Another Common Addiction: SALT

As promised in The Most Common Addiction: SUGAR, we now have the scoop on Another Common Addiction: SALT. To understand the information to come, we must first understand "What is Salt?" and "How Is Salt Used in the Body?"

Salt or Sodium?
Salt is a combination of sodium (40%) and chloride (60%) aka Sodium Chloride. 5 grams of salt (1 tsp) contains about 2 grams of sodium. Sodium (Organic Salt) is atomic number 11 on the periodic table with it's symbol being Na.

Sodium is an electrolyte (along with potassium and chloride) and is closely tied with the movement of water - as we may notice in the saltiness of ocean water. Remember, we are 70-85% water ourselves! Sodium is the primary positive ion found in the blood, body fluids, and every cell.

Our bodies must maintain a normal sodium - potassium balance which is KEY to life (and key to avoiding High Blood Pressure!) Sodium is concentrated OUTSIDE of your cells while potassium is mainly inside which is needed for normal muscle and nerve cell function. Proteins push sodium out of the cell and potassium into, thus helping the heart, lungs, and nervous system to function optimally. 60% of body sodium is in fluid around cells, 10% inside of cells, and 30% in bones, making sodium 0.15% of our body weight. Sodium is the primary intracellular mineral although it functions extracellularly when working with potassium.

A Brief History of Salt
Salt was in use long before history as we know it...

• Ancient Khemetic (Egyptian) art records salt making, salt for spiritual offerings, and as valuable for trade.
• 4700 years ago in China, the Peng-Tzao-Kan-Mu was published on pharmacology. A major portion of the writing was dedicated to over 40 kinds of salt as well as extraction methods that are similar to today.
• Ancient Greeks traded salt for slaves, giving birth to the term, "not worth his salt."
• Salt is also the root of the word Salary which originally referred to payment given to soldiers. This value may have led to it's overuse.
• Salt is rumored to have up to 14,000 uses - uses for way more than food! It can be used as a cleaning agent for blood, rust, copper, yellowed linens and even applied topically for beauty and health purposes such as cleaning teeth and treating poison ivy.
• The human species lived for centuries on a natural diet which contained less than 1 gram of sodium - Elevated blood pressure was not an epidemic.
• NOW 6-12 grams a day or more are consumed via processed foods, snacks, and salt added when preparing and consuming food.

Problems with Salt Consumption Today
Organic Salt or Sodium is an essential mineral and is naturally present in fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds. When natural foods are the only source of sodium, there will contain more potassium which will maintain balance and not lead to hypertension.The sodium in fruits and vegetables is complexed with other organic molecules, causing them to be absorbed slowly. In contrast, table salt is unbuffered and enters quickly through the stomach lining.

Sodium is easily absorbed in the stomach and intestines. Nearly 100% of sodium consumed gets absorbed into the body, into blood, and circulated through the kidneys which reabsorbs or eliminates in order to maintain stable blood sodium levels. The S.A.D diet (Standard American Diet) consumed by most Americans is in excess of sodium and must be eliminated through urine.

Most people can clear excess sodium chloride from their bodies but it makes the kidneys work harder. Over time, the kidneys may weaken from this chronic stress and be unable to clear the salt optimally. This may lead to high blood pressure.

Standard American Diet sources of Salt/Sodium

High salt diets and cultures have led to an epidemic in high blood pressure, especially in the United States. Other problems stem from sodium overconsumption such as PMS, water retention, and toxemia of pregnancy.  It is not uncommon for the average person to consume up to 12 grams of salt a day! We should limit salt to a maximum of 5 grams a day or 2 grams of sodium.

*RANDOM FACT* In China, a traditional method of suicide was drinking water saturated with table salt. One ounce of salt causes the body to hold six pounds of excess fluid. Salt in large quantities can be lethal!

When you eat salty foods the body has to compensate to maintain homeostasis. If you eat salty foods for a long period of time, as with caffeine, heroin and nicotine, the body becomes dependent on salt to maintain balance. Therefore reducing salt intake can create physical withdrawal. This is how Salt becomes addicting!

While almost all foods contain some sodium, no wholesome natural food has a high salt content. Only the Western diet of processed foods has a high salt content. Avoid foods such as these - they are LOADED with sodium!:

Breads	Cheeses	Pickles	Crackers	Peanut Butter	Bacon	Ketchup
BBQ Sauce	Chips	Olives	Bologna	Mayonnaise	Corned Beef	Hot Dogs
Baking Soda	Soy Sauce	Tamari	Salad Dressing	Mustard	Steak Sauce	Popcorn
Ready Made Gravy		Pretzels		Canned Goods	Table Salt/Morton's

***The above mentioned foods are high in both salt AND preservatives.

"But isn't Iodized Salt GOOD for me?"
Let's first look at Iodine itself.
Iodine is a chemical element that is essential for normal thyroid function. The thyroid influences all body functions such as nerve and bone formation, reproduction, speech, mental state, and the function of skin, hair, nails, and teeth.

