Some questions regarding salt

[optimist]

Hi!

Some time ago I read that a user here takes about a tablespoon of salt a day, and I thought that was simple enough to test out on myself. I didn't want to go for the whole tablespoon, but actually, after taking a couple of teaspoons of pink Himalayan rock salt a day, and then forgetting it, to start it up again, and then forgetting it.... and so on - I can say that those days when I've been taking salt, I've been much, much better...

Brain fog got reduced to minimal, and physical strength got to the point that I could exercise more or less like when I was well (It has been a few years since I could do that). The level of joy and happiness has also gone up My sleep also got better. For the past months I also had increasing problems with fat, sometimes I got strong nausea and now and then vomiting... it seems that was also solved by salt...

I've realised that my diet for the last year or two had a microscopic salt level, much because I had heard it isn't needed because we get enough from eating anyways, it is unhealthy and so on.

Now to the questions:

- My fingers have become sort of thick. It is like they are full of blood, and they are kind of stiff when I try to bend them. Also I feel a kind of pressure in my forehead... do you think that could have anything to do with blood pressure? Normally my blood pressure is at the lover end of very good, and pulse is just above 50. I haven't tested it, and scheduling a doctor takes a couple of weeks...

- I've been trying to ask Google how much salt is OK to consume in a day, but that one has been hard. Any one who can supply some good info on that?


The theory behind

I am also interested in the theory behind the effects. I've read some places that people believe that the salt stimulates hormone production, and others saying it increases blood volume.

Also wishing you all a very good day

 

[liverock]

Optimist,

In a healthy person with good adrenal function, the sodium(salt) and potassium levels are regulated and kept in balance by the adrenals.

PWC's have compromised adrenal function and this sodium/potassium balance is upset usually with a lower sodium level. The sodium level is regulated by the adrenal hormone Aldosterone which in turn regulates blood volume and eventually blood pressure.

You can buy an inflatable blood pressure monitor at most high st chemist shops for about 20/25 Euros. If your experimenting with salt levels it might be a good investment as well as using himalayan salt, which is more healthy as it contains trace minerals. You can usually get it at a Health Food store.

 

[optimist]

@liverock thanks for your reply!

Optimist,

In a healthy person with good adrenal function, the sodium(salt) and potassium levels are regulated and kept in balance by the adrenals.

Should I perhaps take potassium as well?

You can buy an inflatable blood pressure monitor at most high st chemist shops for about 20/25 Euros. If your experimenting with salt levels it might be a good investment as well as using himalayan salt, which is more healthy as it contains trace minerals. You can usually get it at a Health Food store.

Good idea! I will see if I can get one! I am using Himalayan salt already

 

[caledonia]

Yes, your symptoms are likely due to weak adrenals, which regulate electrolyte balance in the body.

At one point, I was supplementing with all the electrolytes - sodium (salt), magnesium, potassium, and calcium. The sodium, potassium, and magnesium were dissolved in water and drunk, four times a day.

As I've been progressing with methylation treatment and my adrenals have improved, I no longer need the salt supplementation.

If you have the ACE Deletion gene you can be sensitive to salt, and these are the people who do well with salt reduction to lower high blood pressure.

 

[cman89]

Salt certainly can help. If you dont mind me asking, how does one consume that much darn salt without feeling terrible and with upset stomach?

 

[xchocoholic]

Optimist,

In a healthy person with good adrenal function, the sodium(salt) and potassium levels are regulated and kept in balance by the adrenals.

PWC's have compromised adrenal function and this sodium/potassium balance is upset usually with a lower sodium level. The sodium level is regulated by the adrenal hormone Aldosterone which in turn regulates blood volume and eventually blood pressure.

Tx. I've noticed that if I push myself to go anywhere early in the day, before noon, that my finger tips always turn prunish. I was told this meant I needed salt but never knew why.

Salt always eliminates the prunish look in my fingertips but I need caffeine, food and rest to feel better. I try not to push myself to go anywhere in the mornings.

I put about 1/8 tsp on my tongue and just let it dissolve. Repeat up to 1 - 2 tsp until I feel better. I "think" table salt actually gets absorbed better than Himalayan. I just know I feel better faster from table salt.

Tc .. x

 

[xchocoholic]

Salt certainly can help. If you dont mind me asking, how does one consume that much darn salt without feeling terrible and with upset stomach?

I have to let about 1/8 tsp completely dissolve on my tongue. Then repeat. Tc .. x

 

[cman89]

Tx. I've noticed that if I push myself to go anywhere early in the day, before noon, that my finger tips always turn prunish. I was told this meant I needed salt but never knew why.

Salt always eliminates the prunish look in my fingertips but I need caffeine, food and rest to feel better. I try not to push myself to go anywhere in the mornings.

I put about 1/8 tsp on my tongue and just let it dissolve. Repeat up to 1 - 2 tsp until I feel better. I "think" table salt actually gets absorbed better than Himalayan. I just know I feel better faster from table salt.

Tc .. x

So, you do use Caffeine regularly then? I do also, but aside from energy boost, I am not sure exactly what all it may be doing. Certainly constricts those peripheral blood vessels though. Brrr

 

[xchocoholic]

So, you do use Caffeine regularly then? I do also, but aside from energy boost, I am not sure exactly what all it may be doing. Certainly constricts those peripheral blood vessels though. Brrr

There are some great articles on the web about caffeine now. How stuff works was good.

