Vegans and Salt

[avalon]

This morning I received a Newsletter from Dr. McDougall. Yes, Dr. McDougall. I'm not convinced no animal foods are necessary, but at the same time I believe there are many valuable nutrients in potatoes and they are sooo low cal if eaten correctly and FILLING! and low cost! Don't get me started because this is about SALT.

So even the 'good' Dr. feels people are misguided about the evil SALT empire.

http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2008nl/aug/salt.htm

Quote from the British Medical Journal (2002):3
 
“Lowering sodium intake may have adverse effects on vascular endothelium through stimulation of the renin-angiotensin system and on serum total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. In cohort studies, lower salt intake in people with hypertension has been associated with higher levels of cardiovascular disease and in general populations with greater all cause mortality.”
 
Quote about the NHANES III study from the Journal of General Internal Medicine (2008)4
 
“Observed associations of lower sodium with higher mortality were modest and mostly not statistically significant. However, these findings also suggest that for the general US adult population, higher sodium is unlikely to be independently associated with higher CVD or all-cause mortality.”

Don't shoot the messenger 

[Raw Kyle]

No doubt sodium is needed in the body, but the "salt" that people get it from is a very poor source, and they consume too much of it.

It seems to me that the big problem I have with salt is changing salt intakes. When I'm sticking to a strict diet with little to no salt and then eat a heavy salt meal it can give me a puffy face and have to pee a lot.