Salt Secrets To Keeping You Bloated

Salt is essential to proper body function. Eating excess salt, found in pre-packaged and commercial foods, however, can cause you to have too much of it in your body. An excessive amount of salt in the body can cause high blood pressure and water retention as the body holds on to water in an effort to maintain homeostasis. While severe cases require medical intervention and prescription drugs, you can use natural methods to flush excess salt out of your body. As a women, it is important to watch your salt intake which can cause sudden acute bloating or the possible appearence of looking heavier then normal. Keep your salt intake to only a few grams a day to help your body flush unwanted fluids.



Water

• Drinking water is the most effective way to get rid of excess salt in the body, and is the most common method of treating mild cases of hypernatremia, excess sodium in the blood, according to researchers at the department of internal medicine of William Beaumont Hospital. The body uses water to dilute salt. If you take in extra salt, drinking extra water allows the body to dilute the salt properly and flush it out through the kidneys. It's best to drink water evenly throughout the day to give the body a steady supply of water to work with. Drinking too much water at once can cause a sodium deficiency, which can be dangerous and sometimes fatal.

Exercise

• Exercise causes you to sweat. When you sweat, you lose both water and minerals from your body. If you have extra salt in your body, you will sweat out a larger amount of it. Working up a sweat for at least 45 minutes goes a long way towards getting rid of some of that excess salt. It's important to keep hydrated and to replenish other minerals, such as potassium and magnesium, once you're done to prevent illness.

Salt Restriction

• Reducing dietary salt is another important aspect of getting rid of excess salt within the body. Salt is withheld completely for 12 to 24 hours if there is a large amount of excess salt in the body. After that, salt is restricted to half the minimum daily requirement, which is 1500 mg, until the body is rid of the excess salt, usually a day or two. It's important to monitor salt intake regularly to prevent recurrences of excess salt, staying at or below 2300 mg daily, especially for those prone to water retention and high blood pressure.

Natural Diuretics

• There are a variety of foods and drinks you can take in that will encourage the body to get rid of the extra salt in your body. Asparagus, leafy green vegetables, beets and onions cause you to urinate more, causing an increase in the amount of salt you expel per day. Drinks with caffeine, such as coffee and tea, also have this effect. Dandelion root tea is especially helpful. You must drink extra water to avoid dehydration when using diuretics, even if they are natural. Daily supplementation with a multivitamin and potassium supplement is advised to prevent depletion of essential vitamins and minerals.

Considerations

• Although excess salt can be excreted naturally, it's important to know when to seek medical help. Chronic high blood pressure or chronic or severe water retention warrant a trip to the doctor. He may opt to put you on a salt-restricted diet. Diuretics of any kind shouldn't be used for longer than a day or two, exclusive of a daily cup of coffee or tea, because they can cause mineral depletion and dehydration in some cases. Anyone with a secondary medical condition, such as heart disease, diabetes or kidney failure, should always consult a doctor before trying to get rid of excess salt. There may be certain methods that must be restricted or modified, or an underlying cause of the excess salt that needs to be treated medically.

Excessive Sodium Consumption

American women take in far more than the recommended amount of sodium per day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average American over 2 years of age consumes 3436 mg daily. When you eat too much sodium, it strains the proper functioning of the kidneys, which can lead to elevated blood pressure, a condition known as hypertension. Because sodium retains water, excessive consumption leads to elevated blood volume that increases pressure on your heart to pump blood through the arteries. Hypertension is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, which research from the American Heart Association indicates as the leading causes of death for American women.

Sources of Sodium

Sodium in your diet typically comes from three main sources. The biggest culprit for high amounts is processed foods, such as prepared dinners, soups, cold cuts and fast food, which contain added salt. Sodium also occurs organically in vegetables, dairy products, meat and shellfish. While these foods contain lower levels of sodium than processed dishes, eating too much natural sodium can still be harmful to your health. The third primary source of sodium is the salt in your kitchen cabinet or on your dining table.

Finding a Healthy Balance

Like most American women, you would most likely benefit from reducing your daily sodium intake. Experts at the Mayo Clinic advise that you lower your sodium consumption by eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, by adding more potassium-rich foods to your diet, you can offset the negative effects of sodium on blood pressure. Foods high in potassium include dark, leafy green vegetables and fruits that grow on vines. To heighten the flavor of your meals, use fresh or dried herbs, citrus zest and fruit juices