Salt Use

[potsgirl]

Hello All~

I recently read a study that pointed out how important balancing our potassium and salt levels are in regulating our heart, kidney and liver function (among other factors), and especially our bone mass. I have had osteopenia for several years already, so this worried me. I've been told to take in huge amounts of salt, but in doing so, your kidneys excrete more calcium, thereby decreasing your bone mass. For women like me, in my 40s and too thin as it is, with low bone mass already, I wonder how much this is affecting my bones.

Anyone else heard of this and how we can deal appropriately with getting enough salt without harming our bones? Most people take in way too much salt and not nearly enough potassium. For those of you who tend to be thin, are in your late twenties and up - especially any woman in their 40s and 50s - I would think about getting a bone mass scan for borderline purposes (a DEXA scan).

Has anyone else dealt with this? Thoughts?

Ciao~

Jana

[Guest brianala]

This is a great idea, and no, I hadn't even thought of it. I have wondered what kinds of harm might be done from increased salt intake, but I haven't considered seriously what steps I might need to take yet. I'll be interested to see what others have to say.

[juliegee]

Me too- high salt and osteopenia. I'm only 46 y/o. I exercise and take calcium.

[mkoven]

Fortunately this is one area where having meat on one's bones is a good thing. I'm 42 with normal bone density. Vitamin D, calcium, and ,magnesium. I suppose I'll get them checked again in a couple years.

[tinkerbella]

my youngest son has been severely diabetic since a young child. we used to eat healthy and salt was never in my diet. since mother's day i feel like i have been failing faster. i just can't exert myself with being so breathless that i can't catch my breath for 10 to 15 mins. My son told me, "All that salt is going to destroy all your organs." I tried to explain why i need it and offered him to come to the doctor's with me. my other kids are still in denial that I'm not able to do things or that things for me are getting serious. We're working on this.

Maybe he's right, maybe all this salt is catching up with me.

i can't remember how much extra a day they recommend, as my PC says just keep adding sea salt to drinks when you have symptoms. Plus i'm hydrated all the time. i really need an infusion today as i can't keep any thing in me. stinks when you live alone!

[potsgirl]

BellaMia~

I just want to comment on the strength that you and others on the site display when you are facing this disease and living alone. I am so lucky that I have a boyfriend who is very understanding and supportive. If I'm too sick to get groceries or go to a doctor's appointment, he's there for me. I live a long way from my mother and my main group of friends I grew up with, and miss that support. I struggle almost daily with moving back to Iowa from Tucson to be around more support. I hate to put everything on one person. It's not fair and very hard on a relationship.

Do you have a good circle of support? Any services where someone could come in and help you get groceries, run errands, take you to the doctor? You are always so sweet and supportive on this site, and I hope you're finding support near you. Of course, we're all here for you, too!

Ciao~

Jana

[janiedelite]

Thank you for posting on this topic, Potsgirl. My grandmothers all suffer from fractures due to osteoporosis. My great-grandma was known as "grandma in the bed" because she was bedridden from fractures for the last 10 years of her life. My mom has had osteopenia for 10 years. I don't want to spend my older years suffering like my grandma did. I'll mention this to my doc when I see her next!

[potsgirl]

You're certainly welcome, Thankful. I hope that it gives all of us an opportunity to think about our bone loss, and how much that could affect our quality of life - as if we don't have enough to deal with already!

Cheers,

Jana

[bjt22]

This whole discussion brings to mind the discussions we were having last week concerning older, or well, "not as young" people dealing with POTS/autonomic dysfunction.

There's a lot of things that can be tolerated by a young body that would be difficult for those of us in older bodies. There's a lot that a youngish-person can get away with on a short term basis. What about when it's not short term and we are getting older? I wonder how much POTS/autonomic dysfunction advice was first given based on the assumption that the person receiving the advice would be quite young, otherwise healthy and suffering from a short term problem?

[tinkerbella]

Jana,

IT'S SO HARD FOR ME.

LIVING ALONE IS THE HARDEST THING I ever decided to do in my life.

People don't understand.

I CRY when no one sees me, THEN pretend everything is just wonderful.

I'm finding some comfort knowing I'm not alone.

Hope we can make ways to help each other here.

I wonder how many others live alone and are house bound?

1 is the loneliest #, who was that song by?

they were right.

Thanks for caring enough to ask.

[potsgirl]

I think that's a good question. From what I've read, it seems like the younger one is when they acquire dysautonomia, the better their chances for recovery. I wasn't diagnosed until I was 45, although I think I had it about 2 years previously after I moved to Arizona and had a virus. I've been sick ever since...Makes me wonder if I'd have had heart disease and dysautonomia (both virally caused, or so they say) if I had never moved here, or if they symptoms might improve if I moved back to Iowa...

Any other thoughts about geographic location/youth?

jana

[lthomas521]

The human body normally can build and maintain proper bone even on surprisingly low-calcium diets. Problems with osteoporosis usually result from something that disrupts the body's normal metabolism. The most common cause of osteoporosis is a diet high in animal protein and phosphorus (both of which create a high renal acid load) and low in potassium and magnesium (which decrease the renal acid load). Although calcium is an alkaline earth metal and would therefore decrease the renal acid load, calcium supplements can suppress the production of parathyroid hormone and therefore prevent the activation of vitamin D by the kidney. That would explain why calcium supplements don't actually help prevent osteoporosis. In fact, the populations with the highest risk of osteoporosis have the highest calcium intake. That why dairy products cause osteoporosis.

Other causes of osteoporosis include medications (especially catabolic steroids like prednisone) and a high salt intake.

The dietary goal in managing osteoporosis is generally to keep the potential renal acid load of the diet as low as possible. This means avoiding foods from animals and instead eating as much fruit and veg as possible. People with severe problems with osteoporosis are sometimes advised to base their diet on potatoes or sweet potatoes instead of grains, because potatoes have a net alkalinizing effect, whereas grains have moderate acidifying effect.

Depending on your skin color and latitude, vitamin D supplements may be needed.