Sodium

Aim to eat less than 2,300 mg of salt per day. Some people — African Americans, middle-aged and older adults, and people with high blood pressure — need less than 1,500 mg per day.

1/4 teaspoon salt= 575 mg sodium
1/2 teaspoon salt= 1,150 mg sodium
3/4 teaspoon salt= 1,725 mg sodium
1 teaspoon salt= 2,300 mg sodium
1 teaspoon baking soda= 1000 mg sodium

Table salt vs. sea salt:

Table salt is made up of sodium chloride while sea salt includes minerals. Real salt which is pink in color is an even better choice. Our body needs a good balance of electrolytes which for optimum performance are sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and chloride. When salt is over processed all you get is salty, not the good stuff and most fast foods and processed foods are made with sodium chloride which in and of itself can cause a myriad of health problems.
Excess sodium intake is linked to: hypertension/high blood pressure and heart disease, fluid retention and kidney stones. A high-sodium diet increases the need for potassium. The average fast food burger is between 800-1050 mg. of sodium! Canned soup can run around 600-800 mg. per serving. Most boxed convenience meals are upwards of 1200 mg per serving.
Mineral deficiencies are the main cause for salt cravings. With a proper balance of minerals from real salt you will get an upper hand on your diet.
The only time it is dangerous to drink too much water is when your electrolytes are low and are not being replaced. This can cause disturbances in brain function with neurological and cardiac complications. Many athletes who seemed to be in top condition but did not replace sodium/electrolytes, have had major health issues and in some cases death.
Many products today are being made with sea salt so read labels and get the best sources as possible. Remember buyer beware!

The dangers of Bromines

When you ingest or absorb bromine, it displaces iodine, and this iodine deficiency leads to an increased risk for cancer of the breast, thyroid gland, ovary and prostate -- cancers that we see at alarmingly high rates today.
Aside from its effects on your endocrine glands, bromine is toxic in and of itself. Bromide builds up in your central nervous system and results in many problems. It is a central nervous system depressant and can trigger a number of psychological symptoms such as acute paranoia and other psychotic symptoms.

Aside from its effects on your endocrine glands, bromine is toxic in and of itself. Bromide builds up in your central nervous system and results in many problems. It is a central nervous system depressant and can trigger a number of psychological symptoms such as acute paranoia and other psychotic symptoms.

In addition to psychiatric problems, bromine toxicity can manifest as the following:

Skin rashes and severe acne

Loss of appetite and abdominal pain

Fatigue

Metallic taste

Cardiac arrhythmias

Baby Boomers might recall a popular product from the 1950s called Bromo-Seltzer. These effervescent granules, developed by the Emerson Drug Company of Baltimore, were used to treat heartburn, upset stomach, indigestion, headaches and hangovers.

Bromo-Selzer’s original formula contained sodium bromide -- hence the name. The sedative effect probably explained its popularity as a hangover remedy. Bromides were withdrawn from the American market in 1975 due to their toxicity.

Bromo-Selzer is still on the market, but no longer contains bromide.

Bromines in Your Bread Box: Potassium Bromate

The ban on bromines have not prevented them from sneaking into your foods and personal care products.

You probably are not aware of this, but nearly every time you eat bread in a restaurant or consume a hamburger or hotdog bun you are consuming bromide, as it is commonly used in flours.

The use of potassium bromate as an additive to commercial breads and baked goods has been a huge contributor to bromide overload in Western cultures.

Bromated flour is “enriched” with potassium bromate. Commercial baking companies claim it makes the dough more elastic and better able to stand up to bread hooks. However, Pepperidge Farm and other successful companies manage to use only unbromated flour without any of these so-called “structural problems.”

Potassium bromate is also found in some toothpastes and mouthwashes, where it’s added as an antiseptic and astringent. It has been found to cause bleeding and inflammation of the gums in people using these products.

Sodium Bromate and BMOs

Mountain Dew, one of the worst beverages you can drink, uses brominated vegetable oil as an emulsifier. Not only that, it contains high fructose corn syrup, sodium benzoate, more than 55 mg of caffeine per 12 ounce can, and Yellow Dye #5 (tartrazine, which has been banned in Norway, Austria and Germany.)

Choosing a natural apporach vs. prescription drugs

Instead of reaching for a prescription how about trying some natural remedies that will not have the crazy side effects that drugs can have. Instead of Zoloft what about St. Johns wort. Calm yourself with Valerian instead of Valium. Also drinking tension tamer tea has been found to be a great help in calming the nerves after a stressful day. Ginger has a soothing effect on the stomach while Dramamine can cause you to become drowsy and miss out on your day. P.M.S. symptoms and hot flashes can be eliminated with Black Cohosh and Evening Primrose. Rather than taking Zyrtec or Allegra which both have a long list of side effects try butter bur or bee pollen to help build immunities toward hay fever. Celebrex has had more negative press than any other arthritis medicine yet it is still on the market. Why not try turmeric or ground flax seed to help with the joint pain. And for high cholesterol try artichoke extract instead of Lipitor which has been a big culprit in causing joint pain in patience. Also taking fish oil and garlic have been shown in studies to lower cholesterol. It does take longer to see improvement but given the right dose(you will know what that is as you experiment and pray for wisdom) and proper eating habits many have been able to successfully reduce or even eliminate their prescription drugs. In these days of high cost health care the more you can do for your body naturally the further ahead you will be financially down the road. It is worth the time and effort.

Strengthening your immune system.

How can you insure yourself against coming down with the Swine Flu this fall? If you have done the proper things during the harvest season by eating good local whole foods and cut down on sugar and soda you are well on your way to a healthy immune system. Taking some good supplements as the busy school years comes into full swing will also help. Garlic and vitamin C are great immune boosters as well. Check into Oscillococcinum, a homeopathic remedy on the market to help your immune system to lessen the severity of the flu this season. Go to the web to check it out at www.oscillo.com and for a $2.00 off coupon. Doing all you can naturally builds your system down the road for other viruses and air born illnesses that will be coming down the pike come winter.