Sodium "Game"
swezeytba
Posts: 624 Member
So I think I've figured out a good way to make sure I'm remembering to supplement my sodium intake. I have a Sea Salt grinder in my desk and every time I see sodium mentioned on the forum I grind a little out into my hand and down it!
As many times a day as sodium is mentioned I figure I have to be meeting my salt requirement by doing this...lol
As many times a day as sodium is mentioned I figure I have to be meeting my salt requirement by doing this...lol
6
Replies
-
A friend just asked me how I measure my Pink Himalayan Salt intake... This was my response.
'Honestly, I don't measure it. I can feel when my mouth starts feeling drying and sorta ... sticky? As long as I'm drinking enough fluids, and drinking some water doesn't fix it instantly, that's my sign my sodium is dropping again. I just pop some crystals in my mouth, let them dissolve enough from my brain to register, "oh, salt!" and then chug them down with water like a pill. Makes a pretty noticeable different pretty quickly. I haven't been drinking broth in a while, and pickles are hit and miss with me lately, so this was my compromise.'2 -
Ha! At that rate you might actually end up with too much!
Double shot for every time someone says "my sodium intake is high, I always go over the RDA". Lol4 -
Ooh....With that post I think I'm up to 5 shots.....Just kidding......
I actually don't mind eating a little straight like that washed down with some black coffee. I'm getting such weird tastes....2 -
LOL1
-
Sodium
Sodium
Sodium
Lol sorry I could not resist
3 -
Not convinced he has anything but butter songs though....
But ignoring this thread, how is your sodium intake affected by reading LCHF posts in general?2 -
Well I have leg cramps in the middle of the night quite a bit....Ranging from slightly cramping to having to jump up out of bed in the middle of the night to get them to stop. Have them in my calves and sometimes in my toes and feet so bad that my toes will curl up. One time it was curled so bad that even though it was extremely painful I couldn't stop laughing because it looked so crazy looking....I think my husband thought I was losing my mind.
So I've been trying to determine if these are a cause of an electrolyte imbalance of some sort. I supplement nightly with a magnesium/calcium/zinc liquid that also has a small amount of potassium in it, so along with my diet I'm feeling I should be good on magnesium and potassium, so that leaves sodium.
Also going to see my PCP first part of April, so I may ask about other causes as I was having these sorts of cramps even prior to starting Keto, but seem to have worsened since then.0 -
It definitely sounds like an electrolyte problem, personally I drink bouillon almost everyday as I love it! The taste is great to me and it helps me getting the sodium I need. Maybe consider that as an option?3
-
Well I have leg cramps in the middle of the night quite a bit....Ranging from slightly cramping to having to jump up out of bed in the middle of the night to get them to stop. Have them in my calves and sometimes in my toes and feet so bad that my toes will curl up. One time it was curled so bad that even though it was extremely painful I couldn't stop laughing because it looked so crazy looking....I think my husband thought I was losing my mind.
So I've been trying to determine if these are a cause of an electrolyte imbalance of some sort. I supplement nightly with a magnesium/calcium/zinc liquid that also has a small amount of potassium in it, so along with my diet I'm feeling I should be good on magnesium and potassium, so that leaves sodium.
Also going to see my PCP first part of April, so I may ask about other causes as I was having these sorts of cramps even prior to starting Keto, but seem to have worsened since then.
I ignored the sodium needs of going keto because I could not believe I needed that much. I'd already let go of the idea of fat makes you fat, and was having a hard time letting go of the low sodium mantra that went along with it.
I was weak and had headaches for DAYS. Eventually, after 2-3 weeks, I started getting muscle cramps. Hated those. Wake you from your sleep, fly out of bed, and start hitting your leg cramps. I got them in my shin so my toes curled upwards and out. Yuck. I realized that I was no low in potassium because I had been low in sodium for long enough that my body was leeching potassium out to use as an electrolyte.
Sodium is the big one though. Take as much as you can tolerate.
I hope you feel well again soon!2 -
Well I have leg cramps in the middle of the night quite a bit....Ranging from slightly cramping to having to jump up out of bed in the middle of the night to get them to stop. Have them in my calves and sometimes in my toes and feet so bad that my toes will curl up. One time it was curled so bad that even though it was extremely painful I couldn't stop laughing because it looked so crazy looking....I think my husband thought I was losing my mind.
A great description of a very crappy alarm clock!
I used to get those self-same *kitten* cramps long before I started keto. No fun.
Any chance you're taking a statin? Quinine seemed to work for a while, but not completely. However, those gripping leg cramps vanished like a vampire at daybreak when I switched from Lipitor to Crestor.....
2 -
Wow, felt like crap an hour ago. Ate some salt from the shaker, pepperettes, couple of olives. Complete 180. Wow!7
-
For grins and giggles I tracked my salt this weekend. I've never bothered simply cause I know I get a lot. I was at over 5,000mg Sunday and that was a normal non work out day for me. Work out days I consciously take more so I'm going to keep tracking for a bit just to get a good idea of what I'm actually consuming cause, curiosity.1
-
-
Well I have leg cramps in the middle of the night quite a bit....Ranging from slightly cramping to having to jump up out of bed in the middle of the night to get them to stop. Have them in my calves and sometimes in my toes and feet so bad that my toes will curl up. One time it was curled so bad that even though it was extremely painful I couldn't stop laughing because it looked so crazy looking....I think my husband thought I was losing my mind.
