Adding salt to water helps me

[Andrew]

For a few weeks I've been drinking salted water. I add one teaspoon of sea salt per 2 liters of water. I am not adding sugar even though this standard for hydration. My reason is I have low saliva output, my teeth are at risk, and I cannot get up to brush my teeth every time I drink water.

The salt seems to be helping me. I took notice of this on one day when I was feeling much worse., and then realized I was not drinking from the tap, instead of from the pitcher of salted water. And on another day, I felt awful in the morning, and then realized I was not drinking from the pitcher.

I still have bad OI. But not as bad as it was before. Also, my general feeling of health is somewhat improved. This makes sense if I consider that the inadequate blood circulation is affecting all of my body, not just my brain.

A started all of this after my cardiologist told me to increase salt.

 

[Sasha]

That's interesting. I put a lot of salt on my food but haven't weighed it. I think I read somewhere that PWOI ought to be taking up to 12g (don't take my word for it though, people - my memory is ). According to Mr Google, a teaspoon of salt only weighs 6g.

Are you also salting your food? Or eating food that already has salt in it?

 

[AaroninOregon]

I haven't tried that, slthough I might give it a go, but I do put salt on most meals.

 

[Scarecrow]

For the dairy tolerant:

I blend about 5 fl oz of yoghurt (currently loving ewe's milk yoghurt) with about 1 pint of water and a huge pinch of salt (sorry can't be more accurate than that). I swear by it.

 

[whodathunkit]

Drinking salted water is recommended for people who have adrenal fatigue. It has to do with the hormones made by the adrenal glands (particularly aldosterone, IIRC) and our sodium/potassium balance. Somehow the balance gets messed up when you have adrenal dysfunction. The worse shape your adrenals are in, the worse your balance of these two crucial minerals.

If you drink salted water first thing in the morning and it tastes like the best thing you ever poured down your throat, there's a good chance you have some level of adrenal dysfunction. How are your adrenals, that you know of?

Drinking salted water has helped me a lot, too. I've been doing it for years. I also put a lot of salt on all my food. Tastes good, seems to help me, and my BP is fine. The low salt craze is a big steaming pile of crap for most people, and it scares hell out of me. I believe years of low salt (per conventional "wisdom") contributed to my adrenal fatigue and current health problems.

@Scarecrow, that sounds quite tasty. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Andrew]

What I worry about is too much salt, because I drink up to 8 liters of water a day without trying. Part of it is thirst, and part of it is low levels of saliva mean I have to drink a lot of water with meals. So that's 4 teaspoons a day, or 24 grams of salt (based on the first reply I got). My concern is not that my blood pressure will get too high, because I monitor that. I guess I just worry what that much salt can do to a person. For example, at what level does reverse osmosis set in (as with drinking sea water). I could not find out about that on Google.

Anyway, I told my cardiologist how much salt I'm taking, and he didn't seem concerned. But after so many bad experiences with doctors, I like to double check. I guess I could also try cutting it in half and seeing how I feel.

 

[Misfit Toy]

@Andrew -I have low saliva output too due to the sjogrens. I always think of salt as a negative for saliva, but I know it's good for the adrenals and the BP.

 

[minkeygirl]

@Andrew look into Doctor's Brush Picks. Really good when brushing is a problem. Cheap on Amazon and eBay

http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Brushpicks-275-Count-Pack/dp/B005LF0QZI

 

[Effi]

@Andrew I started eating more salt a couple of months ago too and it really does make me feel better! Just adding more salt to my food wasn't enough, so I literally take an extra pinch of salt in my hand a couple of times a day (usually 2, sometimes 3 times) and eat it. I make sure I drink plenty of water too. The salt just on its own tastes amazing, so that to me means that my body must need it.

I looked up online how much salt you should take in order to raise blood volume and it said one tablespoon per day (=appr. 17 grams). If you eat a lot of processed foods, those have lots of salt in them usually, so take that into account too. I use very pure, non refined salt (himalaya pink salt from and ayurvedic medicine store).

I told my GP I was doing this and he said it was fine. I've been taking my blood pressure more often just to be sure, but it's never too high (I'm on the low side of normal usually).

