Word on the street is that salt is bad for us. We check a food package and cringe if the sodium content is seemingly ‘high’. After all, it’s not good for us…right? Why is that? Who told us salt is so bad for us? 

The CDC, NIH, and USDA– that’s who! Those acronyms may not mean anything to you, so all you need to know about them is they are health expert organizations who give Americans guidelines on what we should eat. They provide the recommended amounts of nutrients we should have in our diets. 

Sooo, what do these health organizations say? And should we trust them? After all, they are experts! 

*Hypertension (high blood pressure)—> heart disease—> death*

Here’s what they didn’t tell you:

1. The small scale study consisted of individuals already at risk for heart disease and/or high blood pressure. Salt is assumed as the culprit but it is actually from sedentary lifestyles (why I am all about movement, just walking in a day is so good for us) and high amounts of processed food (fast food, pre-made stuff)  consisting of other very obvious factors that cause health issues. It just so happens packaged, processed food has a large amount of sodium as well as unhealthy ingredients.

2. Health organizations receive a lot of money from the wealthiest names in soda, so it wouldn’t look too good to harp on sugar as the huge health problem. Gotta keep the sponsors! 

The truth about salt

I’m going to spew out some random facts that caught my eye in researching salt:

In a study of over 10,000 people across 48 global populations, no correlation was found between salt intake and hypertension. If too much salt in a diet raises blood pressure, it would show up in a study this grand. 

Sodium intakes of less than 2.5 g per day are linked to higher blood pressure in 2,632 people without hypertension. Basically, in people who are already experiencing high blood pressure or are at risk for cardiovascular disease, too much salt (>2.5 g) could be unhealthy, but for individuals who are generally healthy and have normal blood pressure, keeping salt quantity under 2.5 g could be worse for health.

What happens when we don’t have enough sodium

Our bodies go into sodium retention mode without enough sodium. This causes us to release sodium retention hormones that make our kidneys retain sodium. Main idea you need to gain from this is all of these inward processes cause blood pressure to increase (which can lead to heart problems). 

Besides that, weak bones, low energy, headaches, muscle cramps, fatigue, weakness, and insomnia are all effects of low salt intake.

Salt intake depends on the person

Just because I am saying more salt is better doesn’t mean it’s one size fits all. If you’re an athlete or active and health conscious, there are benefits to having more salt in your diet to perform your best! You know how your sweat is salty? It’s because you’re losing sodium that needs to be replenished. 4-6 grams is optimal for active individuals. On the other hand, if you live a more sedentary lifestyle and do not workout often (releasing sweat) or already have high blood pressure or heart problems, then you may want to stick to consuming the recommended 2.5 grams.  

LMNT

These little packets give you very important electrolytes we need in our diet: 1000 milligrams (1 g) of sodium, 200 mg of potassium, and 60 mg of magnesium. 

Here’s why: 

• Potassium reduces blood pressure and the recommended amount by health organizations is not met by the average American per day.
• Magnesium helps with energy production, DNA repair, muscle synthesis, restful sleep, strength, anxiety, and depression.

Putting a pack of LMNT in your water, tea, coffee, or other beverage gives you the vital minerals necessary for your best functioning body without throwing off your electrolyte balance. The hard part’s done for you, so you don’t have to worry about overdoing any of the three nutrients– all you have to do is pour the packet in your drink and enjoy some salty goodness!

In weeks of putting over 50 miles on my shoes, I started using LMNT during runs and after exercise– it has dramatically improved my energy and cut out gnarly headaches I would get regularly. Plus, I feel better about using LMNT because it’s more natural than pre-workout, curbs my sugar cravings, and gives me the right balance of nutrients I need. Don’t take my word for it, try for yourself to nourish your body!