+ 2 Salt- Proper levels and side effects
On this site we use many daily words. Limiting salt intake is included with nearly every piece of cycle advice. But how much is the norm? The USRDA states to keep salt below 2300mgs/day. Salt at the normal levels for a healthy adult serve many functions like keeping fluid levels in balance and sending the electronic signals through our bodies. Muscle contractions and even nerve impulses require these balances.
High salt content in our bodies have many bad side effects which are, but not limited to, high blood pressure, kidney disease, stroke, and heart disease. High salt intake also raises the volume of blood which in turn causes more fluid retention or edema.
Low salt intake also poses health hazards like disorientation, confusion,and lethargy. Similar symptoms to heat stroke which end in convulsion and potentially death. Remember its responsible for all muscular contractions.
Low salt is not as common in typical people unless you add in the folks working in excessively hot environments which can be affected by heat strokes. But in the weightlifting and bodybuilding world where being excessively cut or making weight classes for their events here comes magic in a pill. Laxatives and pills that eliminate salt from the body like Spironolactone. It was created for those with high levels of natural aldosterone in the body from kidney disease. Aldosterone retains salt levels so the Spiro combats the salt by releasing it thru the kidneys while retaining the bodies potassium. Sounds like a great way of lowering that unwanted salt and water retention. Now for the side effects in addition to low salt intake noted above. Vomiting, diarrhea, thirst, dizziness, unsteadiness, headache, weakness, change in heartbeat and death.
Fluid balance controls every aspect of what we do. Our bodies are composed of a high level of water and keeping a balance is key to proper intake and expulsion of fluids as well as ones health. Not eating processed food, reading labels, and home-cooking from scratch are the easiest ways to maintain health and control over your body. This is meant to be a lifestyle so daily strides to correct errors must be made.
Just think the next time you pick up that sugar free-no caffiene soda with over a third of the entire days salt intake. Or any of our fast and easy snacks. It all adds up and it literally means your health risks.
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AnonI had to.reduce salt.because hgh was causing water retention....i dropped.salt...drank more water.......boom
RustyhookerAwesome! I bet that got to be freaky!
RustyhookerBump
Bloated?
sodium in of itself is very important (and in fact salt was once worth more then gold), the body will use it's ability to adapt and create homeostasis.. what is considered 'normal' sodium intake is relative to the person (to a certain extent).. the thinking of show prep and reducing sodium has been proven ineffective in light of newer (and proven) science..
dietary sodium intake does not have a great impact on blood pressure. healthy young adults can consume up to 5000mg / day (quoted from my anatomy/physiology professor). having high blood pressure is mainly hereditary.
Heredity Carries a lot of weight with everything we do to our bodies. But why push it harder than we already do? It's been discovered recently that high stress changes the actual DNA in our bodies and therefore raises stress related health issues including cancer. So if stress can change our DNA, what else goes on at that same level?
Good point on heredity!
there is a great book called 'Spark' by John J. Ratley MD the revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain.. I encourage all to read this fascinating book it will open your eyes
yes tis true. the body craves salty foods because the sodium ion has many important functions. there is a happy healthy medium for most things.... stress now if that is a problem, it can be hard to correct. lol
Very correct on both! Our lifestyle is go go go. Finding relax time is important.
I'm trying to cook with a lot less salt. Even if you have the cleanest diet but have high sodium intake, your body will just retain a lot of fluid.
Great post, everyone should read.
at first yes, but if the levels are kept up the body will adjust to the higher levels of sodium and in the presence of normal nutrients and plenty of water will begin to flush over time..
I tell ya what.....when you get into a more advanced cycle monitor your bp and take that high salty diet. I guarantee your views will change. Bp will spike! That's why this forum is writren and EVERY vet and guru warn to keep salt liw on cycle.
a 'high' salt diet isn't as beneficial as a 'normal' level range.. I'm stating that the body can adapt if it's used to a certain level.. ultimately though, I would take your advice in a heartbeat. ;-)
It definitly depends on cycle and hydration as you stated. Bf%, bloat, etc all changes pressure. Keeping the safe level for me....alway have to run low salt. I don't even have history of bp but a lil dehydration and vegetarian refried beans with my fish(baked) and steamed veggies had me jump to 152/102. Currently on eq which raises hematocrit and of course dehydration can add to bp...but that lil 1/4 cup beans sure messed up my night. When im fully hydrated and low salt on cycle im typicsll around 120/90. Amazing how the small things add up quickly. Home bp monitor and being as safe as we can is about all we can do
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Thank you sir! Been experimenting with many spices to make food have zing but at a reduced salt level.
