Salt. My Experience With Morton's Canning And Himalayan

[wes]

First post here...

I recently switched to the peat diet a few months ago. It's been doing wonders for me. I also do bikram yoga, which is an hour and half of yoga in a heated room with high humidity. In the yoga community... himalayan salt is king. I recently came across the recommendation for Morton's Canning Salt... and made the switch (for a week... all i could handle). I was consuming around 3 teaspoons a day on non-yoga days and around 5 teaspoons on yoga days. I immediately dropped 4 lbs, started getting up to pee in the middle of the night, started getting acne all over my body, and started waking up with massive headaches.

During a yoga session i bring a homemade drink with me. 42oz. water, 8oz. OJ, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 serving trace minerals. Normally... I drink 25oz. during yoga and finish the other 25oz after. My body weight is the same before and after with consuming these 50oz. After switching to Morton's canning salt my body does not seem to retain water... at all. I down the full 50oz. in the first 45 min and feel like im going to die. At one point there was a constant stream of water coming off of my elbow. The instructor made a joke that i was peeing out my elbow. My starting weight was 150lbs... my ending weight was 143 lbs... and that was with consuming 50oz. of liquid. Thats about a 10lbs fluid loss.

I switched back to himalayan salt and my weight went back up to 155 lbs., i dont pee in the middle of the night, i dont wake up with headaches, and my yoga is back to normal.

It seems that body retains much more water with himalayan salt... and retains almost no water with Morton's canning salt. I do not have an official diagnosis of hypothyroidism, but I am showing many of the signs. My mother had her thyroid removed and thyroid issues are known in the family.

"For starters, those with hypothyroidism have a hell of a hard time retaining salt. The lower the metabolism, the greater the propensity to develop hyponatremia (low sodium levels). This is a tremendous stress – one that can potentially trigger migraine headaches or seizures in epileptics ."
http://180degreehealth.com/2011/05/ray-peat-salt

After reading this... it seems that morton canning salt was working against me. Himalayan salt seems to fix the issues. This leads me to the question... why is himalayan salt bad? I could not find a reputable quote anywhere, but it seems that the iron/metal content is what everyone is looking to avoid.

How much Iron is in himalayan salt? Again... i could not find a reputable source for the amount of iron in himalayan salt. SaltNews.com says that there is .23729 mg of iron in 1 teaspoon of himalayan salt.
http://www.saltnews.com/2012/03/are-the ... n-in-salt/

This seems very insignificant compared to the amount of iron in beef. 3 oz. of beef contains ~33.5 mg of Iron.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/bee ... cts/3477/2

Is the problem with himalayan salt really iron? Can anyone straighten this out or me?

 

[jaguar43]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

First post here...

I recently switched to the peat diet a few months ago. It's been doing wonders for me. I also do bikram yoga, which is an hour and half of yoga in a heated room with high humidity. In the yoga community... himalayan salt is king. I recently came across the recommendation for Morton's Canning Salt... and made the switch (for a week... all i could handle). I was consuming around 3 teaspoons a day on non-yoga days and around 5 teaspoons on yoga days. I immediately dropped 4 lbs, started getting up to pee in the middle of the night, started getting acne all over my body, and started waking up with massive headaches.

During a yoga session i bring a homemade drink with me. 42oz. water, 8oz. OJ, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 serving trace minerals. Normally... I drink 25oz. during yoga and finish the other 25oz after. My body weight is the same before and after with consuming these 50oz. After switching to Morton's canning salt my body does not seem to retain water... at all. I down the full 50oz. in the first 45 min and feel like im going to die. At one point there was a constant stream of water coming off of my elbow. The instructor made a joke that i was peeing out my elbow. My starting weight was 150lbs... my ending weight was 143 lbs... and that was with consuming 50oz. of liquid. Thats about a 10lbs fluid loss.

I switched back to himalayan salt and my weight went back up to 155 lbs., i dont pee in the middle of the night, i dont wake up with headaches, and my yoga is back to normal.

It seems that body retains much more water with himalayan salt... and retains almost no water with Morton's canning salt. I do not have an official diagnosis of hypothyroidism, but I am showing many of the signs. My mother had her thyroid removed and thyroid issues are known in the family.

