Episode #71 - The Salt Fix

(carl) #1

Richard and Carl talk to Dr. James DiNicolantonio about salt, and how we got it all wrong, from blood pressure to heart disease.

How much salt?
How to get enough potassium (without obsessing over potassium)?
Potassium, clarity on how much?
Upped my sodium, heart rate increase?
High ketones after fasting, will you still lose weight
Salt intake and swelling - Dr. Berry theory
New on Keto and Struggling
New to keto, have a couple of questions, thanks!
Quick start into ketosis?
#2

Loved this one guys. Covers so much more than just sodium.

#3

Great show guys :slight_smile:
Got the book and am going to listen to this show again for sure!
I found it refreshing to hear a ā€œnew voiceā€ on the show thatā€™s not been everywhere already. Would love some more of that.
Salt is going to be my new best friend now

(KCKO, KCFO šŸ„„) #4

@Carl, this show was really good. I liked your experience with using Meganā€™s salt melting in the mouth technique. I will be starting a fast after dinner tonight and canā€™t wait to see if that works as well for me. I have lost my fasting mojo lately, keep starting fasts but canā€™t get beyond 24 hrs.

I am one of those people who LOVES salt. Always have, much more so than sugar. So hoping this will help me get back into my fasting groove.

Thanks for another fine podcast.

#5

I tried watching The Big Fat Truth that you mentioned, actually watched it 2 weeks ago and couldnā€™t get through it without fast forwarding. It just seemed so wrong to watch them go plant based and blame them for gaining weight and focus so much on the mental changes. They certainly covered insulin levels and cholesterol-which seemed to improve. I just tried watching the 2nd episode and one woman was crying because she couldnā€™t eat chicken and she was scolded for eating it. I wanted to reach through the TV and tell her there is another way. KETO! I am done watching, to frustrating.

(carl) #6

I agree. I think that when people are overwhelmed with evidence and canā€™t separate the truth from the half-truth - or assign weight to each particular piece of it - they tend to believe everything they hear as long as it doesnā€™t sound too crazy. Kind of a hedging of oneā€™s betsā€¦ Those of us who have transformed our bodies know from experience what is most important - or at least what it was that worked for US.

(Mary Ann) #7

Anyone catch the name of the salt they mentioned? Wilderman salt or something like this?

(carl) #8

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00028MCME/

(Crow T. Robot) #9

Well spotted. This is actually the Middle Ground logical fallacy: argumentum ad temperantiam ā€“ in any controversy the truth must be somewhere in the middle.

(Laura) #10

I ordered some of it yesterday but I also did a bit of research on the various salts and am curious if the only reason the doc liked it so much is because he felt it to be less contaminated?

Any way itā€™s a good price and I have to use a lot of salt as well as potassium and magnesium because I canā€™t seem to retain electrolytes. This was happening pre keto so itā€™s not the diet.

This is how much I take daily.
1500 mg of potassium in a prescription.
800 mgs of magnesium
1 teaspoon of salt in water and whatever I put on my food.

Blood is checked regularly and there never high. Except calcium WHEN I added dairy back in and kept taking the supplement.

(Mary Ann) #11

I was wondering that also. He seemed to make a point about polluted waters. I currently use Himalayan salt on food and put Celtic salt in water a few times a day. I take a magnesium and potassium supplement as well. I started on all the salt during acclimatizing to keto.

Absorption can be a problem for some folks. Thanks for your perspective.

(Laura) #12

You donā€™t happen to have any digestive issues? I do and I am wondering if thatā€™s is the reason I need so many electrolytes?

(Mary Ann) #13

No, I donā€™t. Iā€™m not even sure Iā€™m not overdoing it with the salt. But Iā€™m not having any digestive distress because of the salt.

They mentioned sweating and aerobic activity can increase salt need also.

(carl) #14

That was me, I think. I said Iā€™m distrustful of fish. Maybe I should move to Iceland?

#15

He mentioned something about micro-plastics found in the oceans. That was his reason for recommending ancient salt sources IIRC.

(carl) #16

Ah rightā€¦

(G. Andrew Duthie) #17

Personally, unless there are citations for specific studies on this topic, Iā€™d treat that as personal preference, not something to be especially worried about. If we spent all our energy avoiding things that could possibly be harmful, or that someone we heard or read about told us to avoid, weā€™d have no time for anything else.

I seem to be wired to worry, so I make a particular effort to analyze which things are things I can:
a.) Know are of a large enough order of magnitude to really matter, and
b.) I can do something about

Keto fits the bill there, in a big way. Ensuring that I get enough electrolytes also (still trying to figure out what ā€œenoughā€ means, butā€¦). Plenty of others.

Making sure that I only use ā€œancientā€ salt sources? Nope, sorry, not on my radar. :wink:

(Laura) #18

I always know when I have too much salt or Apple cider vinegar WHEN I can really taste it. If itā€™s just a background taste I know I am fine.

(Mary Ann) #19

Oooh thatā€™s good gauge. I totally donā€™t really taste my (daily) ACV with lemon and salt. I remember reading (somewhere on this board) that some folks had ā€˜nightmaresā€™ when they over consumed salt. Not sure if that applies to you also?

(Nathanael Schulte) #20

I happened to have heard this podcast yesterday, just as I was getting ready to start a new extended fast. I went to the grocery store and got the best I could find (a shaker of Pink Himalayan Salt for $5) and poured some right on my tongue. That first time got me almost to the point of nausea, but once that passed, I scaled back to smaller doses throughout the day and used it as I felt the need. I have to say, I have NEVER felt that good on day 1 of a fast, and day 2 is starting off strong.
Seriously, this is one of your best episodes ever.