Salt... please explain

Can someone please explain the exact effects of salt on the body and why it is recommended that we cut it from our diet.... Thanks!! Sar xo

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Permalink Reply by Sweetfruitlover on January 18, 2010 at 4:36pm

I hope others who know more will post, but I can say from personal experience that my blood pressure went from 120/80 to 100/60 after I eliminated salt from my diet. Also, I used to retain so much water - when I'd take off my socks at night there were these deep marks from the elastic.

Also, my mother hated taking her high blood pressure medication. So I inspired her to go to a low fat plant centered diet and to eliminate salt, and she's been able to discontinue her BP meds - yay!

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Permalink Reply by cbs on January 18, 2010 at 4:53pm

Salt is an inorganic mineral composed of sodium and chlorine. So we cannot absorb it and it cannot be metabolized by the body. Its a rock. Humans dont digest rocks! It is actually deadly to us if we consume 4 ounces. We absorb and need sodium from fruits and vegetables. Since we cannot absorb it, we must eliminate it. We can only eliminate 200 mg of sodium a day. So its stored in the layers below the skin and in our blood stream and pulls water out of our cells. So that makes us "bloat" up and increases our blood pressure, etc. But it dehydrates your cells.

Also, sodium drawls calcium out of our bones. Its also an irritant and stimulant. It burns the taste buds. This dulls your taste. When you give it up, after awhile you will start to taste more depth in natural foods. This is probably why people over time on this diet like more simple eating. There is much more to appreciate in foods so you dont need all these complex foods/flavors to stimulate and satisfy you.

On a personal note, it will drive you nuts with thirst when you eat it to dilute the toxins once you give it up and irritates my mood like crazy.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Wolter on January 18, 2010 at 5:22pm

When ever I cut salt from my diet I get realy dry, flakey skin. I'm drinking 4-6 liters of water a day so I know it's not because I am dehydrated, any ideas why this is? (I am currently still on cooked food Vegan)

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Permalink Reply by Greg Allen on January 19, 2010 at 11:41am

I had dry flaky skin on my face for decades which almost completely vanished when I went 811. Anything in your cooked vegan diet could be interacting with your salt levels to cause your skin problem. Try an elimination diet, like pure 811, for a few weeks and see how it goes? Like many of us, you may never go back.

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Permalink Reply by Full Belly Fruit on January 20, 2010 at 12:38am

I remember always having dry skin, chapped lips, chapped hands, chapped cheeks during the winter time (currently its winter). Haven't had chapped lips yet all year or any of the above been LFRV for 16months.

Im currently drinking 4-6 litres a day. Just thinking about how dehydrated I use to be and didn't know. Drinking tons of beer, minimal water. With this dry air I can't even it only fruit without any water, let alone SAD food with no water

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Permalink Reply by Rawk n' Roll Jenny on January 21, 2010 at 4:17am

Being a cooked food vegan isn't getting you anywhere. Not to judge, really, but ESPECIALLY in the dehydration department, your problem will not resolve! Aside from that, when you eliminate ALL *SALT* be sure to include natural *sodium* from celery, tomatoes and greens. Melons are also amazing. Pure blended (mono) melon is the absolute best meal I can imagine, namely for hydrating! Even just half a cantaloupe with a liter or two of water does more than countless galons of water can do. I am a slightly dehydrated person by nature, so I add celery to most of my smoothies. Not melon ones though, which are always to be eaten alone.

Best to you.

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Permalink Reply by TheBananaGirl on January 18, 2010 at 7:57pm

Hey Sar,

Salt is a definite poison. Salt is used to preserve dead foods, nothing can live in the presence of salt, not even bacteria so it essentially kills all life! Salt corrodes our bodies from the inside out, slowly killing living tissue.

Salt ruins our tastebuds so we can't taste the subtle flavours of fruits and greens...it is dehydrating and irritating to our intestinal tracts. An ounce on salt can kill the average individual.

You can do a test on yourself take a photo of yourself after avoiding salt for a few weeks , then eat salt for a day or two... then take an "after-a-salt" shot...you should be plump and puffy in your after shot because your body is now retaining fluid to dilute the pollution (salt) pumping through your veins...

I believe we only crave salt & other harmful substances when it's still circulating in our bloodstreams, take it out long enough and you won't even give it a thought after a while

Its been over 2 years since i"ve had any salt (seaweed, nama shoyu, braggs etc) boy it's a great feeling!

Hey Robert if you are still eating cooked food then you will still be dehydrated, you may need even more than 4-6 litres a day. Go 100% fruity and i'm guessing fairly quickly your dry skin will be a thing of the past...

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Permalink Reply by Trudie on January 18, 2010 at 8:32pm

This is a great discussion question, Sar, and I love reading all the replies!

Years before I'd heard of 811, I dropped 5 pounds of water bloat in less than a week after a chiropractor advised me not to add salt to anything. I didn't even consider myself an excessive salter yet 5 pounds came off immediately with that being the only change I made! I was amazed at how much water my body was having to hold onto! After that one change, my urinating was much more thorough (I felt like I was really peeing for the first time in years!! -a great feeling knowing I was finally able to expel the waste instead of having it stuck in my cells to dilute a poison!)

When Freelee says she believes we only crave salt and other harmful substances when they're still circulating in our bloodstreams, I couldn't agree more. I'm learning that the purer we get with our diet, not only do the cravings go as Freelee so rightfully said, but the tastes (as well as pure nourishment) of our fruit and greens can truly bring on bliss!

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Permalink Reply by Dr Gosia O'Reilly on January 18, 2010 at 8:41pm

There is plenty of good explanations out there. The one that works best for me is that if I put salt on my tongue, it tastes terrible and I get a little shock reaction from my body. I just can't stand it. Yes, it feels toxic. I trust my instincts.

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Permalink Reply by Andrew on January 19, 2010 at 10:19am

This article might help.

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Permalink Reply by ednshell on January 19, 2010 at 2:12pm

http://www.livingnutrition.com/article_samples/salt.html

A nice article on it here.

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Permalink Reply by Janet on January 19, 2010 at 8:50pm

When I first heard of 80/10/10 I was trying food combining to help with bad symptoms of hiatus hernia. I had already cut out alcohol, coffee and tea, all things which dehydrate the body. Then I bought the book 80/10/10 and I cut out all salt and started doing 811 for real.

I lost so much weight in the first month and it's my belief that most of that was water weight. I was so bloated all the time and hadn't even realised it. I feel that cutting out salt may have been the single biggest change to my diet and my body. At Christmas I fell off the wagon one evening and ate commercially-made hummous, salt and vinegar flavour crisps and lots of olives. I didn't have any wine with my friend who was eating the same snacks as myself and I drank lots of water. The next morning I woke up and I swear I felt like I had the worst hangover of my life. My head was pounding, my throat and mouth were incredibly parched and I really felt very ill for about two days. I am completely convinced it was all the salt in those snacks and I haven't eaten any salt since and won't from now on because I dread feeling that bad again!