Commercial, Iodized salt such as Mortons is overused, overprocessed and contains harmful ingredients such as aluminum and other unneeded and unwanted chemicals. These highly processed, refined salts contain no essential minerals.

**RANDOM FACT** In CHEMISTRY, a salt is ANY combination of a positive and negative ion in crystalline form or in solution. Tricky, tricky scientists...

The life from OCEAN WATERS procides the best source of iodine.

• Kelp is the most common high - iodine sea vegetable, rich in minerals, low in sodium and a good seasoning substitution for salt.
• Sea Salt is another natural source of iodine. It is less processed - if at all - than standard table salt. It still contains trace minerals such as iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, manganese, and zinc.

With good soil, (minerals are absorbed from the soil) other iodine sources are onions, mushrooms, lettuce, spinach, green peppers, pinapple, canteloupe, and strawberries.

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There is no real need for added salt/sodium in the diet. Our bodies function best with a low sodium intake. If you MUST use salt, choose a mineral rich option such as:

• Kelp Powder
• Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
• Hawaiian Red or Black Sea Salt
• Kala Namak or Black Salt
• any other natural gourmet sea salts

_________________________________________________________________

Brooke Johnson aka Brooke Jay is a Social Entrepreneur, Certified Nutrition Consultant, and Wellness Coach, for RAW! on Wheels, a DMV based live vegetarian service.

RAW! offers Meal Plans, Juice Cleanses, Coaching, Catering, Care-giving, & more!

 

http://www.RAWexclamation.com

 

 

Contact her directly at BJohnson@rawexclamation.com

The Most Common Addiction: SUGAR

Sugar has been on the forefront of controversy and for good reason. Back when sugar was first discovered, there was no FDA or USDA - but had there been, it certainly wouldn't have passed as SAFE and definitely not for everyday use.

SUGAR WAS THE FIRST COCAINE. Well, not exactly...but here's some history..

A Quick History of Sugar

• 10,000 years ago, the people of New Guinea discovered a plant that was sweet when chewed.
• In 500 BC, the people of India discovered that by pressing the juice from the cane and boiling it, it would form crystals with intensified sweetness.
• Shortly thereafter, sugar was discovered by Alexander the Great and it's awareness spread throughout Europe as an exotic commodity.
• During the Muslim Agricultural Revolution, Indian practices were refined and by 700 AD, sugar was cultivated through Western Europe and across the Arab Empire.
• Sugar was initially expensive and limited to the upper class
• Sugar eventually traveled via Christopher Columbus and spread through the West Indies and finally to the "New World."
• European Elites were hooked on this new "white gold" and sugar production became one of the primary motivations for expansion, colonization, and controlling the "New World." (sugar is one helluva drug)
• By the 19th century, more than 10 million Africans had been forcibly moved from their land to cultivate sugar.
• The addiction to sugar by Europeans led to a diet that catered to their acquired sweet tooth. Jams, candies, and processed foods came to be in addition to sweetened teas and coffee.

Sugar Today

According to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, the average American eats 20-40 teaspoons of sugar a day. That is around 135 pounds annually. This number does not reflect the use of artificial sweeteners. 

Sugar is now added to baby food, cereal, coffee, tea, as well as most processed foods which are already nutritionally deficient. Sugar is hidden in most restaurant food and fast food with salt being prominent in the rest. (Post on SALT coming soon!) 

Be sure to check the back of your favorite snacks/beverages and bring your attention to the nutrition facts. How many grams of sugar does it have? For every 4 grams of sugar, there is 1 teaspoon of sugar! Don’t forget to check how many servings are in the package and multiply the teaspoons by that number! How much sugar are you REALLY consuming in a day?

Problems from Sugar Consumption

The list of problems that sugar causes and contributes to is quite extensive but I have listed a few common reactions.

