Pilar of Salt Institute

New research shows that patients with high blood pressure are relying solely on medication to reduce their risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure, rather than decreasing salt intake as instructed by their physicians.

Patients with high blood pressure unlikely to reduce salt: More drugs needed to treat hypertension due to increased salt intake New research shows that patients with high blood pressure are relying solely on medication to reduce their risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure, rather than decreasing salt intake as instructed by their physicians.

Is too much salt damaging your brain. "A new study published in Nature Neuroscience ... found excessive salt consumption causes more than just the well-documented high blood pressure and heart issues, it also affects healthy blood flow to the brain and causes an increased risk of cognitive impairment, dementia and cerebrovascular diseases, including stroke.​"

Is Too Much Salt Damaging Your Brain? | Care2 Healthy Living Discover how too much salt can be damaging your brain-by the author of THE CULTURED COOK, BOOST YOUR BRAIN POWER IN 60 SECONDS, BE YOUR OWN HERBALIST Dr Cook

"Saliva proteins could explain why some people overuse salt. ... scientists report that people who can easily taste salt have differing amounts of certain proteins in their saliva than those who are less sensitive. The finding could help explain why some of us have a hard time shaking the salt habit and could potentially lead to the development of more desirable low-sodium foods."

Saliva proteins could explain why some people overuse salt Many Americans consume too much salt. Now scientists report that people who can easily taste salt have differing amounts of certain proteins in their saliva than those who are less sensitive. The finding could help explain why some of us have a hard time shaking the salt habit and could potentially…

Dr. Saul Pilar, Integrative Physician - THE TRUTH ABOUT SALT & HEALTH
Monday, April 24, 2017 – Noon PT Call-In during LIVE Broadcast: Monday at Noon PT http://healthylife.stfi.re/RadioShow/archiveCF.htm?sf=voajzwr
RETHINKING SALT: Integrative Physician Dr. Saul Pilar will talk about how the human body responds to salt, as well as the health implications of of this often overused spice.

THE TRUTH ABOUT SALT & HEALTH Integrative Physician Dr. Saul Pilar will talk about how the human body responds to salt, as well as the health implications of overuse of this often misunderstood spice. http://stfi.re/apyrvkj

"Night-time loo trips linked to salt in diet".

"People who wake at night with an urge to go to the loo may need to cut back on salt in their diets, doctors from Japan are suggesting.

The problem - called nocturia - which mainly affects the over-60s, leads to disrupted sleep and can significantly affect people's lives.
In a study of more than 300 volunteers, researchers found that reduced salt intake led people to urinate less.

Advice to follow a sensible diet could help improve symptoms, UK doctors said.

The researchers, from Nagasaki University, presented their findings at the European Society of Urology congress in London.
They followed patients who had a high salt intake and sleeping problems for three months, after giving them advice to cut back on salt in their diet.

On average, trips to the loo fell from more than twice a night to just one.

This happened at night as well as during the day, and their quality of life also improved."

Night-time loo trips 'linked to salt in diet' - BBC News Trips to empty the bladder were reduced and quality of life improved, a study found.

From hot chocolate to pre-packed salads: the surprising sources of salt. Some sweet products have been found to contain more salt than a bag of crisps – but where else is sodium hiding?

From hot chocolate to pre-packed salads: the surprising sources of salt Some sweet products have been found to contain more salt than a bag of crisps – but where else is sodium hiding?

New York City Can Require Sodium Warnings, Judge Rules. "Saying “information is power,” a judge on Wednesday upheld a measure in New York City requiring some restaurants to warn consumers about high levels of sodium in foods.

The measure, which the Board of Health unanimously passed in September, applies only to restaurants with 15 or more locations nationwide. The restaurants were required to have the warnings up by Dec. 1, and fines were to go into effect on March 1.

It required restaurants to place small images of saltshakers next to menu items high in salt. To earn the image, an item has to contain at least 2,300 milligrams of sodium — an amount many nutritionists say is the daily limit.

Some chains in the city, like Subway, T.G.I. Friday’s, Applebee’s and the Regal Entertainment Group, have already begun abiding by the sodium-warning rule, which is the first of its kind in the country.

The National Restaurant Association had sought a preliminary injunction to halt the measure. It said the board’s decision, which the association’s lawyer, S. Preston Ricardo, referred to as “the sodium mandate,” lacked legislative guidance or comment from affected businesses.

The measure will require an icon of a salt shaker next to menu items that contain at least 2,300 milligrams of sodium, the amount that experts say should be a person’s total daily intake.

Arguing before Justice Eileen Rakower of State Supreme Court on Wednesday, Mr. Ricardo said that the targets of the sodium rule were arbitrary and capricious. “It doesn’t apply in a way that is logical or rational,” he said.

Furthermore, he said, the measure would cause “irreparable harm” to chain restaurants by singling out their businesses — which he said might steer consumers to other places — rather than including all restaurants in the city.

Thomas Merrill, the general counsel at the city’s health department, sought to contrast the requirement with the sugary drink ban — the highly contested measure proposed by former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in 2012 that would have halted the sale of soft drinks larger than 16 ounces.

That measure was ultimately rejected in court.

“Warnings can be followed,” Mr. Merrill argued, “or they cannot be followed.”

The sodium measure did not regulate, or ban, the sale of products with sodium in chain restaurants, he said; thus, it did not harm the “personal autonomy” of consumers’ choices. It also did not require a significant investment by chain restaurants, he said.

High levels of sodium, he added, were linked to hypertension and heart disease, and, as a result, the board had the authority to warn consumers of its consumption.

After Justice Rakower’s ruling, a spokeswoman for the restaurant association said it would be exploring all of its legal options, including an appeal.

