Evil Mr. Salt Man, doing..... whatever it is that salt does.

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mikaselm
mikaselm Posts: 32
in Health and Weight Loss
So I'm doing really well with always staying under my calories, except I get a cheat day every two weeks. I'm always under on Calories, Carbs, and Fat, and I always drink more than 8 cups of water, but I'm always over on sodium...

What exactly does that mean for my diet? Will sodium stop me from losing weight? Will it lead to some kind of nasty diseases? Should I be concerned?

I'm just not all that sure what salt does to me.

Thanks!!!!

Replies

  • asallen7
    asallen7 Posts: 301
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    Usually extra sodium means that I will be bloated for a few days. Increase your water intake and try having more fruits and veggies which tend to be lower in sodium that most processed foods. I also believe it can have an impact on blood pressure (but don't quote me on that one).
  • mmreed
    mmreed Posts: 436 Member
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    yes sodium will increase your BP and if you have HBP, its important to cut your intake of sodium.
  • ahbach2005
    ahbach2005 Posts: 119
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    Sodium is linked to high blood pressure and weight (water) retention.

    Your body is under stress when it loses weigth so excess salt does not help your cause.

    I gain weight after 1 to 2 days of sodium laiden diet....really not good for my blood pressure either.
  • shastacrystal
    shastacrystal Posts: 262
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    My Mom so kindly reminded me the other night that they call too much sodium "The White Death". Of course this is most likely when you make a habit of over doing the salt all the time. I know people that probably consume 6k of sodium a day. Those people are going to suffer the consequences of that eventually. No bueno:(

    Like a few others said, WATER is so very important! Flush it out!!! ;)
  • NutritionDivaRD
    NutritionDivaRD Posts: 467 Member
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    Sodium helps regulate blood volume and aids in nerve impulse conduction and muscle contraction control. Therefore isolated incidences of excessive sodium intake results in edema (fluid retention) which puts stress on the cardiovascular system. Typically the kidneys compensate by excreting the resulting excess fluid. However, persistent excessive consumption may increase individual risk of hypertension. Doctors and dietitians usually recommend no more than 2400 mg of sodium per day for the general population. I think MFP puts the maximum at 2500 mg per day.

    You should be particularly vigilant about watching your sodium intake if there is a history of heart disease or renal disease in your family. I have worked with individuals on hemodialysis before. It is eye-opening for sure and makes one want to be particularly careful about sodium intake. It is not something to take lightly.

    Prepackaged and processed foods have a high sodium content (sodium is a preservative) as well as canned foods. Try eat foods you have prepared yourself and eat lots of fruits and veggies. You can't avoid sodium, but you CAN keep your intake under control.

    Hope this helps! :) Good luck!

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