5 ms·

I think the original analogy refutes itself. If a strange cat enters your house, you remove it. Likewise, the human body has plenty of methods for regulating fa

by jere 12y ago

I think the original analogy refutes itself. If a strange cat enters your house, you remove it. Likewise, the human body has plenty of methods for regulating fats, sugars, sodium, etc. Of course, you can overwhelm those regulatory methods, but in general the assumption that there's a linear relationship between what you consume and the chronic levels seems pretty naive.

mtdewcmu 12y ago
-- and if multiple strange cats enter your house, you start to think about closing the door. Interesting that you mention sodium. I've wondered whether the common advice to restrict sodium to reduce blood pressure actually has any effect. It would only work if your kidneys were not effectively regulating your blood sodium.
- j_lev 12y ago
  http://www.marksdailyapple.com/salt-what-is-it-good-for/ http://www.marksdailyapple.com/salt-what-is-it-good-for/ According to this (there's a study linked within) salt's effect on blood pressure and other indicators of heart disease seem to follow a j-curve - too little or too much and you're at increased risk.
  - mtdewcmu 12y ago
    The conclusions in there are clear as mud... :)
- awa 12y ago
  Anecdote, my father has had blood pressure trouble due to both high sodium and low sodium in the past. In the first episode of low sodium, he kept reducing his salt intake thinking that would help. A visit to ER helped fix that notion.
- hachiya 12y ago
  Here's a recent 8 1/2 minute talk by Dr. George Guthrie (MD) on dietary salt. https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/videos/advanced-study-weekend-experts/george-guthrie/ https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/videos/advanced... He mentions the importance of the potassium-sodium ratio. Also, a 2008 article from Dr. John McDougall on salt and blood pressure: "Salt: The Scapegoat for the Western Diet" https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2008nl/aug/salt.htm https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2008nl/aug/salt.htm In the context of most dietary factors on health, salt is probably one of the smaller influences.

by jere 12y ago

mtdewcmu 12y ago

-- and if multiple strange cats enter your house, you start to think about closing the door. Interesting that you mention sodium. I've wondered whether the common advice to restrict sodium to reduce blood pressure actually has any effect. It would only work if your kidneys were not effectively regulating your blood sodium.

j_lev 12y ago
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/salt-what-is-it-good-for/ http://www.marksdailyapple.com/salt-what-is-it-good-for/ According to this (there's a study linked within) salt's effect on blood pressure and other indicators of heart disease seem to follow a j-curve - too little or too much and you're at increased risk.
- mtdewcmu 12y ago
  The conclusions in there are clear as mud... :)
awa 12y ago
Anecdote, my father has had blood pressure trouble due to both high sodium and low sodium in the past. In the first episode of low sodium, he kept reducing his salt intake thinking that would help. A visit to ER helped fix that notion.
hachiya 12y ago
Here's a recent 8 1/2 minute talk by Dr. George Guthrie (MD) on dietary salt. https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/videos/advanced-study-weekend-experts/george-guthrie/ https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/videos/advanced... He mentions the importance of the potassium-sodium ratio. Also, a 2008 article from Dr. John McDougall on salt and blood pressure: "Salt: The Scapegoat for the Western Diet" https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2008nl/aug/salt.htm https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2008nl/aug/salt.htm In the context of most dietary factors on health, salt is probably one of the smaller influences.