Dr. Rosi I am Peter Rosi, M.D. - father, doctor, "midwife", breastfeeding advocate. View all articles | Contact author

SALT

Years ago, in the 1950's-1960's, Dr. Tom H. Brewer proved that salt deficiency, plus protein-calorie malnutrition, causes toxemia.  Breastfeeding problems (like mastitis and lack of sufficient milk supply) also come from the dehydration caused by salt deficiency.

By 1986, salt was proven not to cause high blood pressure, strokes or heart attacks. Yet most doctors and people falsely believe it to be dangerous.

"Salting to taste" is the answer, and this article will explain how.

Three facts are true about salt:

-Salt naturally tastes bad.

-Salt is essential to the normal taste system of the tongue.

-Daily requirements of salt may vary by 4-to-1 between otherwise similar persons.

This is how to tell whether you need more salt. At each meal, at least 3 times a day, do this test. It makes no difference whether the food is cooked with salt. Bring the food to the table, serve your plate, and decide which food on the plate is your favorite.

The first bite of the meal is of the favorite food. Remember, this is a two-bite comparison taste test.

The second bite is of the same food, but that morsel is placed by itself on the plate. Onto it sprinkle a tiny bit (10-15 grains only) of Morton's iodized salt, which is a very finely ground salt.  (This is the most difficult part, so practice shaking out 10 or 15 tiny grains onto a dark plate or paper to learn how to do it. This is for testing purposes only, because Morton's is a very fine ground. See below for salts to dose with, if needed.)

Now eat the second bite.  When the bite reaches your tongue, the salt gets to your taste organs.

If your body already has sufficient salt, the bad flavor or the salt makes the second bite taste worse than the first.

But if your body is deficient in salt, the taste buds work better when the salt arrives, and the second bite tastes better than the first.  If this is the case, you need to take a dose of salt to help meet the deficit of salt. The best salts are natural, like sea salt, kosher, celtic, and Himalayan salt.

For pregnant and/or nursing moms, a dose is One Level Kitchen Teaspoon Measure of salt. Putting it on your food would taste wretched, so put it in your mouth and wash it down. For other adolescents and adults (those physically active are especially at risk), a dose is One Level Half-teaspoon Measure of salt.

Remember the Minnesota Vikings football player who dropped dead at August practice? He died from "heat-stroke", a salt-deficiency disease.

Next meal, repeat the test and dose again if indicated. You cannot overdose if you follow this exactly. If a full teaspoon causes vomiting at first, use a half-teaspoon for the first few doses, then go to a full teaspoon.