Blog

8

2

After a bacon filled breakfast and munching on a batch of jerky where I got a bit overzealous with the salt yesterday, I certainly ate a bit more salt than was palatable, and I have the puffy face to show it this morning. In spite of several things that normally set me up for that early morning dizziness when I get up like lack of sleep and a stressful week, I jumped up out of bed without having to brace myself to get through that initial "whoosh" feeling this morning. Don't worry, I'm not planning on "oversalting" on a regular basis, but there does seem to have been a quick and profound difference in my morning fatigue and wooziness. Maybe my bp is just higher today so the blood couldn't drain from my head as quickly, don't know. Just curious if anyone else has noticed this, or knows what mechanism would explain it.

Update--I did notice big improvement in energy after that salt binge, so I've been adding bone broth with a generous dash of Celtic Sea salt to my breakfast the last two days, and have felt an immediate lift from it both days. This morning I can barely get through my mug of 1/2 caff. coffee, I started to get jittery after just a few sips. I've been a caffeine fiend for so long, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with myself if don't need it anymore.

I'm also wondering if my "taste" for salt could be lower than my need? I always thought the rule with salt was "to taste", could my taster be broken or would other stimulants like caffeine block the signal?

flag
Salt causes a puffy face? From water retention, or what? – memostotle Sep 17 2011 at 17:34
2 
 Yeah, a high salt day will actually cause a noticeable weight gain as well if you've been avoiding it. – Travis Culp♦ Sep 17 2011 at 17:53
9 
 I've had adrenal/thyroid issues for thirty years. The paleo diet accounts for eighty percent of the symptomatic relief. fifteen percent credit goes to one tablespoon of licorice powder each day and five percent to at least one teaspoon of salt per day. My goal for the new year is to wean myself off the licorice. I have no plans to lower the salt. – shah78 Sep 17 2011 at 18:14
1 
 All fabulous answers. I ran out of votes, will upvote accordingly later. – Happy Now Sep 17 2011 at 19:46

8 Answers

5

I encourage you to check out David Brownsteins' salt your way to health'. I don't skimp on the salt at all. But I get it from unrefined salt. Even the table salt we eat in the SAD is processed, which removes many of the nutrients and minerals salt has naturally. Unrefined salt is just about the biggest paleo thing out there! Well, IMO. Check into it. Most natural food stores carry unrefined salts. I like pink Himalayan salt (it's pink naturally).

link|flag
I don't skimp on the salt either, lots of broth, bacon, salami, lox, and Celtic Sea Salt on pretty much everything. I think that is why I was so amazed by the sudden difference when adding more. – Happy Now Sep 17 2011 at 19:15
2 
 Dr. Brownstein's book and website looked really interesting. Man, we're slaying all the sacred dietary cows around here. What's next, smoking is good for you? – Happy Now Sep 22 2011 at 6:18
Dr. WC Douglass claims that it is! =O – Briana Oct 30 2011 at 11:01
Well, smoking is a stress reliever! ;) – Karen P. May 6 2012 at 3:19
9

Happy Now --

I had orthostasis, low BP, low heart rate and rare dizziness when I was doing a lot of long runs, half-marathons and tri sprints without mineral replenishment (think that was non-paleo). MINERAL REPLENISHMENT and salt are vital to health! Especially when adrenally insufficient or marginally insufficient which we ALL are... any who was on the SAD for decades! (or worse vegans for decades!)

Have you seen the protocols or books for adrenal improvement? They all advise high quality sea salt (no grocery salt)

Kruse's info is excellent: http://jackkruse.com/category/adaptogens/

I rotate between two products -- Standard Process and Metagenix adrenal support. In ancient and currently, all ethnicities consumed glandular tissues (leaf lard, sweet meats, whol little fishies, chorizo, etc)...

Good luck and hope you continue to feel better! G

link|flag
1 
 Low blood pressure was what came to my mind to account for the morning dizziness, too. However, I'd like to temper this by mentioning that I went from low BP to high in the span of a year after an autoimmune disorder took hold (celiac disease) and i haven't been eating a SAD for many, many years prior. Things change - what works in our 20s or 30s may not work in our 40s 0r 50s. – Rock_Paper_Shirley Sep 18 2011 at 3:46
3 
 One can have hardened arteries on TOP OF adrenal fatigue... it's not uncommon and I see it frequently! We are so sick as a nation now. I hope your celiac is improved. I don't envy your challenges as gluten is quite literally EVERYWHERE unless you strictly at at home. That's a great observation! In our 40s and 50s, our youth-generating hormones ALSO can decline (especially when hastened by synthetic birth control use, which I have experienced). Lots of challenges and paleo is not the end-all but a great beginning for the journey. – grace Sep 18 2011 at 5:55
3

I know I have heard a lot of people (over the years) recommend that people with adrenal fatigue drink salt water every morning. This is the first recommendation I found when I googled, but there are others.

link|flag
3

Dr. Eades recomends a light broth with salt every morning for those of us who get head rushes. Every pt he trats goes on a broth in the am esp since they're losing wt fast. With Paleo, there's little to no salt in the diet since we're not eating anything processed.

I feel much better with salt in my diet, but I get the puffy face too! I have phone pics that called my attn to this! I also buy salt WITH iodine as I realized I had been going without iodine for years. All our salts were non-iodized! Did that cause my adrenal fatigue? I should Google that!

If I fast, I really need to have Dr. Eades' bone broth or something salty (olives), etc. , otherwise - fatigue!

link|flag
3

I recommend salting to taste with high quality sea salts. I also recommend varying the source of your salt for optimal mineral balance. Avoid all processed salts like the plague that they are! This is perfectly normal for those with adrenal fatigue as the minerals nourish the adrenals.

link|flag
2

I've always heard that those with adrenal fatigue crave salt. I know I do. but I've very rarely overdone it; certainly not enough to cause a puffy face. But maybe you do need a bit more in your diet?

link|flag
1

I also suffer from adrenal fatigue (along with rheumatoid arthritis) and I crave salt immensely. Whenever I completely satisfy my (SEA) salt cravings in a meal, sometimes up to 2 teaspoons of salt at a time, it takes a considerable chunk out of the fatigue, especially if I nap immediately afterwards.

At one point I would buy a pack of smoked salmon trimmings, eat about 1/3lb of them in one sitting (along with allll the added salt), take a power nap and wake up feeling AMAZING. All fatigue gone. Anchovies are brilliant carriers of therapeutic levels of salt as well. Somehow it's the combination of salt with fat and/or protein. Works with nuts and seeds too, but best, in my experience with oily fish.

Eat your sea salt!

link|flag
0

Pink Himalayan salt ftw

link|flag

Your Answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.