Paleo Diet: Raw Paleo Diet and Lifestyle Forum

Raw Paleo Diet Forums => Hot Topics => Topic started by: TylerDurden on July 31, 2011, 07:41:58 am

Title: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: TylerDurden on July 31, 2011, 07:41:58 am
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8668148/Cutting-salt-intake-can-reduce-stroke-risk.html
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: klowcarb on August 01, 2011, 04:35:11 am
I love adding my sea salt!
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: Dorothy on August 01, 2011, 09:17:24 am
I wish these articles would use the words "sodium chloride" if they mean the crap that is called "table salt". It's just not the same thing as whole salt without all the minerals stolen from it - which is what they usually do - to sell in pills - and then sell with the label "salt" or "sea salt". "Whole salt" can lower blood pressure and make the heart function better because of the balance of minerals including all those trace minerals. Sodium chloride and what is usually sold as sea salt is not salt to me. They are examples those man-made mutant horror foods.... no different than white vinegar, mineral oil, saccharin etc.  .   
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: raw-al on August 06, 2011, 11:29:29 pm
A close friend was drinking one of those small juice bottles with V8 juice in it for lunch on a regular basis till he got his pilot medical and the Doc told him he had high BP.

He eliminated various things from his diet and then discovered it was the "healthy" V8 juice. Apparently it is loaded with sodium chloride.

Having said that some people need salt with their diet. However Dorothy that is interesting the distinctions in the varieties of salt.

I can't stand the stuff in any form. It makes me sick. My sisters used to eat lots of it and both ended up with premature grey hair, which is what Ayurveda says will happen.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: cliff on August 07, 2011, 07:43:31 pm
I wish these articles would use the words "sodium chloride" if they mean the crap that is called "table salt". It's just not the same thing as whole salt without all the minerals stolen from it

Sea salt is around 98-99% sodium chloride.  Some sea salts contain caustic elements as well.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: Dorothy on August 12, 2011, 01:08:49 am
Agreed Cliff. There are probably better ways to get those few trace minerals and there are negatives, but the way that most people eat they are so deficient in the trace minerals that a whole salt can be beneficial sometimes. Sodium also is necessary - depending a lot on what you eat. People that eat a great deal of plant matter, like herbivores, do need the stuff. Deer will risk their lives to get to a salt lick and every farmer knows the importance of providing a salt block for the cattle. I betcha that most of the people here don't feel nearly as attracted to eating salt as the standard eater. I tend to think that the problem is more with the diets in general than with whole salt and if you are going to eat salt at least get those trace minerals! They are a very tiny component, but a vital one. Your points are very well-taken. I doubt on a paleo diet if much if any salt would be needed.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: raw-al on August 12, 2011, 10:25:29 pm
I think it would be safe to say that trace minerals can be gotten from a variety of sources. Probably including dirty fingers. I've picked up a salt shaker twice. The first and the last.

Meat contains salt in a form that is easier to take.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: Dorothy on August 13, 2011, 07:18:35 am


Meat contains salt in a form that is easier to take.

Yes, yes - of course - especially if raw it's quite digestible. My point is that all these studies regarding salt and high blood pressure and heart disease are about people that eat a high carbohydrate diet. Heart doctors these days tell people to stop eating meat and fat along with removing all salt from the diet....... and to eat more vegetables and salads. Telling them to stop eating salt and more greens is a horrible combination. Any studies that are done are also done with NaCl without any of the trace minerals intact.

None of it would really apply to a paleo diet - but man - the harm they are doing to people in general is really a shame.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: raw-al on August 13, 2011, 07:30:57 am
There is so much conflicting, confusing, opposing, nonsense out there on diet, that it is difficult to talk to people about it because they have either reached information overload or they have read some diet book that said this or that.

You hear "eat veges for fibre", then someone writes a book on how fibre is destroying people.

You cannot discuss with people. They have to find out for themselves.

My background is Ayurveda which acts as my filter for information.

The problem with "science" and "research" is that it is typically funded by someone selling something.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: Dorothy on August 15, 2011, 01:32:34 am
There is so much conflicting, confusing, opposing, nonsense out there on diet, that it is difficult to talk to people about it because they have either reached information overload or they have read some diet book that said this or that.

