SALT
Is salt bad?
Is salt evil?
Does salt really cause hypertension?
SALT is ancient as man on earth. In fact, it is believed that man met salt on earth.
In the bery ancient Rome, soldiers were paid a salary known as salarium which was salt.
Salt was so valuable that wealth was measured using salt history cannot be altered.
In the Holy Bible, Salt is mentioned 47 times, Jesus Christ himself in Matthew 5 verse 13 said, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”
Salt is in abundance on earth. 3.5% of seawater is salt that is a fact. Grass, plants, vegetation and animals all depend on salt for nourishment and their growth.
Animals love salt. If your animals are not breeding, just give them salt. Their libido will increase.
But why have we humans demonized salt?
Because of our misinformation. A compound that has been consumed on earth for millions of years cannot be bad to the body.
The assumption is that salt causes hypertension.
We all agree that excess consumption of anything is bad.
This is the cycle of the assumption:
Ingest salt causes water retention
Pushes body Blood pressure up (This is where the misinformation stops, they ignore the next step)
Diuresis or water loss and excretion of excess sodium
Correction or regulation of blood pressure.
The entire process is known as homeostasis. The body has an elaborate and effective mechanism to regulate any excess parameters that it doesn't want.
Simply put, the body is not dumb.
The regulation and balance of salt mostly happens in the kidneys. Inside these kidneys is an intricate meshy tubular network known as NEPHRONS.
The nephrons filtrate, reabsorb and get rid of electrolytes that are filtered in a special sieve which is known as THE BOWMAN'S CAPSULE.
This particular capsule or space is where blood delivers solutes full of electrolytes and unwanted waste like urea. The solute is filtered and goes through the tubule where excess electrolytes are excreted or if the body has less electrolytes eg sodium, it is reabsorbed to the body.
For example,
The normal sodium levels in blood is between 134 and 145. If you consume more, then the kidneys will filtrate and excrete the extra sodium to maintain the balance or equilibrium.
The studies that claim salt cause hypertension have never made a conclusive finding linking sodium to hypertension. Similarly, these studies follow people who eat a lot of junk food and sodas, who in turn develop metabolic ailments then they summarily assume that it was caused by salt.
However, it is important to note that filtration of solutes at the Bowman's space might fail due to the following;
Obesity
Insulin resistance
Chronic metabolic ailments
In that case, it will be wise to take low salt while also reversing the metabolic ailment by eating healthy, avoiding excess sugar, refined carbs and seed oils.
So note that;
SALT does not cause hypertension.
SALT is not dangerous.
Sugar is the poison and should be avoided by all means possible.
So take salt moderately and avoid sugar completely.
Thanks for reading
Cheers