When most of us think of salt, we think of plain old, regular table salt. These days, salt has been given a bad name, and consequently, many poor souls now follow a low-salt diet because someone told them that salt & sodium were bad for them and will cause disease.
While salt & sodium can cause disease if used improperly, you must know that sodium is probably one of the most important electrolytes in the body. It is thought to be the most active electrolyte, and is said to perform a variety of functions, including helping calcium deposit into the bones.
The two elements of salt (chloride & sodium) are vital for keeping you alive, and consuming the right kind of sodium is especially important because the human body cannot make sodium on its own. That makes it an essential element for sustaining life. Sodium also plays a critical role in maintaining the water balance within cells and in the function of both muscles and nerve impulses. Chloride, on the other hand, helps red blood cells get rid of carbon dioxide, sustains the acid/alkaline balance, aids potassium absorption, and helps produce hydrochloric acid for the stomach.
When dissolving, chloride & sodium are ionized and become two of the most powerful electrolytes in our tissues. If you are not aware of the power of electrolytes, just know that they have the ability to transfer electrical energy within the body due to their negative or positive charges, and also repel elements with like charges and attract those with opposite charges to form chemical bonds. Because they are able to perform these functions, electrolytes can carry certain chemicals across cell membranes and perform various other electro-chemical functions that are necessary to the well being of the human body.
Electrolytes, including sodium, are involved in these critical life processes including nerve transmission, the care and feeding of cells, stability of the acid/alkaline balance, the extension and contraction of muscles, and many others. Sodium is also an important electrolyte because it is needed by many tissues, particularly the synovial membranes of the joints, the liver, ligaments, cartilage, muscles, the spleen, the brain, the stomach wall, interstitial fluid, and blood corpuscles.
Salt, in its proper form as you can see, is very important to your health.
When people lack adequate supplies of sodium from organic sources (we will discuss what the organic & inorganic sources of sodium are later) and get too much sodium from inorganic sources, they increase their risk of developing hypertension, arthritic conditions (inflammation of the joints), edema, high blood pressure, potassium deficiency, as well as kidney and liver disease. Regardless of the multitude of positive benefits sodium provides, when used improperly, sodium and salt can definitely be "bad for your health".
This may be somewhat of a bold statement but most of us are probably not eating enough sodium daily, despite the fact that most Americans use 20 to 30 grams daily of table salt on their foods. Yes, I am saying that most people probably need to eat MORE sodium. How could this be possible? Simple. Well, sort of.
When I mean more sodium, I'm talking about sodium/salt from organic sources and not inorganic sources.
But first, what exactly is inorganic salt?
When we eat food and drink liquids, we replenish our electrolytes, and most foods from plants and animals are especially rich in electrolytes. (This is another reason to skip the processed, man made foods and stick to whole, natural, unprocessed foods). Table salt is obtained from a nonliving source, but on the other hand, living matter (organic, biochemical) contains a different kind of salt.
One of my dietary laws is the avoidance of inorganic salt consumption. While it is practically impossible to eliminate inorganic salt completely because it is in just about everything we eat these days...there are ways to strategically limit its consumption.
Now, there is a ton of confusion out there about what the words "organic" and "inorganic" really mean. "Organic" pertains to anything that comes from or is derived from a living organism. "Inorganic" means that the substance is not the product of a living organism or process. Table salt, by definition, is definitely not an organic substance.
Table salt doesn't occur in nature. It has to be refined and purified at high heat into crystals of sodium chloride, and consuming it usually results in numerous unwanted side effects.
Excess salt can damage cells, and when cells become damaged they don't function as well as they should and many normal bodily processes suffer as a result. As a dieter, the most important thing to you should be keeping that metabolic fire burning so your body burns fat 24/7, but, when salt causes cellular damage, your metabolism can take a big hit, and your ability to repair muscle and burn fat will decrease considerably.
Salt is also hydrophilic, which means it loves water...so when you consume large amounts of sodium your body will try to adjust to the higher sodium levels and will try to retain water in an effort to dilute the sodium and reduce the concentration to a healthier level. If you have ever experienced belly bloat after a high sodium meal, you'll know the exact feeling I am describing here.