You hear "eat veges for fibre", then someone writes a book on how fibre is destroying people.

You cannot discuss with people. They have to find out for themselves.

My background is Ayurveda which acts as my filter for information.

The problem with "science" and "research" is that it is typically funded by someone selling something.

Exactly. Money. That's the whole problem in a nutshell. The big question is how will people find out for themselves? Most people do not have a clue to go anywhere else but to their doctor who is funded by the pharmaceutical companies and have to be on medications and feel miserable for the rest of their lives. At least there is a place like this where people can talk directly to other people that have healed themselves. I think we can discuss. People are suffering, modern medicine isn't working and people are searching. I read a while back that 75% of Americans have used some form of alternative healing modality and diets are an American obsession. People want to hear what has worked for real people that they can talk to more than someone selling a book. There is a tremendous upsurgence in interest in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine. I for one would LOVE to hear how Ayurveda views salt if you would care to share your knowledge.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: klowcarb on August 15, 2011, 11:47:18 pm
I doubt on a paleo diet if much if any salt would be needed.

You doubt incorrectly. I am paleo VLC and a recreational bodybuilder/figure athlete. I need extra salt. I use sea salt with iodine. I feel much better with it.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: Dorothy on August 16, 2011, 12:29:27 am
How much do you use klow? Do you feel that it is connected to your body-building in some way? Is it regular table salt with the iodine added or a whole salt? I have wanted to put Edmonds salt on my raw meat/egg yolk too - tastes good - but then I still eat salad. Do others here that don't eat greens feel like they want/need salt?

Do you compete professionally klow? That's so cool.  O0

Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: magnetic on August 16, 2011, 07:32:16 pm
How much do you use klow? Do you feel that it is connected to your body-building in some way? Is it regular table salt with the iodine added or a whole salt? I have wanted to put Edmonds salt on my raw meat/egg yolk too - tastes good - but then I still eat salad. Do others here that don't eat greens feel like they want/need salt?

Do you compete professionally klow? That's so cool.  O0



I have been adding a tsp of salt to my diet, but not to my food. I eat the salt by itself, or wash it down with mineral water. I use Himalayan Pink sea salt from the Real Food Trading Company. I only started adding it when eating raw zero carb. It, along with mineral water, maintains electrolyte balance. My mineral water contains 365ppm calcium, and I consume 2-3 bottles a day. I would add salt even if I ate greens or fruits, which I may introduce in the future, but perhaps less. I think salt was a normal part of the diet of paleolithic man, just not large quantities of refined, processed table salt.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: Dorothy on August 17, 2011, 01:08:21 am
Klow - I apologize - I just saw that you said "recreational" - so you wouldn't be professional.

But still - really cool.  O0 

Mag - fat always tastes good with salt to me. I'm glad that it's part of the paleo diet because even though I can imagine no longer eating vegetables, I can't imagine my life without salt.

You bring up a good point too - my water is reverse osmosis and therefore devoid of natural minerals.   

Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: klowcarb on August 17, 2011, 11:55:27 pm
No, I don't compete or plan to, but bodybuilding is my life, my most wonderful hobby. It is a joy to me.

I use Real Salt with iodine from Whole Foods. I eat one meal a day, so I just dump a bunch on it. I have sometimes taken salt during the day, but rarely.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: Wolf on August 19, 2011, 08:19:58 pm
I eat a diet of mostly raw animal foods and fruit.  I seem to do fine when I don't eat any salt at all, although I usually include an ounce or two of raw cheese in my diet everyday, which is about impossible to find unsalted cheese.  However, last week, I did not buy any cheese, nor the week before that I don't think.. so I've gone a little while without salt, and still felt the same.  I also only drink Fiji water, no other water.  I bought some Himalayan Pink salt, The real food trading company brand, and the salt is pretty delicious, but I rarely eat it.  I have also noticed that my cheese often tastes overly salty to me.  I bought some cheese this week, but it is lightly salted raw cheese, and doesn't taste anywhere near as salty as the other cheese I normally get.  Otherwise, my diet lately has consisted mostly of grass-fed beef top sirloin steak, grass-fed beef liver, I had some grass-fed  beef bone marrow that lasted me about a week but now it's gone so I'm eating more dairy to make up for the fat, raw grass-fed whole milk, raw grass-fed butter, raw grass-fed cream, raw honey, organic dates, organic watermelon, organic strawberries, organic blueberries, and organic fuji apples.  I am also fasting for Ramadan, so for this entire month (other than for 5 days during my period) I have only eaten at night, and have not eaten from sun up to sun down.  And I usually break my fast at night with water and dates, then my other fruits.. and I eat my animal foods closer to sunrise.  So I suppose my salt intake is pretty low, and I think I would feel fine with cutting out any added salt altogether, which I have been trying to do this month for Ramadan.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: magnetic on August 20, 2011, 07:38:04 pm
Mag - fat always tastes good with salt to me. I'm glad that it's part of the paleo diet because even though I can imagine no longer eating vegetables, I can't imagine my life without salt.

