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Do You Have A Salt Tooth?
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Is there such a thing as taking in too little salt?
Is it possible to consume too little salt? Sodium deficiency is a real condition. While too much salt is not good, too little can be just as bad. Many people who follow a weight reduction diet, especially the Paleo program, cut out eating junk food. It was determined that more than 77% of the salt we consume regularly comes from the sodium that is included in processed foods.
There is a range of salt that the body must adhere to in order to keep the body fluids within the appropriate balance for optimum health. That is why many athletes replenish the salt in their body that has been depleted by sweating. They do not just drink water but opt for water that has salt in it such as Gatorade. This helps to keep the electrolytes in balance and prevents the athlete from feeling weak and off kilter. Simply replacing the lost fluids with water creates an imbalance that is referred to as hyponatremia.
Other symptoms of not getting enough sodium in your body include:
- Headache
- Lack of energy
- Vomiting and nausea
- Irritability
- Confusion
- Cramps, weak muscles, and spasms
How to keep your salt intake under control
Once you know whether you have a salt tooth and lean towards taking in too much sodium, how can you correct this situation?
- You should first keep track of how much sodium you consume on a regular basis.
- Look for a site on the internet that lists the sodium content of most foods.
- Read all food labels and make an accurate sodium count for each day.
- Once you have an average sodium intake amount, look for places where you can reduce salt in order to stay within the recommended range.
- Don’t add table salt to your food once it has been seasoned and prepared.
- Reduce, and possibly eliminate, as much processed foods as you can. Just like sugar, salt is a hidden extra ingredient in many foods that you least expect it in, such as cookies and corn flakes.
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