Salt gets a bad rap, but sodium is an utterly essential mineral in the body. The electrolyte is crucial for maintaining fluid balance, carrying nerve impulses and supporting proper muscle contractions. However, it’s estimated that our average daily consumption should be at about 2,300 milligrams, but most people consume an amount closer to 3,400 milligrams of sodium (about 1 and 1/3 tsp)....CONTINUE READING
Even though sodium is important in the body, excess salt intake produces excess sodium which may cause hypernatremia and lead to serious health problems with time.
Here are signs your body tell you when you are consuming too much salt.
Dry Mouth
Feeling like your mouth is dry everytime even without exercise is a result of excess salt. After loading up on sodium-heavy food (keep away from these 15 high-sodium foods), your body starts to sense that your salt and water levels are not balanced. To get things back to normal, you need to take in more water. As a result, your brain sends out thirst signals, which prompt you to start feeling excessive urge to drink water.
Frequent urination
Frequenting the toilet to pee very often can be a sign you’re eating too much salt, but we also know that diabetes and bladder problems come with that symptom too. So the best thing is to visit your doctor whenever you notice something odd like this in your system.
Frequent Muscle Cramps
You may notice tighter muscles more often if you overuse the saltshaker or overconsume salty foods. Sodium and calcium are responsible for muscle contraction. Potassium on the other hand, helps muscles to relax. If you upset the sodium-potassium balance, you may notice more muscle soreness.
Looking Swollen and Puffy
Too much salt will cause your body to retain water and due to the excess liquid in the body’s tissues it leads to swelling, bloating, and puffiness. This can make you feel uncomfortable in your clothes, and you just won’t feel or look as refreshed as you might be on a daily basis, the puffiness is usually noticeable under-eye circles, fingers, and ankles.
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