Does anyone know if you can use too much of the sea salt? I asked my coach and she was unsure of this question and said she didn't think so. I love it and I know it's better than processed salt, but didn't know if I was using too much of a good thing. Any thoughts? Thanks!!

I'm sure there's probably a limit, but I don't know what it is... I started out using 1/2 tsp. per day, then increased to a whole tsp... somewhere along the line, I thought maybe that was too much (I don't remember why), so I dropped back to 1/2... I started feeling dizzy every day & finally connected it to the decreased salt intake... so I upped it again to 3/4 tsp. & the dizziness stopped... so now, I usually have somewhere between 3/4 tsp. & 1 tsp... it works for me, keeps me from being dizzy, but doesn't seem to cause any water retention... remember, though, everybody's bodies are different... I think you'll just have to experiment to see what works best for you... if you find the answer to your question, please let us know...

hugs

Thank you for the reply. Honestly, I guess I need to measure to see just how much I use. I just sprinkle it on there, but I am certain it's more than a tsp. I will let you know if I find the answer.

In general all guidelines across multiple countries fall between 1500mg and 2200mg with the low 2000 being the Upper limit for salt intake.

1/2 tsp is between 750 and 1000mg of sodium depending on the salt and grain size.

I bought an inexpensive salt shaker at the dollar store and each morning I measure out 3/4 tsp (like Aunt Sheshie I do best with a bit more. In my case it is because I have low blood pressure.). I use that during the day for my food and cooking. If at the end of the day it is not gone, I mix it in water and drink it down!


More information you may find interesting is here:

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/...2?quantity=2.0

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sea-salt/AN01142

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09354.html


http://www.livestrong.com/article/29...o-much-sodium/

As a side note, too much sodium will cause cramping, the kidneys will have to work harder (first evidenced by increasing blood pressure) and fluid retention.

If you eat the soup each day, check out the sodium in that. I don't have a box handly, but it is one of the higher sodium products.

Thank you! I think I had better make myself measure it for sure. I like your idea of a separate salt shaker and I am going to do the same. I was especially concerned when I read that it takes calcium out of your body. I am menopausal and my Dr. said I need more calcium, so I sure don't want to jeoporadize the calcium that I'm getting. Thanks so much for your input and the websites!!

Also, I appreciated your post yesterday concerning the effect of meds, both prescription and over the counter. I woke up yesterday with major hip pain and took ibuprofen all day to get through the day. Then, although I knew better, I weighed this morning and sure enough had gained 2 lbs!! Based on how many times I have been to the restroom today....I think all the fluid retention is gone! Thanks again!!

Sometimes we have to be able to balance our body needs, the realities of our condition with our image of what our body can be. Knowing how medicines can effect us can helps us to understand and reconcile how we may lose and how we may have to accept our body appearance as limited by other illness we must manage. That is to say, if you can't get off of specific medicines at least you won't feel like you must be doing something wrong when the water weight wants to hang on or the pounds like to drop off slowly.

Overall health and comfort is as important as, or more so, than fitting into an exact pant size.

I'm glad this was helpful. As PxlKitty says, try to get the sodium content for the packets you regularly eat, you will find we do get plenty of sodium in our foods if you are choosing the right ones.

Thank you for the tip and I will definitely do that. I eat the soups almost everyday!! yikes

From SportsGeezer...

Rethinking The Salt Taboo

Readers may recall that just over a year ago, the American Heart Association called for all Americans to cut their salt intake from an average of 10 grams a day to 3.8 grams a day. The same day the AHA sounded that warning, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study claiming that a reduction in salt intake of 3 grams per day would save 194,000 to 392,000 quality-adjusted life-years and $10 billion to $24 billion in health care costs annually. But now comes a Belgian study, just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, claiming that healthy people who eat the least amount of sodium don’t have any health advantage over those who eat the most. In fact, they had slightly higher death rates from heart disease. The Boston Globe reports on the study, and points out that while eating less salt has been shown to modestly lower blood pressure in people with hypertension, more than a dozen studies since the mid-1990s have reached conflicting conclusions about whether lowering salt intake helps healthy people avoid high blood pressure and its serious consequences: heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. What to do? Take it all with a grain of salt.

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hugs

IMHO, the question isn't strictly how much salt is in your diet but, how balanced are the nutrients/minerals/electrolytes (as you will) within your diet. When these elements are out of appropriate balance to each other there can be equally as much damage as not having enough or, having too much.

Perhaps the problem isn't just having too much sodium but, not having and appropriate balance of potassium, magnesium, or calcium RELATIVE to that sodium?

Just a postulation.

I'm glad this was helpful. As PxlKitty says, try to get the sodium content for the packets you regularly eat, you will find we do get plenty of sodium in our foods if you are choosing the right ones.[/QUOTE]


I have been using the sea salt as a "free food" as I am a salt junkie! Not to mention if I get any kind of craving, first thing I do is have a finger licks worth of salt to help it go away. I know I get more than my quantity of water daily and am in the bathroom about every 90 minutes so I assumed it was affecting me. Oh yeah and I have one of the soups for my lunch everyday. Guess I need to get my sodium in line. Thanks for the advice!