Content

• Steps

Salt is extremely important factor for human health. The mineral sodium in salt works to regulate blood pressure and maintain moisture in the body. However, excessive salt intake can cause health problems, including high blood pressure, an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. You can lower your salt levels by staying hydrated, exercising regularly, and following a low-salt diet. Exercise caution when making any changes in sodium intake to avoid potential risks.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Keep the body hydrated

1. 

   Drink a lot of water. One of the most effective ways to remove waste and excess nutrients from the body is to stay hydrated, and the simplest way is to drink water. While the amount of water you drink each day may vary from person to person, the following basic guidelines are for most people:
   • The average man should drink about 13 cups (3 liters) of water per day.
   • The average female should drink about 9 cups (2.2 liters) of water per day.

2. 

   
   
   Liquid refills from other sources. Although drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated, you can also get the required amount of fluids from other sources. In addition to drinking water, you can get extra fluids from a variety of foods. Fresh fruits, vegetables and soups cooked with unsalted broth are all great sources of water.

3. 

   
   
   Limit sports drinks. Although sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade can be very helpful after you have a vigorous workout or when you are sick, these drinks are often high in sodium. Avoid sports drinks unless you are exercising for a long time (an hour or more) or when advised by your doctor to combat dehydration caused by illness. advertisement

Method 2 of 4: Exercise

1. 

   
   
   Sweat. The body gets rid of both water and salt when sweating. Therefore, intense exercise or other activities that cause the body to sweat are also effective ways to remove excess sodium from the body.
   • Try high-intensity exercise, such as circuit training, to stay in shape and get rid of excess sodium.
   • Alternatively, you can try other forms of exercise that are lower intensity, but sweaty, such as hot yoga. Note that hot yoga can be dangerous for people with low heat tolerance, so you should consult your doctor before starting.

2. 

   Stay hydrated during exercise. If you get dehydrated during exercise, the salt is trapped in your body, which can lead to a dangerous condition called hypernatremia. Always drink water during exercise, especially if you are hot or sweat a lot.
   • The amount of water you should drink during exercise depends on the needs of each person as well as the intensity and duration of exercise. For a light daily workout, such as 30 minutes in the gym, you can drink an additional 1.5 to 2.5 cups (400-600 ml) of water.

3. 

   Ask your doctor about electrolyte balance. Losing too much sodium during exercise can be dangerous. Drinking too much water during exercise can cause sodium and other electrolyte levels to drop too low. This can lead to hyponatremia due to exercise. Check with your doctor or a registered dietitian to make sure you don't lose too much sodium during exercise, especially if you're on a low-salt diet.
   • For long or intense training sessions, you may need to drink sports drinks or an electrolyte replacement water so that the salt levels in your body don't drop dangerously low.
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Method 3 of 4: Change your diet

1. 

   Talk to your doctor about how much salt you are consuming. If you are concerned that you are getting too much salt in your food, talk to your doctor or dietitian. They can help you determine if you need to reduce your sodium intake, and how much sodium you should get from food.
   • Chances are your doctor or dietitian will ask you to reduce your salt intake if you have some health problems like high blood pressure or diabetes.

2. 

   Reduce the amount of salt in foods. As recommended by the doctor, most healthy adults should consume no more than 2,300 mg of salt per day. If you are on an American diet, chances are you are getting higher than recommended salt intake. You can reduce your salt intake with a few simple changes such as:
   • Buy fresh foods instead of processed foods. Processed meats like canned meat, bacon or sausage are usually high in salt.
   • Look for products labeled “low sodium”. Check the packaging carefully for the sodium content of the product.
   • Reduce the amount of salt in recipes, if you can. Try flavoring dishes with other spices, such as unsalted pepper or garlic powder.

3. 

   Eat more potassium. Like sodium, potassium is an important electrolyte that is needed to maintain a healthy body. Most of us are eating too much sodium and not enough potassium. Getting enough potassium through foods can help you get rid of sodium. Food sources of potassium include:
   • Potatoes baked with the skin
   • Avocado
   • Banana
   • Green leafy vegetables like spinach or kale
   • Dairy products such as milk or yogurt
   • Beans and lentils

4. 

   Try the DASH diet. The DASH, is a diet that focuses on reducing sodium intake and eating right portions. Based on your needs, your doctor or dietitian can recommend either a standard DASH diet or a low-sodium DASH diet. With the standard diet, you can eat up to 2,300 mg of sodium per day. On a low-sodium diet, you can eat no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day. advertisement

Method 4 of 4: Safe control of salt content

1. 

   Be wary of detox programs or accelerated weight loss diets. Many health care programs, such as detox with fruit juice or salt water, are guaranteed to clear, detoxify and treat problems such as gas or fluid retention. However, there is very little evidence of their effectiveness. These programs can also severely disrupt sodium levels in the body, sometimes to dangerous levels.
   • The juice detox program can cause dangerously low sodium levels, leading to hyponatremia. Hyponatremia can cause heart and nervous system problems.
   • Accelerated weight loss diet programs like a salt water detox can burden the kidneys and increase the amount of salt in the body, leading to problems like dehydration, bloating, edema, or high blood pressure.

2. 

   Don't drink too much water. Although it sounds a bit strange, drinking too much water is possible. If you drink too large amounts of water during exercise, or simply purify your body, you run the risk of hyponatremia, which is a lack of salt in the blood. Hyponatremia can lead to life-threatening edema.
   • It can be difficult to know what it means to drink too much water, especially during intense exercise or resistance training. The best way is to listen to your body: drink when you're thirsty, and stop drinking when you've quenched your thirst.

3. 

   Consult with your doctor about major lifestyle changes. Sudden changes in sodium intake or starting a new exercise regimen can have serious health consequences, especially if you already have medical conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes. Before making any major changes, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian. They can create a safety program to help you meet your health goals. advertisement