"For starters, those with hypothyroidism have a hell of a hard time retaining salt. The lower the metabolism, the greater the propensity to develop hyponatremia (low sodium levels). This is a tremendous stress – one that can potentially trigger migraine headaches or seizures in epileptics ."
http://180degreehealth.com/2011/05/ray-peat-salt

After reading this... it seems that morton canning salt was working against me. Himalayan salt seems to fix the issues. This leads me to the question... why is himalayan salt bad? I could not find a reputable quote anywhere, but it seems that the iron/metal content is what everyone is looking to avoid.

How much Iron is in himalayan salt? Again... i could not find a reputable source for the amount of iron in himalayan salt. SaltNews.com says that there is .23729 mg of iron in 1 teaspoon of himalayan salt.
http://www.saltnews.com/2012/03/are-the ... n-in-salt/

This seems very insignificant compared to the amount of iron in beef. 3 oz. of beef contains ~33.5 mg of Iron.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/bee ... cts/3477/2

Is the problem with himalayan salt really iron? Can anyone straighten this out or me?

This is really interesting,My thoughts would be that the Headaches could be from raising metabolic rate. Acne is a classic sign, I get headaches if take more thyroid medication without eating more due to the demands of higher metabolic rate. Sweating is another sign. I would try eating before going to bed, maybe up your food intake. Also if thyroid diease run in the family get blood work. If the salt has a darker color than there is a possible chance of higher iron. Ray had either sea or himalayan salt tested and said it had other things than just iron. Beef also has other minerals to counteract the iron. My opinion is that sodium is more of a risk in than meat beef to contain iron because sodium does go inside the cell when their is a flux due to a stress.Potassium stays inside the cell when the cell is at rest. But thats just an opinion based on the biochemistry by gilbert ling.

 

[wes]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

This is really interesting,My thoughts would be that the Headaches could be from raising metabolic rate. Acne is a classic sign, I get headaches if take more thyroid medication without eating more due to the demands of higher metabolic rate. Sweating is another sign. I would try eating before going to bed, maybe up your food intake. Also if thyroid diease run in the family get blood work. If the salt has a darker color than there is a possible chance of higher iron. Ray had either sea or himalayan salt tested and said it had other things than just iron. Beef also has other minerals to counteract the iron. My opinion is that sodium is more of a risk in than meat beef to contain iron because sodium does go inside the cell when their is a flux due to a stress.Potassium stays inside the cell when the cell is at rest. But thats just an opinion based on the biochemistry by gilbert ling.

Thanks for the reply!

On the mornings after the days consuming Morton's Canning Salt, my waking temperature was between 95.8-97.0 degrees. On mornings after himalayan salt, my waking temperature is between 96.8 and 97.8. The lower temperature when taking Morton's may have to do with the amount of stress from my yoga class. Im sure my metabolism takes a beating after the large amounts of intense stress. I sweat profusely for the first 45 min and then i stop sweating and my body temperature rises very fast... and my muscles start shaking and im near at the point of panicing. It feels like way to much stress. Im sure the stress hormones are then causing PUFA to release into my bloodstream. The nights are ruff and the morning after my waking temperature is lower then normal. The acne may have to do with this.

My before bed snack is 2 cups whole milk, tablespoon of raw honey, and salt... within 20 minutes of sleeping. My typical day is 2 eggs, potato, 1 cup whole greek yogurt, honey, blueberries, strawberries, raw carrot salad with coconut oil, kiwi, 1.5 liters OJ, 3/4 gallon whole milk (with honey and gelatin), and dinner is either beef, lamb, liver, or fish with sweet potato cooked in coconut oil. My dessert is normally mixed fruit cooked in coconut oil and topped with honey.

That makes sense about the beef iron vs. salt iron. Most brands of Himalayan salt claim to have 85 different "trace minerals" in them. There is definitely other stuff in it.

But why does my water not hold with Morton Canning Salt, but does with Himalayan Salt? Maybe i should try going back to Morton's and up my intake?

Im scheduled to get my blood work this week. Im very curious.

