Salt or Sodium and Extra Weight

In the last decades many different theories about salt or sodium have come to light.

Weight gain and retention have many origins as well as supposed solutions. However, one common food item with a significant impact on body weight is salt, or sodium.

Food manufactures add a lot of salt to foods, deadening our over-stimulated taste buds, and to increase product shelf life. Salt is in virtually all commercially produced foods and drinks including diet soda and even some supposedly organic products. We get used to the taste and then find products with less or no salt not to our liking.

Fats are 75% - 80% water and excessive sodium, in most cases, leads to higher levels of water retention in the body - thus making it harder to lose weight. Other factors which also lead to water retention include high insulin levels from too much sugar or gluten (another negative factor to your diet). Insulin makes it harder to excrete sodium.

Certain medications such as antibiotics, anti-histamines, birth control pills and anti-inflamatories also work against water removal. Artificial sweeteners have a similar effect.

Exercise is the solution

Lack of exercise, or conversely too much, can also affect the body’s ability to reduce water. Poor circulation from too little exercise leads to clogged lymphatic systems and more than one hour a day of cardio exercise will increase your cortisol levels. Both conditions add to water retention. High stress levels, insufficient sleep and today's way of living have similar effects on the body.

Salt raises the body’s natural pH levels leading to greater water retention. The old trick by adding some squeezed lemon to a glass of water will help lower your pH again. By removing excessive water from your body you will help lose your unwanted lipids faster.

In general if you want to reduce your sodium content naturally it’s important to have a balanced diet high in fresh vegetables and fruits and exercise in a regular basis. Read the labels on food products and stop saying ‘please pass the salt!’