• Tooth decay – sugar causes excess bacterial growth in the mouth therefore contributing to the rotting of teeth.
• Obesity – over consumption leads to a strained liver. The liver cannot store unlimited amounts of glucose and will max out and return excess to the blood in the form of fatty acids. These fatty acids get stored in inactive body parts such as the stomach, butt, and thighs.
• Nutritional Deficiencies
• Digestive Problems – sugar effects stomach acid production and leaves food that isn’t broken down to its most usable form.
• Depletes excess minerals and leads to over-acidity in the body
• Menstrual problems & PMS
• Yeast Overgrowth – sugar feeds candida and destroys good bacteria
• Sugar Cravings
• Hyperactivity and trouble concentrating – prominent in children in the forms of ADD and ADHD
• Linked to alcoholism
• Mood swings, Anxiety, Depression
• Heart Disease

Reducing sugar and sweeteners is a positive step we can all take, but first we must identify them.
As briefly stated in “Loving the Skin You're In Pt. 2,” CHECK YOUR LABELS.

Common harmful sugar additives include:

Aspartame/Nutrasweet/Equal - Monsanto product that is commonly used as an artificial sweetener. There are over 90 different health symptoms at the root of modern disease, which are associated with aspartame, such as addiction, eye problems, high blood pressure, hives, and weight gain, just to name a few. More about Aspartame..

High Fructose Corn Syrup – linked to hyperactivity, ADHD, tooth decay, depression, and inhibits the absorption of valuable nutrients.

Brown Sugar – simply put, brown sugar is white sugar with added molasses for color. It also contains all of the negative side effects of Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup.

This sweet enemy comes in many forms and by many names. Also lookout for these:  

·      Cane sugar	Dextrin	Levulose	Polydextrose
·      Carob Powder	Dextrose	Maltitol	Ribose
Corn Starch	Disaccharides	Maltodextrin	Sorghum
Corn Syrup	Fructose	Maltose	Succanat
Crystalline anything	Galactose	Manitol	Sucrose
Dehydrated cane Juice	Glucose	Mono-saccharides	Caramel color

Breaking the Addiction

Combat sweet cravings with Vitamin C!

Consuming naturally occurring sugars, such as those found in fruits will greatly help in your journey away from sugar. Fructose is similar to Vitamin C in its structure so eating citrus fruits and raw red and green peppers will help fight cravings.

Notice Emotional Cravings and get to the ROOT of them!
Often times you aren’t even really hungry but are suffering from emotional side-effects. Notice what is going on around you and inside of you. How are you feeling? Did something trigger your urge? Try to only eat when your body is really hungry. Food is fuel, not an emotional crutch.

In 7 Helpful Tips for Healthy Living, we discussed keeping a food journal to document what you eat, as well as when, in order to find out WHY. Be specific! For example:

"Before my interview, I nervously ate girl scout cookies. I had a pack of thin mints."

or

"My plans got canceled and I was bored at home, so I ate....."

With consistency, you will eventually notice habits in yourself and can make changes in the necessary areas. This works well for smoking and drinking habits too!

CARRY HEALTHY SNACKS EVERYWHERE!
I can't emphasize this enough! The biggest way to combat spontaneous temptations is to make sure there is always a healthy alternative in arms reach. Pack fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, or even dried fruits so long as you check the label for added sugar! Smoothies are also a fun and cooling summer treat to leave the house with. Freeze the fruit first so that you don't have to add ice and dilute the flavor! Pack a salad or simply bring a home-prepared meal or leftovers with you if you don't think snacks alone will do the job. The power is in your hands!

Tell People!

Inform the people around you of your new goal. Share facts. Share food. THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. You may minimize those tempting moments if the people in your life are aware of the changes you are trying to make. It will be even easier if you can convince one (or more) of them to join you!

Be Patient with Yourself!

New habits take time, dedication, support, and patience to be fully embodied within yourself. They say it takes 21 consecutive days minimum to form a habit, so start with a '21 day sugar-free challenge!' By the end of those 3 weeks, you won't even have the same desire for it! If you relapse, IT'S OKAY! Every "cheat" is a learning experience. For that one step back, you will spring 2 steps forward! Patience - Steady Feet.

What IS sugar good for?

Learn about the PROPER use of sugar as a fermenting tool and NOT a seasoning in our Fermented Friday installment by Leslie.

If you would like assistance in breaking your sugar addiction, feel free to email me at  bjohnson@hpnl.net for any advice or a nutrition consultation. Take it a step further and get put on a meal plan with DELIVERY! Read about it by clicking our RAW Food Service tab or email rawonwheels@gmail.com for more information.



-<3 Brooke Jay

_________________________________________________________________

 

 

Brooke Johnson aka Brooke Jay

is a Social Entrepreneur, Certified Nutrition Consultant, and Wellness Coach, for RAW! on Wheels, a DMV based live vegetarian service.

RAW! offers Meal Plans, Juice Cleanses, Coaching, Catering, Care-giving, & more!

 

http://www.RAWexclamation.com
Contact her directly at BJohnson@rawexclamation.com