How Can I Convince Someone That Salt Isn't Evil?

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oldfriend

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My partner and I have been together for about a year. I've been trying to nudge him towards Peat since we've met, but it now seems imperative that I do so. He had his first doctor's visit in almost 20 years last week and found that his blood pressure is very high. His best friend is an LVN, and has him convinced that salt is the devil. I've shown him the Peat articles on hypertension and salt, but I think the fact that they are difficult to understand and contrary to the advice of his friend has him very skeptical.

It's ironic because I suspect that his avoidance of salt may be what landed him here in the first place.
What can I say, what articles, or proof can I give that he needs to stop restricting salt?
 

LucH

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What can I say, what articles, or proof can I give that he needs to stop restricting salt?
No need trying to convince him. As for cholesterol and eggs. Too hard.
Let him read what follows underneath and offer him a book if he wants to learn more.

Salt is needed to maintain the optimal amount of blood in our bodies; it’s even needed by the heart to pump blood throughout our bodies. Salt is essential for digestion, cell-to-cell communication, bone formation and strength, and prevention of dehydration. Sodium is also critical to reproduction, the proper functioning of cells and muscles, and the optimal transmission of nerve impulses to and from organs such as the heart and brain. Indeed, our bodies rely on elements called electrolytes—such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium—in our bodily fluids to help carry out electrical impulses that control many of our bodies’ functions. Without an adequate sodium intake, our blood volume goes down, which could lead to the shutting down of certain organs, such as the brain and kidneys.

Simply put, if we eliminated all sodium from our diets, we would die.
From the book of James DiNicolantonio – Dr. of Pharmacy and Cardiovascular Research Scientist - The salt Fix

If you read French, there are large excerpts there:
http://mirzoune-ciboulette.forumactif.org/t1478-the-salt-fix#17008
 

tankasnowgod

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I don't know that you can "convince" anyone, you should have him ask his friend if high aldosterone is contributing to his high blood pressure. It's well established that salt restriction raises aldosterone, and aldosterone raises blood pressure. You can find supporting studies in that Peat article you mentioned that confirm this. Also, This topic has been discussed on the forum many times, such as in this thread- More Dietary Salt Increases Urea Synthesis And Energy Requirements
 
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oldfriend

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Yes, licensed vocational nurse. It’s more than that though. She is his housemate, a fellow caregiver, and someone who personally suffers from edema and swears that salt is the culprit.

I’m well aware that there are several threads related to this subject. But I’m asking for advice and/or compelling evidence that can reach the layperson or someone that mostly trusts conventional medicine.
 

Blossom

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Yes, licensed vocational nurse. It’s more than that though. She is his housemate, a fellow caregiver, and someone who personally suffers from edema and swears that salt is the culprit.

I’m well aware that there are several threads related to this subject. But I’m asking for advice and/or compelling evidence that can reach the layperson or someone that mostly trusts conventional medicine.
I see, yes that's a difficult situation since she is probably deeply invested in that belief and it might shake up her world view to consider otherwise. Hopefully we can help you compile some good evidence.
 
OP
O

oldfriend

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I see, yes that's a difficult situation since she is probably deeply invested in that belief and it might shake up her world view to consider otherwise. Hopefully we can help you compile some good evidence.
Yes, exactly. Thanks!
 

morgan#1

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I believe that you can’t teach anybody until they’re ready, seems like your partner should see the benefits in you. I come from a background of pushing myself to the limit, and I think back on people telling me this and that, and it was falling on deaf ears. Be fully there, and that might be enough. And the salt thing, if they do Peat, once they get that high, which I got (fleetingly) after about a month, they’ll be more ready to read. Talk is talk, but walking the walk is a total different ballgame.
 
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aguilaroja

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From the book of James DiNicolantonio – Dr. of Pharmacy and Cardiovascular Research Scientist - The salt Fix
I agree. DiNicolantonio's book is one of the more sustained corrections to the fear storm about salt. DiNicolantonio has different interviews on the web.
The Salt Fix - Dr. James DiNicolantonio
I don't agree with everything in the DiNicolantonio book, mentioned elsewhere in forum posts. It eventually starts to demonize sugar. Most people don't really read books anyway, or read them thoroughly even if they open the book. This at least can sit on the shelf or be waved at someone who condemns salt due to inaccurate dogma.
 

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