The Salt Fix: Why the Experts Got It All Wrong--and How Eating More Might Save Your Life Kindle Edition

I just finished the book, The Salt Fix by James DiNicolantonio.Well worth the read.As a prevention and wellness family physician who prides himself in looking deeper at cause and effect in healthcare, I must admit that I had my blinders on when it came to salt. I too believed that salt was to be watched closely and tried to remain at the lowest recommended usage. Well, no longer! The author James DiNicolantonio makes a great case as to why limiting your salt to the national guidelines may be BAD for your health.In my practice, I have different views than mainstream medicine in many areas of health and wellness. Why? Well, I have arrived at the point in my career when I am not afraid to ask the “experts”- “WHY?”.Why is fat bad?Why is cholesterol bad?Do cholesterol lowering drugs really save lives?I like to dive deeply into cause and effect. But it appears like I did not look closely enough at how the human body uses salt. I was still advising people to watch their salt intake as I thought that the dietary recommendations were set in stone with irrefutable evidence.Well…….Let me add one more question for the “experts”.Why is consuming more than 2 grams of salt a day bad?After reading The Salt Fix, I am disappointed in myself but that changes today. The author James DiNicolantonio very simply makes the case that the war on salt is as misguided as I believe the war on cholesterol and fat has been. He points out how salt is a vital nutrient that our body needs to stay in balance, just like fat and cholesterol. He clearly and simply shows how our body responds to different levels of salt intake.He brings together many other aspects of my practice, writing about how it is not salt, but that other white processed powder, SUGAR, that is really the issue in most people with metabolic health issues. He points out how sugar can cause insulin resistance leading to Obesity, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Heart Disease, etc, etc. He then shows how too LITTLE salt also leads to insulin resistance, Obesity, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Heart Disease, etc, etc. See the twist?Besides learning about the many beneficial aspects of salt, this book should make you a more skeptical thinker when it comes to national dietary guidelines. You should ask yourself, “Is there real proof that these guidelines are good for my health AND were these guidelines based on real medical studies or are they a dietary or political/industry power play?If you are overweight, have High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Thyroid Disease, or Kidney Disease, BUY THIS BOOK and READ IT. If you like salt but are afraid to use it, BUY THIS BOOK and READ IT. Then have a conversation with your physician(s). If they just restate the National Dietary Salt guidelines without understanding the true data, lend them this book, or buy them one so they can refer to it and help more patients.

We live in interesting times. In 1980, the first "Dietary Guidelines for Americans" were published, and we're now seeing the results.Along with most Americans, I assumed those guidelines were rooted in solid science, and I tried to adhere. I ate a lot of carbs -- the base of the food pyramid. I avoided eggs because of cholesterol. I avoided fat because of caloric density. And I avoided salt to avoid high blood pressure.To say those guidelines didn't work for me would be an understatement. I won't bore you with the details, but I improved my health by essentially doing the opposite of those guidelines. Salt was the last of that dogma to be purged from my brain.I got on the high-salt bandwagon a couple years ago when I saw how it "cured" my occasional headaches, fatigue, and light-headedness -- all symptoms of low blood volume. My exercise performance also improved.Dr. DiNicolantonio clearly explains the mechanisms of sodium regulation. It's not a simple matter of sodium intake increasing blood pressure. The body is very good at regulating homeostatic levels of sodium, and if intake is too low, your body has several tricks to compensate -- including vasoconstriction to compensate for low blood volume. In effect, following the low-salt guidelines can increase blood pressure and make you feel like crap.DiNicolantonio also tells a compelling story of salt in an evolutionary context, especially for those with European ancestry.And he tells us how the guidelines went wrong.Frankly, I was skeptical for a long time. I just couldn't believe that science could fail us for 40 years. I had faith in science.To me, it's sad that this book is necessary, but I'm glad somebody has finally written this book. It needed to be written, and it's another milestone. Hopefully, this marks the point at which nutritional science starts getting it right.

The Salt Fix is now one of my go to health reference books. Dr DiNicolantonio did a great job of going through the history salt. Including how the hypothesis began that salt in our diet causes hypertension (high blood pressure). Showing how this information was then blown out of proportion without robust scientific studies to back it, and so it is included as a dietary recommendation for everyone. You'll find out how only a small minority of people might benefit from a low salt diet. Definitely not the majority of people.Dr Nicolantonio also explains how the unexpected health improvements happen to people who eat more salt than the current daily recommendation. People with high blood pressure can actually get better eating more salt. This is just one of the many examples he gives for the apparent health paradox in medical dietary guideline thinking that when people eat more salt, they improve thier health.He also reveals all the negative side-effects and health risks from eating a diet low in salt. One of the biggest risks being increased heart rate, which again, he shows with references how pro-low salt studies somehow conveniently leave out that data even when they did include heart rate testing.When I finished this book I got the feeling of how badly we have been sold the myth that sprinkling salt on our food or cooking with salt will definitely cause high blood pressure. The fact is that the risk of complications from not ingesting enough salt everyday far outweigh the proposed main benefit of lowering salt intake.This book has given me the freedom to realise how much more salt I need in my diet to thrive and not just survive. Especially the drinking coffee factor that is explained in the book.I truly believe everyone should read this book who has ever been fearful of salt. This is so they can make an informed decision as if a low salt diet is best for them. I have a feeling a lot of people will question why they have been avoiding salt in the day to day lives after reading this book.