 

[jaguar43]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

This is really interesting,My thoughts would be that the Headaches could be from raising metabolic rate. Acne is a classic sign, I get headaches if take more thyroid medication without eating more due to the demands of higher metabolic rate. Sweating is another sign. I would try eating before going to bed, maybe up your food intake. Also if thyroid diease run in the family get blood work. If the salt has a darker color than there is a possible chance of higher iron. Ray had either sea or himalayan salt tested and said it had other things than just iron. Beef also has other minerals to counteract the iron. My opinion is that sodium is more of a risk in than meat beef to contain iron because sodium does go inside the cell when their is a flux due to a stress.Potassium stays inside the cell when the cell is at rest. But thats just an opinion based on the biochemistry by gilbert ling.

Thanks for the reply!

On the mornings after the days consuming Morton's Canning Salt, my waking temperature was between 95.8-97.0 degrees. On mornings after himalayan salt, my waking temperature is between 96.8 and 97.8. The lower temperature when taking Morton's may have to do with the amount of stress from my yoga class. Im sure my metabolism takes a beating after the large amounts of intense stress. I sweat profusely for the first 45 min and then i stop sweating and my body temperature rises very fast... and my muscles start shaking and im near at the point of panicing. It feels like way to much stress. Im sure the stress hormones are then causing PUFA to release into my bloodstream. The nights are ruff and the morning after my waking temperature is lower then normal. The acne may have to do with this.

My before bed snack is 2 cups whole milk, tablespoon of raw honey, and salt... within 20 minutes of sleeping. My typical day is 2 eggs, potato, 1 cup whole greek yogurt, honey, blueberries, strawberries, raw carrot salad with coconut oil, kiwi, 1.5 liters OJ, 3/4 gallon whole milk (with honey and gelatin), and dinner is either beef, lamb, liver, or fish with sweet potato cooked in coconut oil. My dessert is normally mixed fruit cooked in coconut oil and topped with honey.

That makes sense about the beef iron vs. salt iron. Most brands of Himalayan salt claim to have 85 different "trace minerals" in them. There is definitely other stuff in it.

But why does my water not hold with Morton Canning Salt, but does with Himalayan Salt? Maybe i should try going back to Morton's and up my intake?

Im scheduled to get my blood work this week. Im very curious.

Because Iron and other minerals can be toxic to the cell. If you eat enough salt without those toxic minerals, the stress by the cell is minimized. A cell that is stress takes up water. Ray PEat in a interview said that if one could measure the amount of fluids when drinking, and measure the amount urine. If both are the same then there is a metabolic deficiency. But if one urines less than one drinks then it would be a sign of a good sign. Sweating is a good sign. People who don't sweat have a hypometabolic and or hypothyroid. Why would you want to retain water?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12m6ankhEFA

 

[wes]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

Because Iron and other minerals can be toxic to the cell. If you eat enough salt without those toxic minerals, the stress by the cell is minimized. A cell that is stress takes up water. Ray PEat in a interview said that if one could measure the amount of fluids when drinking, and measure the amount urine. If both are the same then there is a metabolic deficiency. But if one urines less than one drinks then it would be a sign of a good sign. Sweating is a good sign. People who don't sweat have a hypometabolic and or hypothyroid. Why would you want to retain water?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12m6ankhEFA

Very interesting. My thinking on the situation might be backwards. I guess i figured that im sweating too much. When im on himalayan salt, i still sweat frequently, but i dont drop it all really fast... similar to a sodium deficiency. When i first started bikram yoga several months ago i was sodium deficient all together. I experienced the exact same thing then that I experienced with Morton's Canning Salt. My water would dump out of my skin and id stop sweating before the session was over. My eyes would go bloodshot, my face would go patchy red, and id get head aches. I either wasn't getting enough sodium or my body wasn't retaining enough sodium. The symptoms are near identical.

"A cell that is stress takes up water". Is this a reference to edema?

Im feeling that my body doesn't retain any water on Morton's. Its not that i want to retain a lot of water. I just want to retain enough to be healthy. Im already very skinny. Im 6'5 and weigh 155 lbs. I figured that dumping all my water that fast is a sign of a deficiency. Are you saying that i should look at that as a sign of healthy cellular function?

