futurehope Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 I've been reading through this forum for awhile and noticed people's suggestions for increasing salt intake including sport's drinks, tomato juice, soups, etc. Many of the ways I've seen mentioned here did not work for me because I also happen to have GERD (esophageal reflux) and a lot of the suggestions made the GERD worse. Also, the sports drinks tended to do the same. Well, I've been having a particularly bad bout of "irritated esophagus" and in addition to my usual meds, Nexium and Zantac, I've been swallowing 1/2 tsp Baking soda in 1/2 glass water (the dose is on the package) and it took away the heartburn immediately. What I didn't realize at the time was that my systolic (higher number of BP I think?) has been getting higher, more in the normal range now. I attribute that to the increased salt intake from the baking soda. And the baking soda is cheap, easy to take, readily available and it didn't hurt my stomach! I hope I haven't been doing any harm, but I can't see why being as I know how much salt many of you ingest on purpose every day to help increase blood volume.Just thought I'd share my new find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danelle Posted July 25, 2004 Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 Thanks for the info! I will have my husband pick up some baking soda at the store. He is there as we speak> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sawicki Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 Hi Futurehope!I want to thank you for posting about the baking soda. I've been drinking baking soda/water for the last couple of weeks. It REALLY helps my stomach. I was even able to stop taking Nexium because the baking soda helps just as much, if not more. I couldn't take salt tabs because they upset my stomach. The baking soda/water is a good way to get some extra salt and keep my stomach feeling well too. How are you doing with it?Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurehope Posted August 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 Michelle, I'm totally in agreement with you. I'm a bit disgusted with the Nexium. I used to take Prilosec. I pop a 150 mg zantac as well on occasion. I find that after years of doing this, that and the other, the above-mentioned pills are not DOING that much. And I was starting to wonder why I was taking them at all - in HOPES that they'd work? That's a dumb reason. Recently, I made the decision on my own to stop the Nexium and cut way back on the zantac. After all, they're not doing that much. I tend to use the baking soda because it works immediately. I may have to do it a few times, but, hey, I need the salt anyway, and the baking soda HELPS my stomach instead of making it worse. Like I said, I stumbled on this by accident, and I'm really glad someone else noticed this easy solution to more salt in the diet. Glad I could share something that works. P.S. While you're at it, if you have stomach problems (I don't know if you do), you can also buy DGL (I use the kind with sugar, not fake sugar) and you can take two of these before each meal to coat the stomach. Since the DGL is licorice, they tend to raise BP as well (even though they supposedly have the blood-pressure raising component removed) The combo of baking soda and the DGL are great ways to raise BP. No side effects either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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