This is a persuasive book by a Doctor of Pharmacy saying that the received wisdom about dietary intakes of salt is wrong and may even be harmful. It is well argued, but also disturbing if you have bought into idea that eating too much salt is a very bad thing.The book starts with a disclaimer: “This book contains general information and advice relating to the potential benefits of adding salt to your diet. It is not intended to replace personalized medical advice. As with any new diet regimen, the practices recommended in this book should be followed only after consulting with your doctor to make sure they are appropriate to your individual circumstances. The authors and publisher expressly disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects that may result from the use or application of the information in this book.”I have just read  Killer salt , a book from the 1970s, which made me think seriously about the levels of salt I was ingesting. However, I did not want to exist in my own echo chamber, so I read this book for balance. Now, as a medical civilian, I do not know what to think.The Dr DiNicolantonio surveys the studies that led to advice that a high salt diet is risky. He finds most of these studies wanting. He also warns that it is risky to embark on a low sodium diet. There is also some history in the human use of salt and a pro-salt dietary advice, including recipes. There is also a considerable amount of non-technical medical discussion, which is manageable to a non-specialist. He considers sugar to be the real problem in diets, not just because of obesity but also because of its damaging effects to the internal workings of the body.So I have now read two books on salt. One told me about the dire medical effects of salt. It encouraged me to move towards a lower or low sodium intake and provided information about low sodium foods and recipes. The other told me sodium is fine, sugar is the real problem. It warned me about the dangers of low sodium diets and provided salty recipes. It also provided a section comparing the pros and cons of various types of salt.Go figure. Killer salt

It seems like a lot of medical shibboleths are being dented of late, such as the cholesterol hypothesis of heart disease ("the sugar did it!"), and it naturally follows that salt deserves a reappraisal.It's not hard to be persuaded by the arguments presented which are a mix of logic and evidence: Life began in the salty sea and we've evolved mechanisms to ensure that we can retain and process salt even though we've begun to see it as villain condiment.James uses a lot of coulds, mights and maybes, but I don't blame him for that because the mountain of papers are anti-salt and what is pro-salt needs a boost in the quantity department (whereas the pro-salt is seriously lacking in quality). But, you come away won over that you need to be taking more salt than restricting it, unless you're a minority who has been extrapolated in studies.The suggestions on types of salt to use and how to go about using them, and for what conditions and events are very useful.I'm sure there will be many who will just look at the blurb of the book only and shake their heads without giving it a chance, but you have to remember that science has been corrupted by conflicts of interest and there are various scientific fallacies waiting to be axed (e.g. read Henry H. Bauer's 'Science Is Not What You Think').The question that really sticks in my mind is how many people with high blood pressure are so because of salt deficiency?

Lots of useful information, and undoubtedly well researched, but poorly written. It is not clear what the target audience is, as much specialised knowledge is taken for granted yet the arguments are repetitive and the terminology inconsistent.I personally found the book useful as it contradicts the current orthodoxy about salt intake, and by following the general thrust of the book (and increasing my own intake) I have been able to control persistent dehydration that has plagued me since surgery some years ago (in short, the whole bowel was removed).A good edit would improve the text. Deal with each issue fully and concisely, then move on. As published it rambles, returning to the same points again and again without ever quite settling them definitively. The 'Why the Experts Got it Wrong' theme needs to be dealt with separately from the role and mechanics of dietary salt. Worth reading (and re-reading).

Hey Dr DiNicolantonio, thanks for writing such a good book. I'm doing my MSc in Nutrition and am in the middle of an essay on sodium. My initial literature searches brought up all the expected results, and it wasn't until reading your book that i began to find the studies that really interested me. I printed these out (about eleven) and these formed the basis of my argument.As well, I very much enjoyed your interview with Joe Mercola (how i discovered you). I am in the lengthy process of self-treating for Borrelia and co-infections and use my infrared sauna on a daily basis. Since reading your book, i am supplementing with additional salt and feel it is helping me to feel better (i'm administering *many* different therapies, including my own IV nutraceuticals - not easy when you only have 2 hands). My intake is around 12 g p/day and more on the days when i go to the gym. I liked reading about how Na improves exercise performance. I have been discussing the studies with one of our professors, who is beginning to see the light. I share your hope that people will update themselves with strong evidence in favor of including increasing this essential nutrient and reducing their intake of the other white powder that actually has SO much to answer for. I'm greatly impressed by your work and will i'm sure get round to reading more of the studies you have been involved in. Stay healthy James! :-)