You bring up a good point too - my water is reverse osmosis and therefore devoid of natural minerals.   

I never add salt to my food, I prefer it without any added flavor or seasonings. But I do like eating the salt by itself. In the wild, humans would have come across natural deposits of salt and eaten/licked it. Also, I am not eating much seafood these days.

A solution to buying mineral water is making your own: http://www.scientificpsychic.com/health/mineral-water.html (http://www.scientificpsychic.com/health/mineral-water.html). I have not tried it but it would be better than drinking purified water, which will leach salts (Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium) out of the body.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: raw-al on August 21, 2011, 09:11:32 am
You doubt incorrectly. I am paleo VLC and a recreational bodybuilder/figure athlete. I need extra salt. I use sea salt with iodine. I feel much better with it.
So you do not eat any non paleo foods/supplements?
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: klowcarb on August 21, 2011, 09:16:02 am
So you do not eat any non paleo foods/supplements?

I eat grassfed butter (no other dairy), but I consider myself VLC primal really. But nothing else. Did you have something in mind?
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: raw-al on August 21, 2011, 10:44:16 am
I eat grassfed butter (no other dairy), but I consider myself VLC primal really. But nothing else. Did you have something in mind?
Oops!  ;D I must be confusing you with someone else. I thought there was a reference to eating supplements related to bodybuilding.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: raw-al on August 22, 2011, 09:40:32 am
I eat grassfed butter (no other dairy), but I consider myself VLC primal really. But nothing else. Did you have something in mind?
You mentioned that you eat canned mackerel. That's cooked.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: klowcarb on August 23, 2011, 01:07:42 am
You mentioned that you eat canned mackerel. That's cooked.
Oh noes! So? I am fine with rare meat as well. I guess I'm a heretic.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: raw-al on August 23, 2011, 10:38:32 pm
I have no problem with you eating what you wish and I said previously that some people need salt. My point was that you are not strictly raw paleo VLC. I am not strict either and I doubt all the posters are here.

I am visiting my mother now and I am not likely to get into a fight with a 90 year old woman that I'm not going to eat the food and cake she cooked.

I have noticed that when I stray and eat grains or other cooked things I need to do or eat something to get myself back on track.

I have a theory which I have yet to disprove, that when eating cooked food we set up deficiencies in our system because the cooked food is basically crap and in order to deal with crap your body's immune system has to kick into gear to dispose of it and regenerate our GI tract. The immune system may require a boost in certain nutritional items to revitalize it.

On that basis I tend to agree with Dorothy's statement that salt is not likely to be necessary on a raw paleo diet. Now bear in mind that this is MY theory and not to be confused with a fact or truth.
Title: Re: Salt raises blood pressure, raises chance of cardiovascular disease etc.
Post by: Wolf on August 24, 2011, 06:29:25 pm
I would think that a raw diet with plenty of meat or other animal foods would provide you with enough salts, even if lacking in blood.. although the blood would probably provide more.  I know however, that the raw beef bone marrow that I ate tasted salty to me, so I think there was salt in it.  Other meat parts probably have salt too..

Actually, just looked it up on nutritiondata, and it shows raw grass-fed beef strip steaks to contain 15mg of salt per ounce:
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/beef-products/10525/2 (http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/beef-products/10525/2)