Get the Salt Out (74 page)

476
Watch out for supplements that contain salt.
Glucosamine sulfate, for example, is a popular product taken by many arthritis sufferers and athletes with injuries, but many brands of this supplement contain a hidden dose of sodium chloride in addition to the glucosamine. (The hidden sodium is disguised as the ingredient NaCl sulfate on the label.) If you use glucosamine sulfate, look for brands that are sodium-free and that list 2 KC1 instead of 2 NaCl in the ingredients. When you look for a multiple vitamin, select one that is salt-free.

BONUS TIP:
The only kinds of supplements in which sodium
is
necessary are electrolyte replacement supplements, which are often needed by those who exercise strenuously. See tip 479 for more information.

477
Exercise gets the salt out.
Any activity in which you work up a sweat causes you to lose sodium through perspiration. If you accidentally overindulge in salt, you can use exercise as a way to normalize your sodium levels.

478
Exercise increases your need for sodium,
but don’t use it as an excuse to eat junk food high in refined salt and sodium additives. Sensibly replenish the extra sodium you need for exercise by emphasizing the higher-sodium vegetables listed in tip 67 or the seaweeds listed in tip 61, and by adding a few extra shakes of unrefined sea salt or Real Salt to your food.

479
Better yet, increase your intake of all electrolytes
(minerals that are necessary for proper muscle functioning and fluid balance). Because exercise increases your need for other minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, adding extra salt alone to your diet may not be enough to replace what is lost during heavy exercise. (As you know, imprudent use of salt also can create mineral imbalance in the body.) If you are involved in strenuous athletics, if you exercise frequently, or if you do heavy work outside in a hot climate, I recommend electrolyte replacement supplements. They supply other necessary minerals, such as potassium, which help balance the extra sodium athletes require.

480
Why exercise regularly?
One of the most important reasons is because physical activity is very effective for reducing stress: it relieves irritability, anxiety, and depression, and helps create a feeling of emotional well-being. As you will recall from Dealing with Stress, the previous section, reducing stress normalizes sodium levels.

481
Exercise’s other benefits also might make you a
convert.
It reduces the risk of death in men from all causes by 70 percent and lessens the risk of heart attack by 39 percent. It also helps prevent and alleviate high blood pressure (a fact that I’m sure is appreciated by everyone who wants to get the salt out). Other advantages of physical activity include:

(List adapted from my book
Super Nutrition for Men)

Make no mistake about it: regular exercise helps you not only get the salt out but also is one of the best overall ways to promote your health that you can do!

BONUS TIP:
Take mini-exercise breaks at work. Stretch, touch your toes, do knee bends, and even calisthenics for five or ten minutes instead of taking a coffee break. Even this small bit of activity promotes a mental lift and a sense of calmness and centeredness.”