The widespread definition of “salt deposits” is known today by many, even those who have not encountered the disease. Patients mistakenly associate any atypical pain in various joints with this process. But only a few people know that such a diagnosis does not exist in medicine. Salt deposition is a pathological process that occurs in the body due to serious metabolic disorders. A disease that basically contains direct deposition of salts (urates) is gout.
Symptoms of excess salts
- High blood pressure
- Increased fluid levels increase the risk of cardiovascular disease as it puts stress on the myocardium. The muscle fibers are forced to add mass to force contraction to push blood out of the heart and into the aorta.
- Swelling of the limbs. This occurs due to the retention of moisture in tissues by salts.
- Swelling of the eyelids.
- Craving for salty foods is one of the symptoms of excess NaCl in the body. Despite the increased level, foods seem bland because they are not perceived correctly by the taste buds
How much salt can you eat
Scientists aren't sure. WHO recommends Guideline: Sodium Intake for Adults and Children. / World Health Organization. eat no more than 5 g of salt daily, the British National Health Service increases Salt: the facts / NHS permissible limit to 6 g. This is about a teaspoon. Sodium in this amount of salt is from 2 to 2.5 g.
It is unlikely that you will greatly exceed this dose. According to statistics, Andrew Mente, Martin O'Donnell, Sumathy Rangarajan, at al. Associations of urinary sodium excretion with cardiovascular events in individuals with and without hypertension: a pooled analysis of data from four studies / The Lancet, only 22% of the population from 49 developed countries consume more than 6 g of pure sodium (or 15 g of NaCl) daily - then the amount from which the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and associated mortality sharply increases. Most people limit themselves to 6–8 g of salt.
However, even a slight excess of the norm can be harmful.
When to get rid of salts
Age-related changes weaken the function of the excretory systems, they remove salts worse. The content of magnesium and potassium in the body is reduced, and sodium is increased.
Each type of salt causes its own diseases:
- Urate salts are the cause of gout.
- Phosphates affect the spine (osteochondrosis).
- Oxalates form deposits in muscle tissue.
When salts are deposited, each grain of sand forms a center of crystallization and stone growth. A balanced diet reverses the process.
What are the dangers of excess salt in the human body?
Excess salt can seriously affect the functioning of the human body. There are different types of it that accumulate in the body and cause unpleasant diseases or pathological conditions. If the water-salt balance is disturbed, your health worsens, fatigue appears, and irritability and anxiety may occur. The effect of an excess of various substances on the state of the body:
- Alkaline salts (carbonates, phosphates and others). They are deposited in the spine, causing osteochondrosis, which contributes to the appearance of headaches, pain in the back, and disruption of normal blood circulation.
- Uric acid salts. Their highest content is in meat dishes, fruits and vegetables with a sour taste. These substances can accumulate in a person’s joints, feet, and legs, causing swelling and swelling. Then doctors diagnose gout.
- Oxalate salts. Capable of forming stones with a smooth surface. As a rule, they accumulate in bones and joints.
In addition, excessive salt intake can have a negative impact on the body's cardiovascular system. This substance has the ability to retain water, subsequently fluid accumulates, it becomes more difficult for the heart to carry out blood circulation, and blood pressure increases. If you experience these symptoms, you should definitely consult a doctor. Also, an excess of salt causes cellulite and other disorders in the body.
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Physical exercise
Physical activity makes us sweat. When you sweat, your body loses water and minerals. If the level of salt in the body is exceeded, then by sweating, you can lose a significant amount of it. By actively sweating for at least 30 minutes, you will significantly reduce the amount of salt in your body. However, do not forget about the need to drink water and replenish the loss of certain minerals, such as potassium and magnesium, in order to prevent deficiency of these elements.
To remove salt from the body, any cardio training that can raise your pulse and body temperature is suitable. Eg,
- run,
- fast walk ,
- cycling are a great example.
Salt metabolism
Mineral (salt) metabolism - intake, distribution, absorption and excretion of salts. An imbalance causes their deposition and accumulation in the body.
Calcium, potassium, sodium and magnesium salts maintain the acid-base balance of the blood, its coagulability, and participate in the formation of enzymes.
Sodium . The most important alkaline element. In the body it is up to 15g, two thirds contain extracellular fluid, muscle tissue, the rest is bones. Table salt contains inorganic sodium.
The body benefits from the organic form, which contains celery, red beets, peas, potatoes, apricots, tomatoes, buckwheat, oats, black currants, garlic, and apples.
For example, red beets contain up to 50% organic sodium, up to 20% potassium, and up to 8% chlorine.
Signs of organic sodium deficiency: feeling thirsty, tired, calf cramps, prone to sunstroke.
The organic form does not form excess sodium salts in the body.
