Teach me about sodium

[vin01]

OK, I have several questions about sodium.


I don't put salt on anything. But after reading somebod's post about salt making you bloat, I started looking at the sodium content on the things I eat.

I don't consider myself fat, but I feel bloated alot, and I think it may be due to sodium intake. I eat canned tuna and canned chicken alot. I use alot of marinades and dressings high in sodium. I also eat pickles, which I knew were high, but sheesh I just looked and 1 dill pickle spear has 330mg of Na!

So here are my questions:

1) Is it true if you reduce sodium, you will retain less water, and feel less bloated?

2) Are there any ways to flush out sodium of my body? Like if I continue to drink gallon or more of water a day am I ok? Or do I need more?

I am going to start watchign sodium intake, I didn't realize it was this bad....

Or am I just overreacting?

 

[SgtSlaughter]

If you workout hardcore like most of us you need sodium... electrolyte balance is a nessesity.

You mentioned drink a gallon or more of H20 a day. YES. You should be already... up the water intake and see how ya feel.

I belive sodium intake should be around 1,300 mg (1.3 grams) daily... no clue though, I'd google it and do some research if you don't get more replies on this topic.

 

[alex2678]

Any specific reason why you want to lose water weight? Vacation, photo shoot...Water rentention is just sodium ions trapped under the skin. Sounds nasty, but a good way to tell if you're actually holding water or not is to taste your sweat when you exercise. When it starts to taste like water instead of salt, you're not retaining much fluids under your skin.

2 gallons of water per day, enough sodium for a bodybuilder, and psyllium husks can help "dry" you out, if that's the look your after. I posted a link to an old article I on sodium a month ago. It's really only bad for if you have pre-existing health problems and can be extremely valuable to the bodybuilder when bulking and cutting.

 

[vin01]

Thanks guys.

Alex- no really reason, more out of curiosity actually. I am going to Florida next week for Spring Break, but don't care how I look really.

I was more interested in finding out if sodium actually caused water retention and thus the bloatedness.

I take psyllium husks to keep me "regular" already.

I am going to look more into sodium and that article...

Thanks

 

[alex2678]

Here's that old article:

http://chemo.net/sodium-.htm

 

[jdevlin1985]

Thanks guys.

Alex- no really reason, more out of curiosity actually. I am going to Florida next week for Spring Break, but don't care how I look really.

I was more interested in finding out if sodium actually caused water retention and thus the bloatedness.

I take psyllium husks to keep me "regular" already.

I am going to look more into sodium and that article...


I suffer big time with water retention. Just drink shit loads of water. basically try and make yourself pee. I find it really helps.

 

[AinteasybeingDiesie]

cutting back on sodium and supplementing with potassium for me, thins out the skin and causes a little more vascularity. I only do this when posing for a photo's for a magazine or something. It is a lot of work and not really healthy for the muscles.