Too Much Salt Equals Bloat and Weight Gain!

If you are experiencing bloating, puffiness and high blood pressure then it might be time for you to reduce your salt intake. This is difficult for some people, who crave salty snacks so badly that you could describe them as having a “salt tooth.”  Salt can be as bad as sugar when it comes to preventing you from shedding the pounds.  That is because if you consume too much salt your cells with overdose on sodium. Foods high in sodium have a way of expanding fat cells and making them impervious to the release of fat or water content.

Balancing the Body’s Electrolytes

Consuming too much sodium can have a terrible effect on your body’s electrolytes. The two most significant electrolytes that our bodies use are sodium and potassium. They “spark” off of each other to create energy and if we have too much of one element or then we short-circuit our systems and feel lousy. It is easy to consume too much sodium on a daily basis and a lot harder to overdose on potassium. The body become acid and without sufficient potassium levels, it becomes harder for the body to pump fluids through the tissues.

Symptoms of Sodium Overload

One of the main symptoms of sodium overload is belly bloating along with fatigue and a general feeling of malaise. In serious cases, you might also experience ringing in the ears.

Most people become puffy looking. Their hands and fingers swell and there may be enhanced bags under the eyes. This is because the when water cannot be moved easily through out tissues, it builds up just below the skin causing all kinds of swelling. This condition can become so severe over time that women cannot pull their wedding rings off or fit into their jeans or their shoes.

Yet another symptom of a sodium/potassium imbalance is “feeling hot” all of the time. That is because too much salt in the body might actually cause a real rise in body temperature.

Hidden Sources of Sodium in Our Diets

Sodium hides in many different forms and is often present in high amounts in the following foods

• Anchovies
• Artificial creamers in liquid and powdered form
• Asian food including Chinese, Thai and Korean
• Breads
• Cheeses, especially blue cheese, cheddar, feta, Parmesan and cottage cheese
• Commercial breakfast cereals and instant hot breakfast cereals
• Canned Fish like tuna, salmon, kippers or sardineCanned soups and chillies
• Cola
• Fish sauce
• Frozen diet entrees                                      
• Hot sauces
• Olives
• Powdered drink mixes
• Pickles of any kind!
• Ramen noodles
• Soya Sauce

Needless to say is that all junk foods tend to have high sodium contents and so do many low-fat foods.  In low-fat foods sodium is added to compensate for the absence of sugar and fats.

The best way to avoid salt is to carefully read ingredient labels before you buy a product to make sure that it is not a hidden source of salt.

For more information about the Healthy & Active Program please visit our website at www.healthy-active.com. You may also call us in Toronto at (41)440-2217 and ask for Adrienne Wright Bulow or Dr. Micheal Rahman or email us at adrienne@healthy-active.com.