Salt is an element of vital importance for the body. Sodium helps regulate blood pressure and hydrate the body. However, overdoing it can cause a variety of health problems, including high blood pressure and a risk of heart attack or stroke. It is possible to reduce the amount of sodium in the body by maintaining adequate levels of hydration, exercising regularly and following a low-sodium diet. To prevent any problems, modify your salt intake with extreme caution.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Keeping Hydrated
Step 1. Drink lots of water
Hydration is one of the most effective ways ever to expel toxins and excess nutrients from the body. Drinking water is the easiest way to stay hydrated. The exact amount to take daily varies from person to person, but the following general guidelines can be applied in most cases.
- Men should drink about 13 glasses (three liters) of water per day on average.
- Women should drink an average of about nine glasses (two and a half liters) of water per day.
Step 2. Hydrate yourself in an alternative way
To stay hydrated, it is preferable to consume water, but liquids can also be obtained from other sources than drinks, for example from food. Fresh fruit, vegetables, and sodium-free broths are great for hydration.
Step 3. Minimize the consumption of sports drinks such as Gatorade or Powerade
While they are effective for recovering fluids at the end of a strenuous workout or when you have the flu, they contain high amounts of sodium. They are best avoided unless you work out for a long time (more than an hour) or your doctor recommends that you fight the dehydration caused by the flu syndrome.
Part 2 of 4: Physical Activity
Step 1. Suda
When you sweat, your body excretes both water and salt. As a result, vigorous workouts and other types of activities that cause intense sweating are effective in getting rid of excess sodium.
- Try a high intensity workout, such as circuit training, to get back in shape and expel excess sodium.
- Alternatively, you can try lower-impact exercises that can still make you sweat, such as hot yoga. However, remember that this activity can be dangerous if you have low heat tolerance, so consult your doctor before you start practicing it.
Step 2. Maintain adequate hydration levels while exercising
If you become dehydrated when exercising, you risk pushing your body to retain salt, which can cause a serious ailment called hypernatremia. Sip water during your workout, especially when it's hot or sweating a lot.
The amount of water to drink while exercising depends on the specific needs of your body, as well as the intensity and duration of the workout. If it is a light or daily session, such as half an hour in the gym, 400-600ml of extra water should be enough
Step 3. Talk to your doctor about how to maintain proper electrolyte balance
Losing too much sodium during a workout can be dangerous. On the other hand, drinking too much water while exercising can drastically lower the level of sodium and other electrolytes. Doing so risks exercise-induced hypernatremia. Ask your doctor or sports nutritionist to explain how to avoid excreting excessive amounts of sodium while exercising, especially if you are already on a low-sodium diet.
For particularly long or intense workouts, it may be necessary to drink a sports or electrolyte drink to prevent sodium levels from dropping dramatically
Part 3 of 4: Changing the Power
Step 1. Talk to a doctor or nutritionist to review your salt intake
If you are concerned about taking too much, express your concerns by talking to a specialist. It can help you figure out if you need to reduce your sodium intake and how much you should eat at the table.
If you have certain conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, he or she will likely recommend that you reduce your salt intake
Step 2. Reduce your consumption of table salt
According to medical research, adults in good health should not consume more than 2300 mg per day. However, many people take significantly more. You can decrease it by making some simple changes:
- Replace packaged foods with fresh ones. Sausages such as cold cuts, bacon or sausage are often filled with added salt.
- Look for low sodium products. Check the labels of prepackaged foods carefully to see how much salt they contain.
- If possible, remove salt from recipes. Try seasoning foods with pepper or garlic powder.
Step 3. Get more potassium
Just like sodium, it is an important electrolyte for the body. Most people consume too much sodium, but not enough potassium. Eating foods that are rich in it can help get rid of excess sodium. Here are some good sources of potassium:
- Baked potatoes in their skins;
- Avocado;
- Bananas;
- Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach or chard
- Milk and derivatives, such as yogurt;
- Legumes.
Step 4. Try the DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
This is a diet that requires you to lower your sodium consumption and limit portions. Based on the patient's needs, a dietician can recommend a standard or low-sodium DASH diet. In the first case it is possible to take up to 2300 mg of sodium per day, in the second no more than 1500 mg.
Part 4 of 4: Controlling Sodium
Step 1. Detox or shock diets should be done with caution
Many quick diets, such as those based on cleansing extracts or sodium cleansing, promise to eliminate toxins, expel impurities and help fight problems such as bloating or water retention. However, there is little evidence of their actual effectiveness. They can also cause severe imbalances in the body's sodium levels, sometimes with disastrous results.
- Taking purifying extracts and other types of detoxification can drastically lower sodium, causing a condition called hypernatremia, which can cause damage to the cardiovascular and nervous systems.
- Crush diets, such as sodium cleansing, can strain the kidneys and overload the body with sodium, leading to problems such as dehydration, swelling, edema, or high blood pressure.
Step 2. Don't hydrate yourself more than necessary
While it may seem counterintuitive, it is actually possible to end up drinking more water than you should. If you force yourself to consume excess fluids while exercising or to expel toxins from your body, you risk hyponatremia, which is a drop in the level of sodium in your blood. This disorder can cause lethal brain edema.
It can be difficult to tell if you are overdoing it, especially in the midst of intense or resistance training. The key is to listen to your body: drink when you are thirsty and stop taking fluids once you no longer feel the need
Step 3. Consult your doctor before making major lifestyle changes
Drastically changing sodium consumption or starting a new type of training can have serious consequences, especially in the presence of conditions such as hypertension or diabetes. Before making a change, you should always discuss it with your primary care physician or nutritionist. Only a specialist is able to develop a plan that allows you to reach your goals in complete safety.
