edema

[William]

Is it possible that mineral imbalance is a load of rubbish? Where do we know magnesium cures cramps? or potassium?

We know that if your blood pH goes anywhere outside of 7.2 -7.6 you die. I think the same could be true for minerals, the slightest deviation and your are seriously ill not just a few cramps.

No, it's not rubbish. Armies traditionally gave salt pills to those in sweaty climates, and I've needed to add a little dried seawater on sweaty work days to avoid heart problems. Never bothered with Mg or K, as I know that sweat tastes more of salt than anything else.

[wodgina]

I've noticed my sweat isn't as salty on this diet. The sweat used to irritate my skin back in the day. Mg and K are salts but you mean Na and Cl. Sweat contains all these.

So what happens if these soldiers don't get their sweat pills?

[RawZi]

Never bothered with Mg or K, as I know that sweat tastes more of salt than anything else.

    Celery traditionally is known to be high in sodium.  It is also high in potassium, but no one pays attention to its potassium.  It is so high in potassium, that there are people who eat celery at night when they can't sleep, it relaxes them.  I know people who drink celery juice in place of high blood pressure medication they used to take, while many others just cut out celery and all other sodium containing foods without question.

    Have you ever tried pure potassium solution supplement?  I did.  It tastes very salt-like.

    I also know people who use a commercial potassium chloride shaker on their food at the dinner table.  Its crystals also taste salty.

[William]

I've noticed my sweat isn't as salty on this diet. The sweat used to irritate my skin back in the day. Mg and K are salts but you mean Na and Cl. Sweat contains all these.

So what happens if these soldiers don't get their sweat pills?

"The symptoms of salt deficiency are weariness, lassitude, dizziness, heat cramps and sometimes prostration."

[Ioanna]

oh, duh!!!!  I should have figured this out sooner... the cramps are probably the result of an iron deficiency.  I tend to be on the anemic side and judging by my fatigue and heart beat and skin color, I should have put the pieces together sooner. I took a supplement (I don't care to hear negative criticisms, I'm not waiting until I pass out!, but if you have a constructive idea for when my iron drops too low I'm all for it).  The muscle cramps have stopped, and all other symptoms of the deficiency subsided.  Interestingly, I had been with a larger appetite than usual for my meat, which also has returned to normal.

I don't like the idea of supplements, but... they work, or at least the iron one that I used has helped immensely.  I hope my iron level issues correct themselves soon with this diet, I expect they will.  

[carnivore]

oh, duh!!!!  I should have figured this out sooner... the cramps are probably the result of an iron deficiency.  I tend to be on the anemic side and judging by my fatigue and heart beat and skin color, I should have put the pieces together sooner. I took a supplement (I don't care to hear negative criticisms, I'm not waiting until I pass out!, but if you have a constructive idea for when my iron drops too low I'm all for it).  The muscle cramps have stopped, and all other symptoms of the deficiency subsided.  Interestingly, I had been with a larger appetite than usual for my meat, which also has returned to normal.

I don't like the idea of supplements, but... they work, or at least the iron one that I used has helped immensely.  I hope my iron level issues correct themselves soon with this diet, I expect they will.  

Maybe a muscle beef and fat only diet, even raw and grass fed, can lead to deficiency on the long run. Our ancestors ate a varied diet made of different wild food, not just meat from bred animals!

[PaleoPhil]

oh, duh!!!!  I should have figured this out sooner... the cramps are probably the result of an iron deficiency.  I tend to be on the anemic side and judging by my fatigue and heart beat and skin color, I should have put the pieces together sooner. I took a supplement (I don't care to hear negative criticisms, I'm not waiting until I pass out!, but if you have a constructive idea for when my iron drops too low I'm all for it).  The muscle cramps have stopped, and all other symptoms of the deficiency subsided.  Interestingly, I had been with a larger appetite than usual for my meat, which also has returned to normal.

I don't like the idea of supplements, but... they work, or at least the iron one that I used has helped immensely.  I hope my iron level issues correct themselves soon with this diet, I expect they will.  