 

[jaguar43]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

Because Iron and other minerals can be toxic to the cell. If you eat enough salt without those toxic minerals, the stress by the cell is minimized. A cell that is stress takes up water. Ray PEat in a interview said that if one could measure the amount of fluids when drinking, and measure the amount urine. If both are the same then there is a metabolic deficiency. But if one urines less than one drinks then it would be a sign of a good sign. Sweating is a good sign. People who don't sweat have a hypometabolic and or hypothyroid. Why would you want to retain water?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12m6ankhEFA

Very interesting. My thinking on the situation might be backwards. I guess i figured that im sweating too much. When im on himalayan salt, i still sweat frequently, but i dont drop it all really fast... similar to a sodium deficiency. When i first started bikram yoga several months ago i was sodium deficient all together. I experienced the exact same thing then that I experienced with Morton's Canning Salt. My water would dump out of my skin and id stop sweating before the session was over. My eyes would go bloodshot, my face would go patchy red, and id get head aches. I either wasn't getting enough sodium or my body wasn't retaining enough sodium. The symptoms are near identical.

"A cell that is stress takes up water". Is this a reference to edema?

Im feeling that my body doesn't retain any water on Morton's. Its not that i want to retain a lot of water. I just want to retain enough to be healthy. Im already very skinny. Im 6'5 and weigh 155 lbs. I figured that dumping all my water that fast is a sign of a deficiency. Are you saying that i should look at that as a sign of healthy cellular function?

When your going through that intense yoga class, it seem like the Morton's Canning Salt is protecting your at the beginning. Then your stress hormones arise. Those symptoms look like low blood sugar, Hyperthermia, deficiency in nutrients and or minerals. Just because you were taking himalayan salt and were not getting those symptoms doesn't mean that your were not going through a stress adaptation. Your body adapts to certain types of metabolic levels. As your metabolic goes higher, it demands more of the environment. So the acne and headaches represent a higher need for food, nutrients, minerals, and other environmental factors. People who run a lot adapt to the lower metabolic rate and need less nutrients. But they are giving up the benefits of the higher metabolic rate, like metal capability. The Bikram Yoga seems intense enough to break your metabolic rate and increase stress hormones.

You could use thyroid, but it takes time to dial in the correct dosage at the time, and in my experience one should work there way up with intense yoga or working out. At your height it looks like you are hypothyroid ( according to broda barnes), but again thyroid may exasperate your symptoms when doing Bikram yoga.

It doesn't have to be edema, Just because you don't look blown up doesn't mean your not retaining water and your cells are taking up water. A cancer cell retains water, its a stress reaction. When one does a very intense work it leads to the cells dividing.

 

[wes]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

When your going through that intense yoga class, it seem like the Morton's Canning Salt is protecting your at the beginning. Then your stress hormones arise. Those symptoms look like low blood sugar, Hyperthermia, deficiency in nutrients and or minerals. Just because you were taking himalayan salt and were not getting those symptoms doesn't mean that your were not going through a stress adaptation. Your body adapts to certain types of metabolic levels. As your metabolic goes higher, it demands more of the environment. So the acne and headaches represent a higher need for food, nutrients, minerals, and other environmental factors. People who run a lot adapt to the lower metabolic rate and need less nutrients. But they are giving up the benefits of the higher metabolic rate, like metal capability. The Bikram Yoga seems intense enough to break your metabolic rate and increase stress hormones.

You could use thyroid, but it takes time to dial in the correct dosage at the time, and in my experience one should work there way up with intense yoga or working out. At your height it looks like you are hypothyroid ( according to broda barnes), but again thyroid may exasperate your symptoms when doing Bikram yoga.

It doesn't have to be edema, Just because you don't look blown up doesn't mean your not retaining water and your cells are taking up water. A cancer cell retains water, its a stress reaction. When one does a very intense work it leads to the cells dividing.

Wow! Great stuff!

I'm going to continue forward with Morton's. The back of the room is a bit cooler... I'll also try to pack in more nutrients before yoga. If that doesn't work... then im switching to non-heated yoga. More important things are at stake!

Thank you!

 

[Mittir]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

If you feel so great using Himalayan salt and feel so bad using Morton's pickling salt
there is no reason for you to give up this wonderful pink salt. Iron is the only issue RP cited.
I used Himalayan salt before , i did not feel anything special except for the wonderful color of this salt.
RP only gives basic guidelines on things. He recommends low iron diet. If you are iron deficient then
this will not work for you. I would focus on major part of this diet and the science behind it.
You have to use science and your individual experience to find your ideal diet.