New York City Can Require Sodium Warnings, Judge Rules The National Restaurant Association had sought to halt a measure requiring chain restaurants to warn customers about high salt levels in menu items.

Starting Tuesday, diners at many chain restaurants in New York City will see warnings on menus next to items that are high in sodium, under a rule believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

The symbol of a saltshaker in a black triangle will warn customers about items that contain more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium, the recommended daily maximum. The city estimated that 10 percent of menu items will need the warning.

Chain restaurants will be required to use the symbol next to menu items that are high in sodium. Credit New York City Health Department

The rule is part of a measure, approved in September, that also requires the restaurants to post a clearly visible statement warning customers that high sodium intake can increase blood pressure and risk of heart disease and stroke.

It applies only to restaurants with 15 or more locations across the country, as well as concession stands at some movie theaters and ballparks, and violators will face a penalty of $200.

A new measure will require many chain restaurants, like Panera Bread, to post a warning label on menu items that have a high sodium content.

The measure represents the first high-profile public health policy pushed by Mayor Bill de Blasio. His predecessor, Michael R. Bloomberg, targeted soda, trans fats and smoking, and he required restaurants to post calorie counts on their menus.

Americans are far exceeding their daily recommended sodium intake, and chain restaurants are a large factor, health experts say, with the average person consuming about 3,300 milligrams a day.

Dr. Mary T. Bassett, the city’s health commissioner, said in September that she hoped other cities would adopt similar rules in an effort to combat heart disease, which she noted is “the leading cause of death in the United States and in our city.”

High-Salt Warnings on New York Menus to Start Tuesday

Q. If I stop adding salt to my food and consume only what is already in it, would there be negative effects?

A. Depending on your constitution and what you eat, you may still be getting far too much sodium, or you may be cutting it below what you require.

“There are many misconceptions about salt use and the benefits and harms of salt restriction,” said Dr. Samuel J. Mann, an expert on hypertension at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

“First, the salt you add while cooking or at the table is only a small part of your salt consumption,” he said. “About 77 percent of the average intake comes from processed, packaged or restaurant food, which can contain an obscene amount of salt. If you want to make a dent in your sodium intake, you have to tackle that 77 percent.”

Second, he said, reducing salt intake does not need to be an all-or-nothing effort, and moderation is the safest goal.

Severe salt reduction can lower blood pressure a little more in those who are salt sensitive, Dr. Mann said, but can be harmful to some people, like those who engage in prolonged exertion in the heat and run the risk of dehydration or those who just happen to need more salt than others. In older adults in particular, he said, very low salt intake can increase the risk of hyponatremia, a low concentration of sodium in the blood, which can cause nausea, fatigue, confusion and seizures.

“Some studies suggest that severe sodium restriction is harmful in the long run, while other studies disagree,” Dr. Mann said. “Most studies just don’t reliably tell us how low to go.”

“Reducing toward a goal of 2,300 milligrams a day can be helpful and does not do harm,” he added.

For perspective, he said, the average American’s daily sodium intake is 3,400 milligrams, or about one and a half teaspoons."

Leaving Salt in the Shaker A hypertension specialist considers the possible effects of not adding any salt to one’s food.

The Health Power of Potassium Potassium prevents strokes, decreases blood pressure, and saves lives. Are you getting enough?

What single item do you eat during the day that contributes the most to your daily sodium intake, excluding those salty snacks you have at night? Give that a thought for a second or two.

An article[1] published in the Journal of Academic Nutrition and Dietetics reports the results of a study called "What We Eat in America," a subanalysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Over a number of years, these investigators asked people who were enrolled in NHANES whether they had eaten a sandwich on a given day.

They surveyed 5762 adult men and women and found that about 54% of men and 44% of women had eaten a sandwich on the one day they were asked about; nearly half of people overall ate a sandwich on that day. Of interest, although the sandwiches provided about 10% to 14% of caloric intake for the day in men and women, they provided about 16% of the total daily sodium intake in women and 21% of the total daily sodium intake in men, or roughly 500 mg of sodium in the women and 900 mg of sodium in the men. As you might expect, men who ate sandwiches had a greater daily sodium intake than men who did not eat sandwiches, by about 700 mg overall, and women who ate sandwiches had a sodium intake of about 300 mg more overall than women who did not eat sandwiches.

What to Do With These Data?

I mentioned this study to a few of my colleagues, and they were all quite surprised, as was I when I saw it. What do we do with these findings? I am not going to stop eating sandwiches. I suspect that you are not going to stop eating sandwiches either. However, I believe that this may be of use when we counsel some of our patients. Ask them to think about what they eat during the day. They may be surprised that they are eating a lot of sandwiches, and they probably do not recognize or know that these sandwiches are a source of a substantial amount of sodium between the bread (which can be very high in sodium) and, of course, the processed meats. This may be a simple way for some of our patients to cut down their dietary sodium intake a bit—to cut out sandwiches or have fewer of them during the week.

This is an interesting study. It is not perfect. It was only a one-day recall, and I am sure one could make a variety of criticisms. Nonetheless, I believe that it can be helpful to us clinically as we counsel our patients.

Thanks for listening. This is Jeffrey Berns, from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and editor-in-chief of Medscape Nephrology.

What Common Food Packs a Sodium Punch? Many people eat this menu item every day without realizing how much sodium it contributes to their diet, reports Dr Jeffrey Berns.

Confused about conflicting studies on high and low sodium diets. This article will help clarify.

Are low-sodium diets unhealthy? - Pritikin Weight Loss Resort Are low-sodium diets healthy? Two new studies suggest a link between low-sodium diets and disease. Are they right? Find out from salt expert Dr. Jay Kenney.