Chlorine _ Participates in the production of hydrochloric acid in gastric juice and is necessary for the cells of the nervous system. Comes with table salt.
Potassium . Necessary for neuromuscular transmission, heart, kidneys, brain.
Signs of deficiency: irritability, indecision, loss of strength, impaired neuromuscular conduction, poor appetite, insomnia, headache, dry skin, itching, acne, poor hair growth, constipation, decreased sugar levels, increased sensitivity to cold.
Potassium-rich foods: potatoes, cabbage, pumpkin, celery, apricots, dried apricots, peach, plum, raisins, prunes.
Potassium and sodium are antagonists:
- Potassium is inside the cells of the body, sodium is in the intercellular fluid and plasma.
- Potassium has a diuretic effect, sodium retains water and causes swelling.
- Sodium salts are removed by foods rich in potassium. Potassium salts remove sodium-rich foods.
Magnesium is part of the liver, muscles, and bones. Morning lethargy and activity in the afternoon are associated with magnesium deficiency.
The intake of magnesium removes salts from the body and prevents their deposits in the kidneys and gall bladder. Its absorption requires the health of the thyroid and parathyroid glands.
There is a lot of magnesium in cocoa, hazelnuts, and soy.
Calcium . Stones in the kidneys and gall bladder are calcium, the body takes the element from bone tissue. Calcium neutralizes harmful acids, its intake is important for health.
Civilized eating habits prevent the absorption of an important element. For example, the body does not absorb calcium from foods after heat treatment (boiled milk).
The kidneys remove useful calcium when there is an excess of inorganic sodium (table salt). The loss of calcium and an increase in its content in the blood is caused by the abuse of sweets.
In the kidneys, oxalic acid forms salts with calcium; they are difficult to remove from the body because they are insoluble in water.
Excess animal protein (meat, fish, eggs) causes kidney stones. Include organic forms of potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C in your diet.
Limiting salt intake
Reducing salt intake as much as possible through a special diet is another important aspect to normalize the level of this substance in the body. Salt is retained in the human body for 12 to 24 hours if it is in excess. After it is partially eliminated, you need to halve the minimum daily intake, which is 1500 mg, until the body gets rid of excess salt, which usually takes 1-2 days. It is important to monitor your salt intake regularly to prevent recurrences of congestion. A salt intake of 2,300 mg or less per day is considered optimal, especially for those prone to water retention and high blood pressure. You can also replace table salt with sea salt.
Diagnosis of salt deposits
In the morning, before meals, water and medications, collect urine. Leave in a glass jar for a day to get a sediment.
Phosphates . Initially cloudy urine, after a day there is a sediment with small transparent crystals. The reason is the abuse of fish.
Carbonates . White color of urine, same sediment.
Urats . Yellow or reddish crystals on the walls.
Oxalates . Dark red or black crystals.
Salt elimination diets
Rice diet.
3 tbsp. Pour heaping spoons of rice with water and leave until morning. In the morning, change the water and let the cereal cook. After 5 min. After cooking, change the water and put it back on the fire. Repeat the whole process 4 times. Eat warm porridge without waiting for it to cool. This diet is followed for 10 days. Food should be taken at intervals of 3 hours, more is possible.
Buckwheat-kefir diet:
Grind two large spoons of buckwheat. Add a glass of kefir. Leave it overnight and eat it in the morning. Course - 5 days.
How to remove salt from the body and lose weight
When metabolism is disturbed, salts clog organ channels, impair their functioning, and retain water, causing swelling.
To reduce body weight, you should establish metabolic processes, which means getting rid of phosphates, urates or oxalates (types of salts).
For these purposes, there are traditional medicine recipes. However, it is important to remember that their use can not only bring benefits, but also cause harm. Before you begin cleansing your body, consult your doctor.
Based on my practical experience, I will recommend the most effective traditional medicine:
- Cut off the grape tendrils and chop them.
Pour a teaspoon of raw material into a glass of boiling water and leave for 30 minutes.
Strain and drink ¼ glass 4 times a day.
Drink freshly squeezed juices daily. My colleagues in the article recommend paying special attention to apple juice.
Juices break down salts inside the body.
- Boil 20 bay leaves in 200 ml of water for 15 minutes.
Divide the infusion into 4-5 doses and drink throughout the day.
- Place 2 tablespoons of pine or fir cones in an enamel bowl, pour 200 ml of boiling water, close the lid and leave in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes.
Cool the broth and strain, squeezing out the buds of the plant. Bring the volume of the decoction to 200 ml with boiled water. Take warm 3 times a day after meals, ⅓ glass.
To achieve the effect, take herbal products for 3-4 weeks. Then check for salt by taking a urine test.
