Most of what we’ve been told about sodium is straight up wrong.
The truth is our bodies need sodium – sodium is good for you.
We’re all confused because the general guidance out there is “reduce sodium”… but it’s not as simple as that.
Sodium gets a bad rap – it’s not what’s to blame for high blood pressure and heart disease.
Refined table salt – the processed sodium (and allll the other junk) in Doritos and Campbell’s soup — this is the real problem.
The Difference Between Sodium and Refined Sodium
The salt you find on the restaurant table is the equivalent to refined white sugar.
Just like sugar, it’s been processed, refined, stripped of it’s whole food components to an isolated substance.
The result: a compound that has more extreme effects on our physiology when we eat it.
The problem, we know, is processed food.
We also know a recommendation to “eat less processed foods” will never come from the top.
Instead, we hear “reduce your sodium intake.”
And now people are afraid of salt.
Sodium is Good For You
The truth is if you’re avoiding sodium – a.k.a. salt in its whole form like sea salt with all the trace minerals that come with it – it’s harming your health.
Sodium is ESSENTIAL for the human body to function.
🌊 We need sodium to absorb other minerals like calcium and magnesium. Without it these will be low.
🌊 We need sodium to absorb water (water follows salt), without it water can’t get into our cells and we just pee it out (if you’ve ever felt like water just goes right through you…).
🌊 We have to have sodium to make stomach acid. Without it we don’t digest our food as well (read: bloating) and are more vulnerable to parasites and gut infections.
🌊 We need sodium for healthy cell membranes, too, that are able to take nutrients in and get toxins out.
Sodium, and all minerals, are the very foundation of our health.
Minerals are the spark plugs of the body.
They’re required in every single one of the more than 1300 biochemical processes happening in our body every second of every day.
And of all the minerals our body needs, sodium is arguably the most important.
Because when it’s out of balance, all our other minerals will be out of balance too.
When we lose minerals.
We lose energy.
I’m talking about the energy for you to do things like workout and make it to dinner after working 8 hours in heels.
And also for your body to do things – like digest food, detox chemicals, make hormones, heal cuts, etc.
It’s simple: without minerals,
not gonna happen.
All of this is why I take a close look at minerals in my one-on-one clients in my functional health coaching practice.
Not in blood. In hair.
Your hair is like a fossil.
It gives us a detailed record of your mineral status and excretion of toxic heavy metals over the last 3-4 months.
And because these minerals are so foundational and essential to function, it also gives us data on how well key systems are working including metabolism, adrenal, thyroid, hormone, immune, and blood sugar.
The data-loving health geek in me right now wants to scream: “it’s so COOOOL!”
And it gets even cooler —
Next Level Health Personalization
With this data, we can customize a supplement just for YOU. A made-for-you multivitamin.
No guessing with a multi off the shelf. Just exactly what your body needs to function at its peak.
This is next level health personalization and I’m pumped to be offering it to get my clients feeling even better, even faster.
So I want to close this out with a few things for you…
Know Your Mineral Status
If you want all the juicy mineral data and a personalized approach that will get you more balanced and more energy…
Schedule a chat with me here and let’s talk next steps.
Support Your Mineral Levels
If you’re looking to up your mineral game, I’ve got you there too…
I keep a catalog of my fav products in my online dispensary…
Create an account here, then look for My Favorites — Electrolyte/Mineral Support.
I always have a few different electrolytes on hand and change them up day to day to vary mineral amounts and flavors.
My other go-to is LMNT.
Order LMNT here and get a free sample pack (first order only).
And I’d love to know — do you use electrolytes? Sea salt? What are your favs? And what do you notice when you add more in?? LMK in the comments.
P.S. If you want to know your own mineral status and get a personalized approach that will get you more balanced and more energy… Schedule a chat with me here and let’s talk next steps.
The content in this post is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always check with your primary care provider before starting a new supplement.
