salt has been shown to have a calming effect on the nervous system, helping to reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Salt and the Adrenal Glands
Salt plays an important role in supporting the nervous system and adrenal glands, which are both essential for overall health and well-being.
The nervous system is responsible for transmitting signals between different body parts, controlling movement, and regulating various bodily functions. Sodium, a primary salt component, is essential for proper nerve function. It helps maintain the electrical charges that allow nerve cells to communicate with each other and the rest of the body.
The adrenal glands, located on top of the kidneys, produce hormones such as cortisol and aldosterone that regulate blood pressure, metabolism, and stress response. These hormones also play a role in the body’s fluid balance and electrolyte levels, which are important for nerve function and other bodily processes. Adequate salt intake helps to support the adrenal glands and their functions.
However, it’s worth noting that excessive salt intake can have negative effects on the body, such as increased blood pressure and the risk of heart disease. The recommended daily intake of salt varies by country and individual needs. Still, generally, it’s recommended to consume no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day, which is equivalent to about one teaspoon of salt. It’s important to consult with a healthcare provider to determine the appropriate amount of salt for an individual’s needs.
The direction of the spin of sodium and potassium ions is not typically relevant to their movement across cell membranes. However, the movement of sodium and potassium ions across the cell membrane is a critical aspect of cellular function and is tightly regulated.
Sodium and potassium ions are both charged particles or ions that play important roles in a variety of cellular processes. They are both involved in generating the electrical impulses that allow nerve cells to communicate with each other and with other cells in the body. They are also involved in regulating the balance of fluids and electrolytes inside and outside of cells.
In general, there is a higher concentration of potassium ions inside cells than outside, while there is a higher concentration of sodium ions outside cells than inside. This concentration gradient is maintained by a variety of ion pumps and channels in the cell membrane that regulate the movement of these ions.
One important example of this is the sodium-potassium pump, which is an ion pump that uses energy to move sodium ions out of the cell and potassium ions into the cell. This helps to maintain the concentration gradient of sodium and potassium ions and is critical for many cellular processes, including nerve function.
When a nerve cell is stimulated, for example, by an electrical impulse, sodium ions can rapidly enter the cell through specialized channels in the cell membrane. This influx of sodium ions generates an electrical signal that can then be transmitted along the length of the nerve cell. Once the signal has been transmitted, the sodium ions are rapidly removed from the cell through the action of the sodium-potassium pump, which helps to restore the normal concentration gradient of sodium and potassium ions.
Each of our salts comes from a unique place. Our original salts, Light Grey Celtic® and Fine Ground Celtic®, are still from France. Our Flower of the Ocean® is from Portugal. The Gourmet Kosher™ is from Guatemala. The Celtic Kosher™ Coarse and Fine are from Colima, Mexico. The Makai Pure® is from Hawaii. The Celtic Sea Salt® Potassium Pink is from Salt Mountain in Cordova, Spain. The Celtic Sea Salt® River Salts are from Villena, Spain.
Selina’s Bio
Selina Delangre is the bestselling author of In Her Element: Sea Salt, Surrender, and the Journey to a Whole Life and the owner of the most loved sea salt brand in the world, Celtic Sea Salt®. For over 30 years, she has led the sea salt industry through trends and innovation and received endless testimonials from customers who have incredibly great results using her sea salts and products. She sources sea salts from all over the world, including France, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Guatemala, and Hawaii. Her passion for providing the world with clean, high-mineral salt has grown her brand to be the most trusted sea salt available. Selina is also the mother of three, the oldest of whom was born with Cerebral Palsy. Selina’s journey of seeking healing solutions came out of her need to help repair her son’s brain damage. She ultimately began questioning the cause and effect of our actions and intentions and in turn, began to study lifestyle choices that promote optimal well-being.
Resources:
- FAQ www.selinanaturally.com/faqs
- We have a photo album HERE.
- Harvesting method HERE.
- www.SelinaNaturally.com
- www.celticseasalt.com