 

[4peatssake]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

RP does not recommend sea salt due to impurities. As far as I am aware, he only recommends pure refined canning or pickling salt with no additives.

According to Lita Lee the color is from either dirt or toxins.

Beware of colored sea salts. The color is either dirt or a toxin. For example, the pink or orange color in Himalayan salt is toxic inorganic iron.

Peatarian has also confirmed RP's position.

I'm sorry but I've read this too many times now: Ray Peat does not recommend sea salt. It's not refined and there are impurities in it. He recommends the refined white salt without iodine or fluoride.

 

[Beebop]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

Maybe you just need more of the Morton's salt than you needed of the other salt. Extra sweating and needing to pee sounds like needing more salt and more sugar.

Thread about bikram yoga here:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=786&p=5456&hilit=bikram+yoga#p5456

 

[Ari]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

Is there a possibility that with the new salt, you are actually taking in too much sodium? Your body is probably dumping tons of water in order to get rid of the excess sodium, especially if you are just measuring by the spoonful.

Check this:

"A. One teaspoon of Original Himalayan Crystal Salt® Sole contains approximately 478mg of sodium."

One teaspoon of canning salt is over 2000mg of sodium

 

[4peatssake]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

Is there a possibility that with the new salt, you are actually taking in too much sodium? Your body is probably dumping tons of water in order to get rid of the excess sodium, especially if you are just measuring by the spoonful.

Check this:

"A. One teaspoon of Original Himalayan Crystal Salt® Sole contains approximately 478mg of sodium."

One teaspoon of canning salt is over 2000mg of sodium

Whoa, this could be it exactly. Suddenly taking 3 times more sodium would surely have a pretty drastic effect!

I once took about a tsp of canning salt straight and went through a terrible time until my body rid itself of the excess sodium it could not process. It was just way too much and I now just salt to taste, which is pretty heavy though.

 

[Mittir]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

A. One teaspoon of Original Himalayan Crystal Salt® Sole contains approximately 478mg of sodium.

Sole is a saturated water solution of salt. You can not compare salt solution to dry salt .
Himalayan salt is 98% sodium chloride. Salt content of 1 tsp of coarse crystal salt is not much
different than that of fine ground salt. Most people use Himalayan ground salt, not the solution of it.

 

[Jenn]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

Regardless of the salt using, it should always be to taste.

 

[Ari]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

I once took about a tsp of canning salt straight and went through a terrible time until my body rid itself of the excess sodium it could not process.

Yup, exactly. I used way too much salt when I realized that it's actually good for you, back in the day, and I was getting headaches, etc.

But....

Himalayan salt is 98% sodium chloride.

Yeah it looks like I may have spoken too soon. I just checked up on some other sea salt brands and their sodium content is the same as canning salt per portion.

Which makes this post all the more interesting. I've always wanted to get to the bottom of the salt thing, find out which type is the best.

 

[Swandattur]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

Do salt and baking soda have the same effect in the body?

 

[aidan]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

when Id o baking soda baths I do it for 2 hours and absorb huge amounts of sodium you can tell by the water being less baking soda looking. I don't have the runs but when I take in pickling salt. I do it bloats me up.

 

[Mittir]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

when Id o baking soda baths I do it for 2 hours and absorb huge amounts of sodium you can tell by the water being less baking soda looking. I don't have the runs but when I take in pickling salt. I do it bloats me up.

The main purpose of baking soda bath is the absorption of carbon dioxide through skin.
When you say water is less baking soda looking, do you mean lack of bubbles in the water?
Are you talking about pickling salt bath or oral intake? Do you get same reaction to other type
of salts or just picking salt?

 

[gretchen]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

I can't believe water came out of your elbow.

I've read various things about the Himalayan salt, that it contains a lot of things you shouldn't ingest mainly. I personally think not retaining water is preferrable but getting up to pee is a pain. Reducing liquids is the only thing that has worked for me.

 

[jyb]

Re: Salt... My experience with Morton's Canning and Himalaya

I wonder, if one cannot get pure salt (like Morton Canning), why not use baking soda? It's cheap and dissolves quickly in water. From my experience however, I had digestion issues (went straight through my system...) probably due to excess sodium concentration, which I never have with NaCl salt.