Now that we’re officially knee deep in summer, the burning rays of the sun are much more evident than they were before. As a result, we often exert more energy to stay cool. Which leads to more sweating and thus a loss in essential minerals and electrolytes. Usually, the go-to solution is to reach for something like Gatorade in order to replenish them. Aside from the fact that you’re overloading your body with sugar, carbs, and artificial ingredients, you’re also neglecting the other ways that you can obtain minerals beyond just taking in electrolytes. You can (and should) consider increasing your intake of salt. And that’s not only during the summer! In fact, salt should be a mainstay of your diet no matter what temperature it is. Winter, spring, fall, summer- we need salt all year round to stay healthy. If you’re not sure as to why salt is so important, then read on for the benefits! Are you ready? Let’s get to it!

Let’s Get Salty

Couldn’t resist that little title! Now, what is salt? Well, if we’re going to be technical, salt is a compound known as sodium chloride and is made up of two minerals. Sodium (about 40%) and chloride (about 60%); sodium chloride. An interesting tidbit about salt is that it’s estimated to have over 14,000 different uses, whether it be culinary or manufacturing items like computers and clothes! [1] Historically, salt was used as a currency, with many countries going to war over it. The word “salary” actually comes from salt! [2] While that’s not the case today, what we do know about salt when it comes to the human body is that it’s very essential.

To start, our body can use salt to maintain an optimal balance of fluid and sodium. This balance is important for our kidneys, liver, heart, and blood. [2] Low levels of sodium can cause hyponatremia, muscle twitches, dizziness, confusion, low energy, and seizures. High levels of sodium, however, are associated with kidney stones, hypertension (high blood pressure), osteoporosis, stroke, and heart disease. So, our body walks a fine line when it comes to sodium. It requires a balancerather than an extreme in either direction in order to remain healthy. [2]

When sodium remains balanced, it supports our health in a number of ways. Our nervous system depends on adequate amounts in order to send and receive signals. [3] Our muscles are less likely to cramp whenever there’s enough of it and other electrolytes. [4] In fact, our entire body from our cells to our tissues and muscles require both fluid (water) and sodium; it’s not one or the other! [5] There are even situations when having enough salt is crucial for survival, like cystic fibrosis. In this case, you wind up losing even moresalt than the average population. You run multiple risks if you’re not on top of your hydration game! [6] If that wasn’t enough reason to pay attention to salt, consider your toilet habits. Did you know that low levels of sodium contribute to harder to pass stool? Simply put, you get constipated. Sometimes all it takes is a bit of sodium to help get things going again! That’s because the source of your issue could be related to your hydration or fluid balance. Bringing it back to normal could therefore soften and encourage easier evacuation. [7] [8]

Causes of Sodium Imbalance

Now that we’ve gotten to know more about salt, let’s cover the many reasons why you could be experiencing an imbalance. Remember, this imbalance can swing in either direction. There could be either an excess or deficiency; neither of which look very pretty!

The common causes of sodium imbalances include:

• Over or undereating salt(especially in processed foods; you could be eating too many high sodium condiments, broths or stocks, soups, canned foods, processed deli meats like salami, etc. Don’t forget that fast or takeout foods are notoriously high in excess sodium! On the flipside, if you’re skimping on salt by opting for low sodium diet products or barely include it all in your cooking, then you also may not be getting enough.)
• Overdosing on electrolyte supplements(if you don’t sweat enough, are not following a ketogenic diet, are not active or have a pre-existing condition that could affect your sensitivity to salt and already get enough from food, then you may be overdosing on sodium from supplements)
• Neglecting hydration(however, if you live in a hot or humid climate, live an active lifestyle, use a sauna, consume a low very low carb or ketogenic diet, then failure to manage hydrationcan be dangerous)
• Drinking too much water(remember what I wrote before on our body; it’s working to balance sodium and fluid- water-, so by drinking too much you’re tipping the scales over to an extreme)
• Drinking too little water (see above)
• Diarrhea, fever or vomiting
• Antidepressants and pain medications may also affect sodium levels
• Laxative or diuretic abuse
• Kidney disease or failure
• Liver disease
• Drugs (i.e., Ecstasy)
• Congestive heart failure
• Diabetes
• Disorders in the adrenal glands like Addison’s disease
• Cushing’s syndrome (high cortisol levels)
• Age(the older you get, the higher the susceptibility to sodium imbalances)

[9] [10]

Where to Get Salt

While the bulk of salt in modern diets is derived from processed and fast foods, for those of us who choose to mostly adhere to a whole foods diet, salt can be obtained quite easily. The obvious is the straight up source. I recommend opting for things like Celtic, Himalayan Pink, and Sea Salt. All three contain trace amounts of minerals in addition to sodium. [11] The reason I don’t recommend regular table salt is that oftentimes it’s laced with anti-caking agents that are added to prevent clumping. Not to mention the fact that it’s been stripped of its trace minerals, making it close to 97% pure sodium. [12] If you’re deficient in iodine or don’t get enough sources of it in your diet, iodized salt may be beneficial. Conversely, if you have a diagnosed thyroid disorder like thyroiditis or hyperthyroidism, you may want to avoid iodized salt. [12]
So, even though the main point of consuming salt is for its sodium content, the former recommendations I gave are preferred simply for the fact that they haven’t been refined and mixed with other ingredients like pure table salt. You can also get salt in varying degrees in miso (fermented soy paste), pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, celery, eggs, and milk. [13] Soups, broths, dressings, and sauces can all contain plenty of salt from the types I recommend depending on the manufacturer.

And there you have it, everyone! A look into the benefits of salt. To address the elephant in the room, yes, there are side effects of excess salt. And the debate continues as to whether or not we need to reduce or increase our intake. For the purpose of today’s post though, I simply wanted to highlight the importance of sodium. In my opinion, it’s all about balance. We need to understand something before demonizing it. As you can see, salt plays an important role in maintaining good health!

(By the way, since it’s summer, here’s a hydrating Sole Water recipe that’s basically a homemade electrolyte drink. Head over there and let me know if you’re going to try it!)

Sources:

[1] https://www.saltassociation.co.uk/education/salt/
[2] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/146677.php
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28922053
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3445088/
[5] https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/diet/salt-health-benefits-risks-types-how-cut-back-more/
[6] https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/154917/paeds_saltrplcment.pdf
[7] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/432726
[8] https://www.naturopathic.org/content.asp?contentid=280
[9] https://www.healthline.com/health/hyponatremia#diagnosis
[10] https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/hormonal-and-metabolic-disorders/electrolyte-balance/hypernatremia-high-level-of-sodium-in-the-blood
[11] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/different-types-of-salt#sea-salt
[12] https://theecologist.org/2009/may/01/what-type-salt-best
[13] https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/there-foods-naturally-salty-3389.html