The Salt Controversy

THE SALT CONTROVERSY: THE DIET "DICTOCRATS" ARE AT IT AGAIN!
By Paul J. Rosch, MD, F.A.C.P.
THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STRESS

Paul Rosch, MD, FACP, is clinical professor of medicine and psychiatry at New York Medical College and is President of the American Institute of Stress, and Honorary Vice-President of the International Stress Management Association.

This column will also appear in the August edition of the Health and Stress monthly newsletter of the American Institute of Stress

The "diet dictocrats" are at it again. The latest NHLBI (National Heart Lung and Blood Institute) warning is that Americans are eating too much salt and are therefore at increased risk for hypertension, stroke and heart attacks. Others claim that excess sodium is a poison that can also cause cancer and osteoporosis. NHLBI recommends that not only high blood pressure patients but all Americans should sharply reduce their sodium intake, regardless of age, gender or race. This is another example of the same, stupid "one size fits all" cookie cutter approach of treating population statistics and laboratory measurements rather than people.

This latest ban on sodium seems strange since salt has always been viewed as being very valuable. In ancient Greece, slaves were traded for salt - hence the expression "not worth his salt." Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt (salis) and their salarium is the origin of our word "salary". "Soldier" actually comes from the Latin (sal dare), which means, "to give salt".

Full article: redflagsweekly