Limit Salt? More Nonsensical Advice

Last week, the Institute of Medicine reported that Americans should not limit their salt consumption.

The American Heart Association (AHA) and the other Powers-That-Be (PTB) have been telling us for years to limit our salt intake to no more than 1,500mg/day – which is about one-half teaspoon of refined salt. For over 40 years, the AHA and the PTB claimed that if we lower our salt intake we will lower our risk for heart disease, stroke, and hypertension. However, there have never been any good studies showing any positive outcomes of lowering salt to 1,500mg/day – as long as there is normal kidney function.

I have been using salt as a therapeutic agent for over 20 years. During this time, I have checked every patient’s electrolyte (salt) levels. I can assure you, the vast majority of patients need and require salt. In fact, salt is the second major constituent in the body next to water. We cannot live without adequate amounts of salt. I have been lecturing and writing about salt for over 10 years. My book, was written to educate the reader about the importance of eating the right kind of salt.

What happens when you lower salt to unsustainable – 1,500mg/day – levels? Here’s what happens. Your risk of heart attacks increases 430%. (1) Your risk of cardiovascular death increases over 5x as compared to a high-salt intake group. (2) Low-salt diets cause increases in cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and insulin levels. (3) Finally, low salt diets cause elevations in hormones – renin and aldosterone – that predispose to hypertension.

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