I agree with @whodathunkit about the 'low salt myth'. Maybe some people with very specific health issues should stay away from salt, but saying 'all salt is bad' is probably far away from the truth.

 

[Mij]

I add sea salt to fruit. Try adding it to watermelon, it's incredible and very hydrating.

 

[Valentijn]

I use a "Lo-Salt" mix of potassium and sodium from the grocery store, and that seems to work pretty well. I've also been trying a commercial electrolyte mix and that's nice as well - I can often go the entire night without peeing if I drink that before bedtime!

Sugar is supposed to be essential for uptake and such, so I do add some if needed, though the mix has a bit on its own. If I'm not up to brushing my teeth like a civilized person, I rub the crud off using my shirt sleeve at the end of the day.

 

[whodathunkit]

I've also been trying a commercial electrolyte mix and that's nice as well - I can often go the entire night without peeing if I drink that before bedtime!

Please, do tell what brand. If I could get through the night without peeing (or even only getting up once or twice it would be like a whole new ballgame for me. The nocturia is the primary thing that's killing me right now, and I've come to the sad realization that it's probably not all due to large fibroids pressing on my bladder. I'm sure it has to do with my adrenals, cortisol, and ADH.

If I'm not up to brushing my teeth like a civilized person, I rub the crud off using my shirt sleeve at the end of the day.

 

[Valentijn]

Please, do tell what brand. If I could get through the night without peeing (or even only getting up once or twice it would be like a whole new ballgame for me.

I use the Elecrolyte Stamina Power Pak by Trace Minerals Research. I usually add some of the Lo-Salt to it as well. It has too much vitamin C for me though, so I'll probably try a different brand next. But the mix of electrolytes itself seems very good.

I tried the Lo-Salt by itself first, and it tasted wonderful even without any sugar But that doesn't seem to work as well for reducing the amount I'm peeing.

 

[whodathunkit]

Thanks, @Valentjin. I think I'll try that!

If you don't mind, please let us know what else you try, if it works. I'm always on the hunt for something that might stop or at least reduce the frequency of my unfortunate nocturia.

 

[Gondwanaland]

Thanks, @Valentjin. I think I'll try that!

If you don't mind, please let us know what else you try, if it works. I'm always on the hunt for something that might stop or at least reduce the frequency of my unfortunate nocturia.

D-Lactate free probiotics!

 

[Andrew]

I might as well mention this. The salt I was using is Celtic Sea Salt fine ground. A few days ago I switched to course ground, but find it harder to dissolve. The reason I switched is I'm looking for a lower cost. And I was favoring sea salt because it has a mix of minerals. But now I'm wondering if that is necessary. I take a vitamin and mineral supplement, so maybe I can just get by with regular salt, but with no iodine or silicone added.

 

[Gondwanaland]

I add sea salt to fruit. Try adding it to watermelon, it's incredible and very hydrating.

Melon with a sprinkle of sea salt tastes heavenly

 

[Gondwanaland]

Sugar is supposed to be essential for uptake and such

Yup, especially when dehydration is a problem

 

[Mij]

I might as well mention this. The salt I was using is Celtic Sea Salt fine ground. A few days ago I switched to course ground, but find it harder to dissolve. The reason I switched is I'm looking for a lower cost. And I was favoring sea salt because it has a mix of minerals. But now I'm wondering if that is necessary. I take a vitamin and mineral supplement, so maybe I can just get by with regular salt, but with no iodine or silicone added.

Sea salt has a better flavour than table salt. I can drink sea salt with lemon/water in the morning, but I can't stand the taste of table salt with water.

 

[Tammy]

I use a "Lo-Salt" mix of potassium and sodium from the grocery store, and that seems to work pretty well. I've also been trying a commercial electrolyte mix and that's nice as well - I can often go the entire night without peeing if I drink that before bedtime!

Sugar is supposed to be essential for uptake and such, so I do add some if needed, though the mix has a bit on its own. If I'm not up to brushing my teeth like a civilized person, I rub the crud off using my shirt sleeve at the end of the day.

The natural sugars also help keep the liver happy.......it needs its glucose reserves. If the liver does not get its glucose..........the adrenals will act up. To help the adrenals from stressing....I try to get something in my system every couple of hours.........a handful of berries or whatever I have handy.