Salt... isn't it it the bad guy? The short answer is NO. In fact salt is a very important element in our diet but only in the right forms. Typical table salt is bleached, stripped of minerals with iodine artificially added back in. It is in the "white family" that you want to avoid along with white flour. When we take in a whole food source of salt such as pink Himalayan salt or Redmond's Real Salt, our body get's over sixty trace minerals that:
*provide essential minerals and electrolytes
*helps with fluid balance
*promotes healthy PH levels
*contains a natural source of iodine and magnesium
*improves circulation
*helps improve nerve and muscle function
*nurtures our adrenal glands and keeps them strong
*improves overall mood
Here is the kicker: salt can indeed raise your blood pressure and cause water retention IF it is not properly balanced with the other minerals especially potassium. Table salt is stripped from it's minerals and electrolytes due to it's processing. Eating salt in it's most natural form prevents this from happening. So, hear me out please. No matter what you have been told, we need sodium. In fact we need on an average of 2,300 mg of sodium a day or about the equivalent of 2 tsp. a day. We also need potassium, and a lot of it. On average an adult requires 4,700 mg of potassium a day to balance out the sodium and prevent any negative affects from taking place. Again, eating salt in its natural form keeps your body balanced and helps prevent adrenal fatigue. Our adrenals crave sodium and require it in order to function properly and often times when we go on a low sodium diet we end up suffering with adrenal fatigue which brings on some not so fun symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, weight gain and water retention. So, don't be afraid of salt but just ensure you are eating it in it's right form! It really is good stuff!
