Healthy by Nature radio show this week: I just returned from a wonderful scientific symposium about making aging more pleasant. One topic was the growing appreciation of vitamin D. John Cannell, MD will join us to discuss his new book Athlete’s Edge-Faster, Quicker, Stronger with Vitamin D.* The symposium also focused on the very negative effects of the stress hormone and how achieving normal levels of other hormones helps offset them. I’ll talk with guests John Woodward, MD and Hugh Woodward about one simple way to help that balance while enjoying some fringe benefits. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and ways to listen nationwide. Call with questions at 1-800-281-8255.
 
But didn’t they just say..

This is a new feature of this newsletter that is bound to reappear. Doesn’t it seem that we no sooner get comfortable that we know the facts on a health topic than a new report says the exact opposite? The current debate on salt is a good example.

Early in 2011 the US government announced that it was lowering its recommendation for daily salt intake. Knowing that at least some people do need to reduce their sodium intake, I dutifully wrote a 3-part series about salt, where it hides in food and ideas for avoiding excess.

Then the food fight started. A review of studies proclaimed that the studies showed little if anything to be gained by mass reductions in salt intake. In fact, they went further saying that salt restriction might increase the risk of death for some. Recently, articles published in the British journal, Lancet and one in the European Heart Journal begged to differ with that. They said that salt restriction definitely lowers blood pressure as well as the risk of stroke and heart failure.

What gives? While all these “geniuses” duke it out, let’s see if I can put the debate in a little common sense context:

Look at the differences in quantity. The European study said that the typical salt intake in many countries is between 9 and 12 g/day. Their conclusion was “Our personal view is that these patients should reduce their salt intake to [less than] 5 g/day, i.e. the maximum intake recommended by the World Health Organisation [WHO] for all adults.” They went on to say that even more gains could be made by heart failure patients if consumption was reduced to a more ideal level of 3-4 grams a day. (Remember they are talking about patients, not the population at large.) Meanwhile, according to the Mayo Clinic, the average American eats 3.4 grams of sodium a day. Hmm, wait, isn’t that below what the WHO recommends and right in the range the European researchers said was good even for heart patients? Keep in mind that Europeans have 1/2 the incidence of heart disease that we do…even eating up to 12 grams of salt a day. Could the answer to that paradox be that they eat more vegetables and way less sugar than Americans do?

Extremes. Too much or too little of almost anything is almost always a problem. Yes, for some persons taking in over 5 grams a day of salt may be overdoing it. But, likewise, the other extreme can also be a mistake. I guess the salt lobby wasn’t doing it’s job because the new US government recommendations are for a maximum of 2.3 grams for “healthy” people and a very austere 1.5 grams for those age 51+, African Americans and patients with hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease (which seems to include most everyone). Those low levels might have the unintended consequences listed below.

Everyone is different. Some persons (not all) with high blood pressure and most with heart failure and kidney disease may well see improvements by maintaining reasonable levels of sodium. However, an outdoor worker sweating to beat the band all day may need much more than 5 grams. Doctors even prescribe added salt for those with adrenal exhaustion and extremely low blood pressure. One-size-fits-all diet advice is often as appropriate as one-size-fits-all shoes.

The potassium connection. This mineral is an important factor missing from the salt discussion. Our cells need to balance sodium with potassium. Potassium is found in real foods like fruits, vegetables and even meats and fish. In contrast, most sodium is found in processed foods (junk food) that are low in sources of potassium. A recent very large study did show an increased risk of death from high sodium but also with low potassium. The ratio seems important. I.e., people getting more potassium can probably tolerate more sodium. That means that salt on a tomato may have a much different impact than salt on say, a pretzel.

    Iodine. This mineral is necessary for the proper functioning of the thyroid. Thyroid in turn is crucial for many of the body’s systems including the heart. Since Americans don’t eat enough sources of iodine  like seaweed and seafood, table salt has long been fortified with iodine. Cutting back on salt too aggressively may therefore remove a main source of this important nutrient. Processed foods are loaded with salt, but they almost always use salt without iodine. In years past, bread was a good source of iodine, but now commercial bakeries now use bromides instead. To make matters worse, bromides actually compete with iodine.

“All things in moderation…including moderation”, Mark Twain
* Find the book at: www.VitaminDsportsBook.com/

My first book : Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec & Other Acid Blockers. Subtitle: What to Use to Relieve Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and Gastric Ailments.

My latest book : Aloe Vera-Modern Science Sheds Light on an Ancient Herbal Remedy

Copyright 2011 Martie Whittekin, CCN