A great description of a very crappy alarm clock!
I used to get those self-same *kitten* cramps long before I started keto. No fun.
Any chance you're taking a statin? Quinine seemed to work for a while, but not completely. However, those gripping leg cramps vanished like a vampire at daybreak when I switched from Lipitor to Crestor.....
@RalfLott Sorry...wasn't able to get on this weekend. I'm not on statins.....The only prescription medicine I'm on are two anti seizure medicines Keppra and Zonegran....
But who knows....They could possibly be part of the issue.....1 -
Gotcha. Still no relief, eh?
0 -
Not yet....Interestingly enough this weekend I needed to buy some more magnesium as I knew I was getting low. I had been using a liquid mag/cal/zinc option but didn't have time to go back to the same store where I got that and was looking for an alternative to get me through at the local pharmacy.
After the various discussions on the forum here I was diligently searching for some form of magnesium with the "ate" at the end instead of the readily available magnesium oxide. One of the clerks was trying to assist me and asked me why I didn't want the oxide version and I told her that the other had better absorption. She said that was strange because her doctor told her after her cancer diagnosis that she needed to take magnesium oxide only.
So did a little googling and appears magnesium oxide does have a much higher concentration of magnesium, but is the least absorbed form while other forms are highly absorbable but actually hold less percentages of elemental magnesium per dose.
Still leaves me wondering what the best choice would be overall.....0 -
@swezeytba - I can only tell you my experience. Taking magnesium oxide 500 mg, on the third day, I had liquid waste that should have been solid - WHILE I WAS SLEEPING. I will NEVER trust magnesium oxide again. Period.
I always refer to this chart or others like it when I shop for magnesium. https://bulletproofexec.com/optimize-your-supplements/ Just like everything, it is very individual.
I did well with a Chelated Magnesium Citrate (Thorne brand), but I prefer a Chelated Magnesium Glycinate (Doctor's Best brand). I have tried KAL brand that was supposed to be fabulous and have better absorption. I hated it. My body didn't absorb it well, but I know at least one person here who swears by it... So it's definitely worth test driving difference forms if you can.
EDITED TO ADD: I wonder if it was the other aminos, etc., in the varying forms the doctor was concerned about - like glycinate has lysine in it, which I hadn't known until recently...0 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »@swezeytba - I can only tell you my experience. Taking magnesium oxide 500 mg, on the third day, I had liquid waste that should have been solid - WHILE I WAS SLEEPING. I will NEVER trust magnesium oxide again. Period.
EDITED TO ADD: I wonder if it was the other aminos, etc., in the varying forms the doctor was concerned about - like glycinate has lysine in it, which I hadn't known until recently...
@KnitOrMiss .... Well I definitely do NOT want that....lol......
It's very interesting. Does seem to be one of those individualized things. I will certainly be exploring it further as even if it doesn't help the leg cramps I have noticed a difference in other areas since I started supplementing with the magnesium.0 -
I actually had to supplement sodium this morning for the first time ever, put two packets in my coffee after waking up with a headache...I mostly blame the fact that I was off my MSM most of the weekend...and salty coffee doesn't taste great, but it did fix the problem!!!2
-
I know the daily recommendation (as far as keto is concerned) is 4-6 grams a day. Should I be on the higher end of that since a bigger then most (tall too). 0
-
rugged1529 wrote: »I know the daily recommendation (as far as keto is concerned) is 4-6 grams a day. Should I be on the higher end of that since a bigger then most (tall too).
That recommendation is not just for keto. New research shows everyone should be in that range. The research I have read did not break it down by size or calorie intake. It did break it down by age, those with certain medical conditions such as HBP, previous heart disease, etc. There was some variation in where people did best, but all were in that range somewhere.2 -
@tcunbeliever I like salty coffee. lol but I also heavily salt plain Greek yogurt and I like plain salty water. I just like salt. salt. salt. salt. salt.
2 -
Remember, too, that with magnesium, it should be split into two doses approximately 12 hours apart, as that's about how long it stays active in your body. Some folks have to do two different types - one in the AM that doesn't make them sleepy, and one in the PM that DOES make them sleepy, etc. I do okay on my one type. I take 800 mg a day, and that's pretty close to perfect for me, most of the time.
That being said, if you can only take one dose, I'd personally suggest (no medical background, just logic) taking it at night, as any magnesium you get in your food during the day should help blunt the 12 hour effect... Just my 2 cents.0 -
@KnitOrMiss so you take 400 in the morning and evening? Would this vary by size of the person?0
-
100mg of magnesium/day is sufficient for me to not get not leg cramps. I don't know precisely how much i get in food but feel it must be adequate. I eat a variety of fish, meat, eggs, dairy, vegetables, fat.
Sodium? I'll supplement with a boullion cube probably 2-4 days a week. That and what I might add to my food seems sufficient. I don't add every grain sodium to my food diary but am guessing a high day night hit 4000mg.
I'll 100% agree I have experienced a need for iincreased sodium and a bit of magnesium helps. I've never been one to engage in excess except for food which is how i got fat.
0
This discussion has been closed.