Beat the salt bloat

Hiya! I understand there's a lot of salt in some things (ie: soda, chips, popcorn, things we're probably not supposed to have in any amount except "very little" besides not eating it, how can you beat the bloat that inevitably comes with eating salty foods?

There's a lot of individual variation in how our bodies retain water, but two common strategies (other than just reducing overall sodium as you mentioned) are staying well hydrated, and getting more potassium in your diet to avoid a big Na/K imbalance.

I used to have very large water weight swings, as much as 5 or 6 lbs within 24 hours. As whole foods have become a larger portion of my diet, especially those with a good amount of potassium, the water weight fluctuations have gotten much smaller - usually within a 2 lb range.

well, I'm going to go buy some bananas...

ditto!

Go easy with bananas! Any diabetics here will attest they are high in fructose (fruit sugar), spike your insulin levels, and leave you hungrier in the long run. I'm not saying don't eat them, rather eat them in low moderation. Google FOODS HIGHER IN POTASSIUM THAN BANANAS and you will find 10-15 better choices out there. Tuna potatos and yogurt come to mind without me looking. Just a thought.

So I take it you're not following the 30 bananas a day diet?

Yes, that is a real thing.

Who would want to eat 30 bananas in a day? Yikes!

It's amazing how much sodium is in food - especially any packaged foods. You can choose to track your sodium intake in fat secret on your diet calendar. That has helped me control it.

Uhhhhh.... Nooooo. That's a big NO from me. Wow! I'm floored that people eat that many nanas in a day! If I did that for just one day, I wouldn't be able to poo for 2 weeks!

[quote=Nimm
So I take it you're not following the 30 bananas a day diet?

Yes, that is a real thing.[/quote]

... ok, I just threw up a little bit

Almonds have a decent amount in them as well, more protein and not as many carbs/sugar.

Parsley is a natural diuretic. It helps beat the salt bloat. When I have a salty nut snack I add parsley to my salads.

I love salty stuff, especially around my monthly time...and then, of course, I get bloated. It's all cravings of the tongue, or maybe of the mind? I'm wondering if there's any substitutions for it, like there is for sugar.

spices can help make a plate tasteful without adding too much salt. Increasing potassium intake via eating more veggies and fruit also helps

Cravings for salt are often a sign of adrenal imbalance. In which case the general advise not to eat salt does not help very much as adrenals need salt. Make sure you eat good quality food, not junk, and use salt with higher mineral content. The rest of the advice still applies. Also protein is a natural diuretic, so for me staying on high protein diets helps avoiding taking the water pills.