Salt, also known as sodium chloride, is a mineral that has been used for centuries to
enhance the flavour of food, preserve food and provide health benefits. However, in the last
few decades, salt has had a bad rap in the media.
But did you know that salt is essential for life? In this blog, we will explore the benefits of
salt, its role in the body and why we need it in our modern-day society.
The role of salt in the body:
1. Regulates Fluid Balance
Sodium is required to maintain adequate fluids within our body. It is an electrolyte that
regulates the balance of fluids between the inside and outside our cells.
2. Muscle and Nerve Function
Sodium is necessary for muscle and nerve function. It is required for muscles to contract and
relax and plays a crucial role in transmitting nerve signals within the body.
3. Digestion
Sodium chloride is a component of hydrochloric acid (HCL) which is essential for proper
digestion of food and its nutrients. HCL is also vital to protect us from food-borne pathogens.
Digestion and gut health is the foundation to our overall health. Poor digestion can affect
every other system/organ in our body, including; nervous system, immune system, our liver,
our skin!
Why the fear of salt?
Salt is in almost every processed and packaged food. The salt fear has risen as the
prevalence of processed food increases. I agree that these processed and packaged foods
are detrimental to health. However, although salt has been deemed the devil, what many
don’t understand is that if you are eating a wholefood diet with minimal processed foods, it is
likely that you are not consuming enough salt.
Do we need the salt needed in our modern-day society?
The current evidence for salt reduction is based on the standard Australian diet, which is
typically filled with processed foods. If you are a fit and healthy person, who eats
predominantly wholefoods, exercises and lives in our modern world then listen up!
Every day, we lose salt through sweat and urination. Salt also plays an important role in our
nervous system and stress can deplete our bodies of salt.
In today’s modern world, the unfortunate reality is that we all experience stress to some
degree. Aldosterone, a stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands, helps to regulate
our bodies water and electrolytes. During a stress response, aldosterone sends out signals
to raise sodium levels (prevents the kidney from excreting them) as it is needed to help the
body fight against stress.
Unrefined salt is essential to health. In our clinic we recommend Celtic salt because it has
70+ trace minerals and these minerals are essential for adrenal health and help to produce
aldosterone.
Table salt is extremely unhealthy. It is processed to remove all minerals. It causes blood
pressure issues for many people.
A HTMA test can tell us a lot about our health, particularly our adrenal glands. Hair sodium
levels on a HTMA test often reflect aldosterone activity. Remember, aldosterone is a stress
hormone produced by our adrenal glands. On the hair tissue mineral analysis, the ratio
between sodium and potassium is considered the “vitality ratio” because these 2 nutrients
are so crucial for health and have to be in the right ratio.
In my clinic, it is common to see those with acute stress to have an elevated hair sodium
reading on a HTMA test. However, when your adrenals are overworked, due to chronic high
stress, sodium levels tend to be low and can be an indicator of adrenal dysfunction and
chronic stress.
Symptoms of adrenal dysfunction often include:
- Fatigue
- Allergies
- Joint pain
- Depression
- Low blood sugar
Overall, salt is essential for life. However, it is important to remember that salt requirements
vary based on individual needs, health status and genetics. If you are wondering about your
salt intake or if you would like to consider a HTMA test – get in touch today I would love to
support you on your health journey.
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