I'm using appr 25 mg of caffeine from Leader brand caffeine pills. Coffee and tea make me jittery but this doesn't. It just wakes me up and motivates me.

I finally realized that caffeine will give me the boost I need to get moving. Unless I have pem. In which case caffeine is causing irregular heartbeats nowadays. And irregular heartbeats slow me down.

Live and learn.

Tc ... x

 

[cman89]

There are some great articles on the web about caffeine now. How stuff works was good.

I'm using appr 25 mg of caffeine from Leader brand caffeine pills. Coffee and tea make me jittery but this doesn't. It just wakes me up and motivates me.

I finally realized that caffeine will give me the boost I need to get moving. Unless I have pem. In which case caffeine is causing irregular heartbeats nowadays. And irregular heartbeats slow me down.

Live and learn.

Tc ... x

So, you use caffeine, but the exercise still causes problems? Hmmm I see. Why do you think the pills make you less jittery than the drink?

 

[xchocoholic]

So, you use caffeine, but the exercise still causes problems? Hmmm I see. Why do you think the pills make you less jittery than the drink?

I'm not sure what you're asking.

Pem is post exertional malaise. Exercise intolerance is the inability to exercise. If I don't have pem I can take caffeine and it helps me run errands, go for walks, do my laundry, etc.

If I have pem taking caffeine is causing irregular heartbeats.
I don't feel well exerting myself when my heart is beating irregularly. From what I've seen it's mostly skipping beats.

Coffee has appr 1000 chemicals in it. Something other than caffeine or in addition to the caffeine in coffee makes me jittery. If you google coffee chemicals you'll see this.

Sozo coffeeberry helped me discover this. I don't react as badly to this 1 coffee and I've tried many organic gluten free coffees.

Kombucha tea doesn't make me jittery either and it has caffeine. It makes me tipsy tho. Lol. I finally gave it up.

Tc .. x

 

[optimist]

@cman89 I just stir it in water till it dissolves and drink it straight If you ever drank raw eggs, you do it the same way, haha. But, after a couple of days I got so used that I hardly notice the repulsive notion one gets.

Anyways, I got a blood pressure monitor now, and I've got 121/74, which I think is fine...

I also grabbed a jar of Potassium (we call it Kalium here). From long I've been on 400mg of Magnezium already. Calsium I get plenty of through eating cream with berries.

I likewise get a good boost of coffe. My problem is that even if I only drink at breakfast, I can get insomnia in the evening... so I have to regulate it according to how fatigued I am that day.

 

[optimist]

I also have a theory that the bitterness of coffe stimulates gall (bile?) production and helps with digesting fats, but I have yet to read some supportive material on it

 

[xchocoholic]

@cman89 I just stir it in water till it dissolves and drink it straight If you ever drank raw eggs, you do it the same way, haha. But, after a couple of days I got so used that I hardly notice the repulsive notion one gets.

This hurts my esophagus and causes stomach spasms. I'm not sure how prevalent this is here tho.

Tc .. x

 

[optimist]

This hurts my esophagus and causes stomach spasms. I'm not sure how prevalent this is here tho.

Tc .. x

Sorry about that! Do you have sores in the esophagus then?

 

[optimist]

And one more question: Now that I took another dose, I remember that I also get super hot... I am actually starting to sweat.

 

[xchocoholic]

Sorry about that! Do you have sores in the esophagus then?

I'm not sure now but prior endoscopies showed irritation. My chronic allergies keep my esophagus inflamed.

 

[optimist]

I'm not sure now but prior endoscopies showed irritation. My chronic allergies keep my esophagus inflamed.

I can sort of relate to how you feel... a few years ago I swallowed too hot food to the extent that I got a burn somewhere in the esophagus. Then the following days I had to put all my food in a blender with liquid and drink it, because eating solid was too painful. I remember I made myself two slices of bread with cheese and a glass of milk, then put I it all in the blender and drank it, haha. It was sort of nauseating, but I am not to picky when it comes to these things, though I guess many people would find me sort of mad for doing so, ahahaha So, I am sorry you have live with that every day...

 

[xchocoholic]

And one more question: Now that I took another dose, I remember that I also get super hot... I am actually starting to sweat.

Thanks to your post, I'm salt loading right now too. I keep forgetting how much better I feel when I do this.

I'm only taking 1/8 tsp at a time and I've had 2 servings in the last 30 minutes. I'm feeling warmer too. My fingers tips are fatter. And my hands feel stiff. I know this will pass tho.

Is this from increased fluid retention and how it affects digestion ? @liverock

 

[optimist]

Thanks to your post, I'm salt loading right now too. I keep forgetting how much better I feel when I do this.

I'm only taking 1/8 tsp at a time and I've had 2 servings in the last 30 minutes. I'm feeling warmer too. My fingers tips are fatter.

Is this from increased fluid retention and how it affects digestion ?

I too keep forgetting... sort of annoying My memory used to be very good before, but now I am like an old man Interesting that you feel the same in regards to feeling better, warmer and getting thick fingers...