NaCl

The majority of Americans have to reduce their salt intake or completely cut it out of their diet (yuck). One positive thing of having POTs is our requirement to consume salt. We get to load up each meal with that baby!

This chemical compound is essential for human health. It is needed in every single cell of our body.  Consuming a lot of salt and staying hydrated is a very important part of the treatment for dysautonomia. It is a key ingredient in our treatment program because it helps keep a normal blood volume because it is retained in our blood plasma.  We are very sensitive to a change in blood pressure and this ensures a more stable blood volume. When we consume salt, it has the benefits of alkalizing the blood and other vital fluids, helps retain water, and is very involved in the process of metabolism. I have heard the saying many times, "water follows salt", so that is why it is important to stay hydrated as well.

There has been a lot of hype about sea salt but why?

What is the difference between sea salt and table salt?

To start off, salt is not necessarily bad for human health, it is just the way the industry manufacturers the product which could be harmful to our body.

Sea salt is obtained directly through the evaporation of seawater.  It is all natural and does not go through a refining process. This leaves a lot of the natural trace minerals intact such as magnesium (which has many health benefits for both POTs and EDS patients), calcium, potassium, and bromide to name a few. The amount of natural minerals which are in sea salt may be minimal, but for those of us who have a hard time simply consuming food, anything is better than nothing.

Table salt, on the other hand, is mined out of the earth from salt deposits. It goes through a highly refined process which makes it 97 to 99 percent sodium chloride. The refining process strips table salt of its natural trace minerals and then puts in additives.  These chemicals include everything from iodine, fluoride, anti-caking agents, sodium bicarbonate, toxic amounts of potassium iodide and aluminum derivatives, and other additives.  Once it hits the supermarket shelves it has become a chemically altered product.


If we need to consume a lot of one thing, we should make sure it is as natural and healthy as possible.  Our bodies are fighting itself.  The last thing we need to do is add in chemicals and a foreign product for our body to process and defend against. 

Sea Salt Vs.Table-Salt Article

I was in the hospital last week to try a new medication to hopefully get my POTs in order. I was eating my lunch when the nurse walked in and saw me pooring salt on my chicken breast.  She looked so puzzled and asked me what the heck I was doing.  I explained the logic behind what looked like asking for a heart attack and she said that made complete sense.  As she left the room she was chuckling and told me I better guard my salt shaker because she had some angry cardiac patients on my wing who were on a no salt diet and were unhappy campers!

You know its bad when you bring your own salt shaker with you when you travel. 

Quot of the Day: "Be not anxious about what you have, but about what you are"-- Pope Gregory I