RE: Salt...Sodium...Chlorine... Was: Re: Pritikin Article

[Guest guest]

MY bad.... I needed " sodium chloride " . Yes I remember my HS chemistry,

and freshman college chemistry, and..... I need SALT, in goldilocks

(just right) amounts. I am not at risk of getting too much.

JR

-----Original Message-----

From:

[mailto: ]On Behalf Of Rodney

Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 7:33 AM

Subject: [ ] Salt...Sodium...Chlorine... Was: Re: Pritikin

Article

Hi JR:

Are we talking at cross purposes here? Perhaps you understand the

following, but just in case ................

Table salt is sodium chloride, NaCl, a compound made up of one atom

sodium and one atom chlorine. Na (sodium) and Cl (chlorine).

My suggestion was that, since you keep saying you need extra SODIUM,

but never seem to mention the CHLORINE, perhaps you could get the

sodium, if that truly is what you need, using a different compound

that contains sodium atoms but something else IN PLACE OF the

chlorine atom.

I have observed before that many known carcinogens have chlorine

atoms in their molecular structure. Perhaps this is just

coincidence, perhaps it isn't. I don't know. But it is the possible

carcinogenicity of Cl that is my principal reason for avoiding extra

salt, since I have never had any signs of a blood pressure problem.

A study in Japan showed an excellent correlation between varying

levels of salt consumption and varying levels of stomach cancer in

different regions of Japan where salt consumption varies considerably

according to local culinary traditions. This suggests salt may,

possibly, cause stomach cancer, and it may be the Cl rather than the

Na that is causing it. This possibility is reinforced by the fact

that since refridgeration was introduced, and as a result the use of

salt for food preservation greatly diminished, the incidence of

stomach cancer has also diminished in countries where refridgeration

is widely available.

I am sure off the top of his head Tony could recite a long list of

sodium compounds that are not toxic, contain no chlorine atoms and

which might serve your purpose if it is truly just the sodium you

need.

But there is also an essential nutritive requirement for small

amounts of Cl. So perhaps NaCl (table salt) is the only satisfactory

answer. I don't know.

I am not making a recommendation here. Just raising an issue about

whether it might be possible for you to satisfy your apparent need

for additional sodium while avoiding the chlorine atoms contained in

table salt.

Rodney.

> >

> >

> > A somewhat humerous article by a comunist from the Guardians

> experience

> > at our center recently..

> >

> >

> http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,5673,1533541,00.html

> >

<http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,5673,1533541,00.html>

> >

> > Jeff

> >

> >

> > ------------------------------------------------------------------

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> --------

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ------------------------------------------------------------------

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> --------

> > --

> > ! GROUPS LINKS

> >

> > a.. Visit your group " " on the web.

> >

> > b..

[Guest guest]

I will refrain from any characterization of your intent.

The facts as best I understand, and I have done some

research on the web about the mechanism. The human body

uses NaCl in a water solution to regulate cellular

hydration. My understanding is that without NaCl we would

not be able to manage this and DIE. NaCl is also used in

some nervous system activity, perhaps providing electrical

conductivity but I have not studied that as rigorously.

While there may be some other metallic salt that might work

I don't care to fool mother nature who seems happy with NaCl.

Just like trans-fats sort of work in our cellular structures

they don't work all that well, an alternate salt is beyond

my tolerance for adventure and experimentation.

Sure there is such a thing as too much salt, for example

the shipwrecked sea water drinkers, and JW (salt sensitive

hypertensive). I am far more concerned about making sure I

consume enough to prevent shortage related symptoms. FWIW

I have used potassium based salt substitutes back when I

was following the common wisdom. These days I'm not feeling

all that common and finding my own path.

I do not advocate others increasing their salt intake unless

they also suffer my symptoms. I do caution everyone against

blindly following popular or general advice. These days that

advice is typically targeting a largely overweight, pre-diabetic,

inactive, malnutrite population.

Review your personal situation and take appropriate action

based on what you need or don't.

JR

-----Original Message-----

From:

[mailto: ]On Behalf Of Rodney

Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 12:24 PM

Subject: [ ] Salt...Sodium...Chlorine... Was: Re: Pritikin

Article

Hi JR:

OK. Thank you. Now I am not just trying to be argumentative about

this. But do you have good reason to believe that you need both the

sodium and the chlorine? If so, how do you know that if you haven't

tried a substitute that supplies the sodium but not the chloride; and

another that contains the chloride and not the sodium? Then looking

to see whether both, neither, or one or the other satisfy the need

you perceive.

Is it not possible that you need one and not the other?

Suppose you only really need the chloride. In that case you could

take potassium chloride which would be healthier than something

containing sodium, and since it is an ingredient in many multivitamin

tablets as the ingredient providing both the potassium and the

chloride components, presumably it is understood not to be toxic.

Or, as previously suggested, if it were only the sodium you need then

there might be a safe compound that enabled you to get it without the

chlorine attached.

There are reasons to suspect that both sodium and chlorine atoms can

be harmful to at least some people. Only salt contains them both and

nothing else.

Anyway, there will not be any more input on this from me, as everyone

will no doubt be pleased to hear : ^ ))).

Rodney.

--- In , " " <crjohnr@b...>

wrote:

> MY bad.... I needed " sodium chloride " . Yes I remember my HS

chemistry,

> and freshman college chemistry, and..... I need SALT, in goldilocks

> (just right) amounts. I am not at risk of getting too much.

>

> JR