When it comes to health and fitness – the public is mostly
focused on carbs, protein and fat. But there are other
important elements of your daily diet that need to be
managed for optimal health and fitness.
One of these elements, sodium (salt), should get more
special attention. We do that here in this simple Q & A
discussion:
QUESTION: “I always hear that eating foods with too much
salt is not good for my health and fitness levels, but is
it also possible to suffer from not getting enough salt in
my daily diet?”
ANSWER: “Absolutely. For your body to function optimally,
you need at least 500 milligrams of sodium/salt per day.
It’s required by the body for transmitting nerve impulses,
helping muscles (including the heart) contract properly and
sustaining the body’s pH and fluid balance (both inside the
cells and outside) at ideal levels.
However, considering you can get that much sodium from just
1/4 teaspoon of salt, it’s not surprising that a low salt
intake is definitely not a problem in the U.S. Considering,
the estimated average sodium intake for Americans is about
4,000 to 6,000 milligrams a day – there is a higher
prevalence of too much sodium intake.
Authorities currently recommend a limit zone of under two
thousand four hundred (2400) milligrams a day to reduce the
risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
Some experts think it should be even lower.
So, what might we do?
It appears that some people are more likely to be affected
by sodium intake than others, and since we don’t know
exactly who they are, keeping sodium in check, in general,
is a good thing to do for your health and long term fitness.
An interesting note; There is new found interest in
sodium’s negative effect on bone health, adding another
reason to keep salt intake levels at reasonable
amounts(especially in women).
But, too little sodium?
Let’s face it… that’s likely not an issue for any
American.
Here’s what most fitness experts do. First and foremost -
if we add salt to any of our dishes – it’s Sea Salt – not
regular table salt.
Second – We generally buy foods that have no added salt or
- they have lower levels added – and we are even finding
healthy packaged foods that use Sea Salt instead of regular
salt.
Third – and very important – because we are active people,
our sodium intake has much less ill effect on us than it
would a sedentary, couch potato type person. We sweat more
and we use up salt as part of our electrolytes – so we
don’t give them a chance to build up in our bodies.
So, if you are an active person, who eats well, hydrates
sensibly and exercises regularly – you should not have
anything to worry about in terms of your sodium intake.
Special cases, such as family history (genetics) will have
some influence on your sensitivity to salt intake. And, for
women, your sensitivity to salt intake may vary throughout
your cycle.
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‘The Womens’ Trainer’ – Joey Atlas, Exercise Physiologist,
is the pro behind the Top Butt, Hip and Thigh Toning Home
Exercise Program for Women at:
http://www.ButtHipandThighMakeover.com