These foods are listed as iron-rich at http://www.healthcastle.com/iron.shtml and http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/top-10-iron-rich-foods:

Excellent Sources         
# Clams
# Pork Liver
# Oysters
# Chicken Liver
# Mussels
# Beef Liver
# red meat
# egg yolks
# dark, leafy greens
etc.

I hear you on supplements. I've tried organs, shellfish and other seafood, and bone meal to get more minerals for dental and bone health and for potassium, but it didn't get rid of my potassium deficiency symptoms completely and brought back some Magnesium deficiency symptoms, probably because the calcium tends to be equal or higher than the Mg in those food sources, whereas I tend toward Mg deficiency. So for now I'm taking Mg again, but like you I'm hoping to eventually be able to do it all with just foods and a "foodlement" or two.

[Ioanna]

thanks carnivore and paleophil!

I was just looking online today and saw (if it's true?) that oysters have 13.5 mg iron per 3oz, which is almost double what was listed for the same weight of beef liver and about 4x beef.  I didn't know they were so high.  I've never had oysters before... anyone here eat them? and how?  I've never been a fan of seafood, so there is a lot of (shell fish especially) that I've never had before. A supplement is 20mg.. I think... I'd rather give oysters a try.  clams were on the list too, I didn't know that either.

[PaleoPhil]

Yes, nutritiondata does indicate that oysters are rich in iron and I started eating oysters, though I think I'm going to wash away the saltwater next time (I'm guessing there might be nutrients in it though, because people say to drink it--so maybe I'll dilute it instead) because I don't care for the taste of salt, and I have eaten other shellfish and seafood. Some folks add lemon, but I don't buy lemons or limes and I'm currently eating only carnivorous foods (with occasional cheating), so I can't be bothered with that.

My shellfish come pre-scrubbed, but I dip them into a container of water in the plastic netting they come in to wash out the sand and stuff inside them. I followed GoodSamaritan's method of how to open oysters by chopping off an edge, though they shattered a bit and had to clean the shell fragments out of the oysters.

Keep in mind, however, that people tend to eat smaller quantities of shellfish at a sitting than beef, and beef is cheaper (and I believe the price/lb of shellfish includes the shell that you don't eat--so they're even more expensive than they seem).

[carnivore]

...  I've never been a fan of seafood, ...

This is a good reason to have some deficiencies as seafood is one the most nutrient dense food. Oysters, crabs, mussels, clams, etc. are very beneficial when eaten raw. I have a tendency toward cramps, and some oysters are generally enough to make them disappeared (among other benefits).

[TylerDurden]

thanks carnivore and paleophil!

I was just looking online today and saw (if it's true?) that oysters have 13.5 mg iron per 3oz, which is almost double what was listed for the same weight of beef liver and about 4x beef.  I didn't know they were so high.  I've never had oysters before... anyone here eat them? and how?  I've never been a fan of seafood, so there is a lot of (shell fish especially) that I've never had before. A supplement is 20mg.. I think... I'd rather give oysters a try.  clams were on the list too, I didn't know that either.

thanks carnivore and paleophil!

I was just looking online today and saw (if it's true?) that oysters have 13.5 mg iron per 3oz, which is almost double what was listed for the same weight of beef liver and about 4x beef.  I didn't know they were so high.  I've never had oysters before... anyone here eat them? and how?  I've never been a fan of seafood, so there is a lot of (shell fish especially) that I've never had before. A supplement is 20mg.. I think... I'd rather give oysters a try.  clams were on the list too, I didn't know that either.

I eat 20 extra-large wildcaught oysters every fortnight. I use an oyster-knife to pry open the top shell, just sticking it as hard as I can into a relevant wedge and twisting the knife. Best to use a towel as well, to avoid cuts(or use GS's method).

[Ioanna]

awesome!

i'm going to try some oysters as soon as i find a good source for them... hopefully over the weekend. 

do you chew them or swallow them whole?

[TylerDurden]

awesome!

i'm going to try some oysters as soon as i find a good source for them... hopefully over the weekend. 

do you chew them or swallow them whole?

I swallow them whole, maybe chew it once if at all.