If necessary, repeat the course after 10 days.
Cones: Pixabay
Natural Diuretics
There are many foods and drinks that stimulate the body to remove excess salt. For example, asparagus, green leafy vegetables, beets and onions are good diuretic foods, which in turn will remove more salt throughout the day. Drinks containing caffeine, such as coffee and tea, also have this effect. Dandelion root tea is especially beneficial.
However, you should drink more water to avoid dehydration when using diuretics, even if they are natural. To prevent deficiencies of essential vitamins and minerals, taking a daily multivitamin and potassium supplement is recommended.
Why salt addicts don't seek help
People addicted to salt drugs are unwilling to accept help for several reasons:
- They are quite happy with the feeling of euphoria they experience while taking drugs, so they see no point in quitting.
- Rarely do drug addicts voluntarily admit the fact of their own addiction, therefore, they do not consider themselves sick and in need of help.
- Salt addicts are confident that synthetic drugs do not cause harm to health, do not cause persistent addiction, and if so, then treatment is not required.
- Addiction affects the psyche in such a way that a person cannot imagine how he will live in a sober state, with the problems of ordinary life. Fear does not allow him to give up his bad habit.
- In the event that a drug addict suddenly realizes the gravity of his situation, the feeling of guilt and pain from the gravity of the “offense” do not allow him to ask for help.
- There is an opinion that drug addiction cannot be cured. Therefore, drug addicts do not see the point in accepting treatment, since in the end they will end up using psychotropic substances again.
- There are parents or relatives of drug addicts who, in an effort to protect the person from addiction, give him money for “quality” drugs, as long as he does not steal or take dirty substances.
- Parents who behave in an antisocial manner often become an “example” for their children; they simply copy their behavior.
The conclusion is obvious - treatment of salt addiction requires qualified help and an individual approach. Treatment of drug addiction takes place only using complex methods. Only specialists can help and identify psychological triggers that prevent you from starting treatment.
What salt addicts look like (photos and videos)
Long-term use of salt causes catastrophic changes in the health and appearance of the addict. Chaotic unproductive movements, involuntary grimaces, convulsions, mental deviations - based on these signs, after two months of regular use, you can confidently determine the presence of addiction.
Appearance also undergoes changes:
- Due to lack of appetite, the addict sharply loses weight; the lack of vitamins and nutrients causes general exhaustion of the body, which is aggravated by insomnia.
- Early aging: dry flaky skin with numerous rashes, hair loss, wrinkles, ulcers on the outer mucous membranes.
Numerous photos and videos of salt addicts on the Internet say one thing: salt is scary.
What does the drug “salt” look like?
The drug received its common name because of its characteristic visible texture - the salts are really similar to a common kitchen spice or cosmetic bath product. It is quite difficult to recognize this substance by its appearance; even experienced drug addicts do not always distinguish one type of salt from another.
Most often, the drug is sold in the form of a white crystalline powder without a specific color or odor. The crystals are usually small, translucent or white. Salt has a bitter taste, and after direct use the tongue becomes numb. Salts are found in brown or beige color. Additional additives give the substance other colors - there are pink, blue, blue salts.
The crystalline structure is created using special equipment under high temperatures. The final product receives properties that provide a quick euphoric effect, and in addition - a detrimental effect on humans.
Due to the fact that salt is absorbed quite quickly into the cells and tissues of the body, it is easy to detect even 4 days after a single use.
Is it possible to overcome salt addiction on your own?
Salts actively influence a person and cause a constant desire to consume them. Therefore, it is simply impossible to overcome this addiction on your own. Associative memory does not allow a person to notice how he acquires and takes a drug again and again.
Perhaps the addict will be able to hold on for 1-2 weeks, but after that a strong desire and withdrawal symptoms appear. The human brain cannot cope with the fact that the substance that paralyzed it so much has stopped entering the body, so it gives the addict a signal that he must use it again in order to supposedly normalize the functioning of all systems.
The most important thing is for the addict to move to the acceptance stage, where the person may lose hope of recovery. Moreover, often such people are even ready to commit a crime in order to get the next dose.
Don’t be afraid to seek help from professionals, forget about this bad habit forever. Try to take care of your health and the health of your loved ones, do not put yourself in danger!
Increased water consumption
Drinking water is the most effective way to get rid of excess salt in the body, and is also the most common treatment for mild cases of hypernatremia—excess sodium in the blood. The body uses water to dilute the salt. Therefore, the more salt you consume, the more water you need to drink to dissolve it and remove it through the kidneys.
It is best to drink water evenly throughout the day to give the body a constant supply of water to cleanse. Drinking too much water at once will cause sodium deficiency, which can be quite dangerous and in some cases even fatal.