With all of the possible side effects to consider, sodium can act more like a drug than a food.
So should you eliminate salt entirely?
While your doctor may recommend a salt free diet, I believe such a diet is not only dangerous, but foolish. Not only can your cells starve and die without sodium, but you could also experience problems building lean muscle and recovering after a tough workout, because it helps your body repair and rejuvenate.
Here are some of the many benefits of organic sodium.
1. It helps regulate and stabilize blood pressure.
2. It helps support your immune system.
3. It helps balance blood sugar levels.
4. It helps maintain a proper electrolyte balance.
5. It plays a role in nerve impulse transmission which helps you see, think, and function normally. (very important)
6. It reduces your risk of losing neuromuscular function.
7. It helps regulate the metabolism.
8. Research shows it may aid protein synthesis.
So what kind of sodium should you be eating?
Sodium that occurs naturally in foods contains a complex of vitamins and minerals that work synergistically in a way that differs from the activity of sodium in regular table salt. For some reason, the human body is able to distinguish between and inorganic and an organic substance, and manmade "foods" that are made in a lab and formulated with chemicals act differently in the body than real foods that come from the earth.
The body cannot assimilate salt made in a lab (regular refined table salt) and the body treats it as a toxin. Hence the undesirable side effects. In my view, we should cut out or radically limit our intake of table salt and increase our intake of natural food sodium. We all need to trust natural foods more and processed foods less.
A healthier alternative to synthetic table salt is unrefined sea salt, which contains valuable trace elements and minerals, and lacks the heavy metals and preservatives that are usually added to table salt. When I cook with salt, I typically use Celtic sea salt because it gives me the proper balance of minerals and sodium chloride that I need to function at my peak and remain healthy. The human body is able to properly assimilate these essential nutrients, and they are crucial for helping the heart contract normally, as well as maintaining proper electrolyte levels.
NOTE: Just because I suggest you use it does not mean you can just go around salting everything in sight with Celtic sea salt! This is still a salt and must be used in moderation.
Foods to avoid
Most of the inorganic sodium in our food supply is added to processed and packaged foods. Most restaurants these days are also infamous for loading the entire menu with salty dishes. As scary as it sounds, I have seen reports of some dishes at restaurants containing over 10,000 mg of sodium! Eating out and grocery shopping while trying to stay healthy and lean can be a challenge but here is a cheat sheet you can use to help you avoid foods and meals that are loaded with inorganic salt.
1. Eat whole, fresh, natural, unprocessed foods instead of processed and packaged foods.
2. Add herbs and spices to your meals instead of table salt, and/or use Celtic sea salt. (see list below)
3. Avoid "sodium side-kicks" like baking powder, baking soda, and msg.
4. Always choose baked or grilled meats and avoid smoked, pickled, or cured meats.
5. Avoid high sodium packed canned foods.
Here are a few of my favorite herbs & spices that can spice up your meals. You can use them as a table salt replacement. You'll find all of these in my fat burning kitchen right now!
Cinnamon - Helps with the metabolism of fats. Improves insulin sensitivity.
Cayenne - Improves metabolism & can aid digestion.
Fennel - Helps promote normal liver, spleen, and liver function.
Garlic - Helps stabilize blood sugar levels. Enhances immune function.
Ginger - A strong antioxidant that helps improve metabolism.
Onion - Improves immunity.
Mustard - Improves digestion & aids in the metabolism of fat.
Parsley - Stimulates normal digestive activity, improves hormonal balance, improves liver & thyroid function.
Rosemary - Fights free radicals, aids digestion, & detoxifies the liver.
Tumeric - Fights free radicals, protects the liver against toxins.
Wild Oregano - Boosts the immune system, fights free radicals.
A few other awesome kitchen superheroes you can add to your meals are: basil, savory, bay, majoram, coriander, and cumin.
So in summary, stick to naturally occurring sources of sodium that come from nature like fresh fruits and vegetables...PLUS...avoid all inorganic forms of sodium like table salt and use herbs and spices to season your meals instead.
Here's to a lean body, and a healthier, longer life. I'll toast to that.
Article Directory : http://www.articlecube.com
