Salt enables muslce function and hydration, which keeps the blood from thickening and causing high blood pressure and damage to delicate organ function. The solution (in most cases) is not to lower salt, because salt is so crucial, but to drink a lot more water. Studies have shown that age decreases the sensation of thirst when you’re actually thirsty, so you have to fight back against it. I recommend the book “Your Body’s Many Cries For Water” by F. Batmanghelidj, M.D. (who should receive the Nobel for his research).
Dr. Batmanghelidj’s book is a great read and it certainly was very helpful for me.
I’m currently on a diet. Figuring out my salt/water intake has done more good than anything else. I’ve found that I do est on 2000mg sodium, 4500mg potassium and all the water I want to drink.
I’ve also found that when I’m going out of my mind with “hunger”, it’s never true hunger, but thirst. A glass of water calms me down more than anything. I knew that the signals could get crossed, but not that it was such a huge problem for me. This explains the years of “cravings” that drove me nuts. Drink and eat salt and potassium and the cravings go away.
BUT, if I don’t get enough salt, I stay thirsty. The salt helps me hold onto the water and I need less. Too much salt and I retain too much water, true, but it’s harder to OD on salt that one would think. If you don’t need it, food tastes “salty” and is rejected.
I’m figuring out that my body is smarter than my brain in many instances! I just had to learn it’s language.