For over 25 years I’ve been telling people that I have consulted or trained, that salt, like sugar is a vital part of our well being. Still… people ask the dumbest questions.
Back in the ’70’s, I know most of you reading this don’t remember the bell bottom days… but that’s when many of the food myths began including the criminalization of salt as well as the hypertension myth and forty something years later people are just starting to realized they’ve been lied to.
To be completely transparent much of the research that was coming out was provided by a bunch of money grabbing assholes that didn’t care about your health, just your cash. The Department of Agriculture isn’t that bright either as they consistently call for salt restriction along with the hypertension myth and have always considered salt public enemy #1, even before sugar, fats and alcohol. Aren’t these people supposed to be intelligent? Or at least a little bit smarter than the average person? Maybe not, after all they are human. I think.
Don’t Blame the Salt
What always got me was that agencies like the CDC or Center for Disease Control branded salt a killer with a statement regarding, and I’m paraphrasing here, “reducing salt is as critical to your health as quitting smoking cigarettes” which also is associated to the hypertension myth still being followed these days. And what the F*ck? Are you kidding me? I’m sure there’s too much fluoride in the water down in Atlanta, GA because comparing salt, something your body really needs for survival to a known carcinogen is absolutely ridiculous and warrants a slap in the head at the very least
There is no scientific evidence whatsoever that salt causes any of the problems that have been touted for years, let alone the hypertension myth. No, salt does not and will not cause hypertension long term. Still no, salt does not cause high blood pressure. And no, salt does not cause strokes. What it does do my little grasshoppers is cause temporary water retention that temporarily raises blood pressure until your kidneys get rid of the salt and the water. The important part of that whole statement is temporary… and for all you illiterate f*cks out there, temporary means, short term. This raise in blood pressure will not kill you.
There is more and more research coming out over the past 5 years that is literally turning the tables on all the idiocy being purported by the Department of Agriculture and CDC recommendations. Most of it is saying the the recommendation by these two agencies can actually be harmful to your health. That eating the restrictive amounts of salt can cause more damage than good and may even cause premature death. Again, I just need to say WTF?
Not Intended for Hypertension
So where and when did all this bullsh*t start? Remember I eluded to the 1970’s earlier in the article, well, like I said it was all a money grab. In 1972 the National Institutes for Health (a very serious sounding name) put together a program called the National High Blood Pressure Education Program to combat hypertension. This program is what created the criminalization of salt and the hypertension myth. What’s so funny is that there was no evidence at the time that remotely pointed to salt as having any part in hypertension… but still they plugged on.
With programs such as the National High Blood Pressure Education Program, you need to have recommendations for the masses, and something for the brainiacs we call doctors to recommend. The best they could come up with at the time was “restrict your salt intake”. Not, lose weight you fat f*ck. Still not, stay away from hydrogenated fats. And not, stop sucking down pop tarts like it’s your job. Nope, go on a low salt diet. Funny thing about stupidity, it comes back to bite you in the ass every time.
Part of the research that caused all this salt drama where two studies. One, studied populations that didn’t eat salt and had no hypertension, another thing this population didn’t eat was sugar, alcohol, and had a high fish intake. So obviously salt was the problem. Then these f*cking rocket scientists looked at a study that showed rats with salt sensitivity had developed hypertension… and the obvious conclusion was that salt caused the salt sensitivity and hypertension. Damned lies and statistics… again, WTF?
Setting Things Straight
The best that the USDA, The NIH, DOA and any other agency with initials can offer up as evidence that an “eat less salt” diet is healthy, is something called the DASH-Sodium Study which concluded that eating less salt “could” modestly lower blood pressure, not saying anything about hypertension, preventing heart disease or living a longer life. This type of sh*t is like arresting someone for murder because they thought about buying a gun. You know someone might die because he was thinking about buying a gun… are you insane. Stop. Unless someone buys the gun, and kills someone… that is the only evidence that that gun will kill someone.
The same thing goes for salt. Look at the “real” studies that try very hard to prove the eat less salt scenario and it always comes back to “nothing”. Not even a hint that a lower salt intake will reduce hypertension, prevent heart attacks or reduce blood pressure. It’s just not true and anyone saying something to the contrary is just plain wrong. Checkout the truth about your natural diet, GMO’s and man made food.