Nate5678's Journal, 22 Apr 21

One of the benefits of Fasting: Usual/ simple food tastes heavenly 😋 

Fasting helps balance hormones, so simple things that naturally satisfy us, become satisfying. And I think because I’m hungry too, so anything to eat is fine. 😅 Bernard, how do you think about low sodium diet? Do you think it’s good for health? 

Dr Jason Fung's "The Longevity Solution: Rediscovering Centuries-Old Secrets to a Healthy, Long Life" Chapter 10 (34 pages) is titled 'Eat More Salt and Magnesium'. If consumed in excess, our body has the mechanism to get rid and be balanced. It's another nice synchronicity again: Right before I see this your question, I was drinking a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with a cup of cold water and a teaspoon tip of sea salt to alleviate the coldness & slight numbness in my hands and feet after 71hrs of wet fasting. 

But at the same if you consume little electrolytes (sodium, magnesium, potassium) your body will store them by limiting excretion in sweat and urine as well. At first my presumption was that salt is harmless, because, in high sodium diet, the sodium sources are processed animal products, like bacon, and cheese. Theoretically higher sodium consumption is link to CVD, but saturated fat (in cheese, dairy, and meat) also causes CVD. So I got confused that maybe the sodium is not the cause, but saturated fat, which packed with sodium, is the real cause. But I found a research about old Japanese diet. In old days Japanese consumed a lot of sodium, even their diet was plant based diet, but too much added salt still caused a lot of death from stroke. Japanese is the only nation that when their diet is westernised, their mortality from stroke decreases, but all causes mortality increased like other countries. So I think that my presumption was wrong, high sodium consumption is one of the cause of CVD. 

The Longevity Solution mentioned this wise saying many times "The dose makes the poison". Too little or too much can be harmful. Since 28 Feb 2021 I have been fasting everyday. During the eating phase of my 16:8 and OMAD I consume moderate amount of salt through low-carb plant-based foods with small portion of fish. During my occasional Extended Fasting, I take in electrolytes in the form of sea salt with ACV & water or by soaking my feet in a warm tub of water mixed with epsom salt. 

I think that if I cut fat out from my diet, I will have to eat a lot of foods, and every food contains sodium. So with that amount of foods I should consume enough sodium from them. In my diet before, that I consumed around 4000cal per day for bulking up, I consumed around 1200mg per day without added salt. 🤔 

The most common sodium restriction recommendation is 2300mg or less. Dr Jason Fung revealed that according to the most recent, largest, and most rigorous population study done on more than 100,000 people in 17 countries, the lowest risk of death for cardiovascular events was in those people who consume between 3000mg and 6000mg of sodium per day. (Pg 220 of The Longevity Solution). 

https://www.pdfdrive.com/the-longevity-solution-rediscovering-centuries-old-secrets-to-a-healthy-long-life-e195287240.html 

Thank you so much about that info. I heard about the the research about linking between sodium intake and mortality before, but never have a chance to look through it. I will add salt in my diet then 🤔