Bump
AnonAnyone know if sodium is just sodium ?
What I mean is , is there a difference in how our bodies process it if it is Sea salt, kosher salt or regular iodized table salt.
Ive been cutting way back on salt lately for my BP, and its amazing how I started to taste how heavily salted some of the things I was eating were.
I think my wife is trying to kill me sometimes, she must put half a box in everything.
I switched to using that himalayan pink salt. supposedly its better for you but who knows.
Chemically NaCl....sodium chloride....salt. And you're very correct! After cutting back on all the salt taking a bite of combo pizza was almost like a salt lick :/
That pisses me off too.
maybe thats why i get puffer face... I eat a pound of turkey every night!
Very possible! If you have room for storage then buying an unprocessed turkey breast is the way to go. Not as expensive and you know what the ingredients are. It's a great protein with low fat! Cook it up, package it and have lots of leftovers.
but what about potato chips??? I love potato chips!!! ;)
Ruffles! Oh so salty magic! Some of the low salt baked chip are tasty but in reality our bodies crave salt. I work out in the sun for my job and salt balance can be hard. 100+ degrees and sweating out the salt knowing that overheating and weakness will follow. But i'm also on cycle so any added salt and the bp goes up.
I have friends/family members who think that because they're on BP medication that they can consume an unlimited amount of sodium? And they do, McDonalds, Rice-a-Roni, Lays potato chips, you name it. Wouldn't or shouldn't you strive to get off the meds instead of taking the "fuck it" approach..... Just wondering where ppl get that info that if on medication, then problem solved???? I was amazed of the sodium content in most foods once I started reading the labels!
My mom is that person. Then watching her straight flop many time due to bp crash...right to the ER. It's hugely frustrating. Especially when it's instantly life threatening. When i was 19 i started into college to be a nutritionist. The things i learned about labels and foods can be very disturbing.
The fine print of adding salt/nitrites for color and flavor. Grrrr! How about simply cut right off the bird!
I think I will pick some of that spiro up, since I have a case of dbol bloat. Thanks!
Lol!
I've found sodium to be the most challenging aspect of a diet to regulate. If you go to the grocery store you will find a plethera of low fat, low cholesterol, organic, sugar free, etc., etc., but you will rarely find low or no added sodium. It is a pandemic in America. We have been so conditioned to consume large amounts of sodium that even foods that you would think shouldn't fit anywhere into the salty taste category still contain large amounts of added salt. The most stark reminder for me was when I went outside of my diet and ate a cereal that was mainly supposed to be chocolaty and sweet; it actually tasted salty to me. It was a major indicator, in my mind, of this extremely troubling problem with the average diet. After all of this we wonder why the rate of blood pressure issues is so high and the age of average hospital admission due to heart disease is incredibly young.
The other half of the Sodium(Na) equation is Potassium(K). They work together and the amounts consumed don't matter as much as ratio. The recommended daily dose of potassium is 4700mg+ daily. For Sodium,The Institute of Medicine recommends 1500 mg/day for most Americans. 5:1 K to Na
Have you ever seen Potassium levels printed on a food label? It's seems strange to me that the FDA doesn't require potassium to be labeled. It's a "Voluntary" ingredient unless it's stated on the packaging, "High in Potassium", Companies do not have to list the amounts.
You're very correct! Potassium is a nutrient we have to actually search for in order to get that balance. If potassium falls the body will load up on salt. So precontest folks were using potassium to override the salt and drop water. Then there's the sides of high potassium. Lol! Ohhh the balance act!
Agree! There's such a large amount of it in the foods that when you quickly do your daily add it's nearly impossible to not run over the Max before noon. :(