Another question about salt

[Seana30]

Okay....I am trying to figure out how to ask this question properly..................

I grew up always being told "Do not use alot of salt, it is very bad for you. It will make your blood pressure rise and give you a higher chance of stroke when you are older".

I understand the concept that a CFer loses salt quickly. I make sure Courtney has plenty of gatorade, etc. when she is in a hot enviroment or doing sports.

Since a CFer loses much more salt than a non CFer do you still have the higher risk of stroke, high blood pressure, etc by using alot of salt.

This question came to mind by the last salt thread. Many of you talked about putting salt on everything and craving it quite often. Do the docs tell you to use all the salt you want??

Thanks for any responses!

Seana

 

[thelizardqueen]

I wonder if it all evens out. We lose so much salt that we have to eat extra to gain it back, so we're only gaining what we've lost, and not aquiring anything more then what we need? I know when its hot and humid out, my whole body becomes covered in salt crystals - very nasty. Even my eyes get salty! LOL. So I would imagine the extra salt I intake covers what I've lost. Besides - my doc always says to eat as much salt as I can for those reasons - that we lose so much of it.

 

[Emily65Roses]

My docs have always known that I eat salt like it's my job. No one has ever told me not to. Part of the reason that it's "safe" could be because it evens out, like Liz suggested. We're just eating what we lose, so it's not an overdose. I think another explanation could be... really, are we going to get old enough to worry about high blood pressure becoming an issue? Even if we live to be older, high blood pressure is the least of our problems. Haha. I think it's probably the "even out" one, but that one makes sense too.

 

[littletally]

I agree with Liz. I think it all evens itself out in the end. I remember going to a class at a CF conference once and something about not being able to absorb everything correctly is a reason why a cf person never really has problems with strokes and such. When stuff just runs right through your body and you don't absorb everything it offers then it's harder to have problems with high salt content. Especially when you sweat the salt out too. Does this make sense? Hope it helped.

Nikki
26/f/cf

 

[Allisa35]

I have often wondered this myself but have never asked the doctor. I can't really recall that they ever said one way or the other, to eat a lot of salt or not. I do remember when I was younger, they would always give us bags of salted pretzels at the clinic. I also remember they would give you a quarter for every pound you gained (oh, the good old days-lol). I vaguely remember them making comments about salt, but I don't remember exactly what they were. I've never really worried about eating too much salt because I sweat so much. I also considered that one of the "perks" of having CF - you can eat as much salt as you want to - lol!!

 

[Momtana]

My three sisters (don't know about my brother) all take medication for high blood pressure - mine is never higher than 120/80. I asked at the CF Clinic in Denver (National Jewish) about that. They said the high blood pressure is uncommon in people with CF.

 

[Emily65Roses]

Yeah, now that I think about it, my blood pressure is always <b>low</b>.

 

[Seana30]

Thank you all for the responses.

I guess it is "evened out".

Courtney does not really crave salt so it is not something I had ever really thought about.

Thanks again!!

Seana

 

[spicyone18]

yea actually my blood pressure is always really low too. They always test it like 2 or 3 times cause its low and they want to make sure that thats my norm.

 

[anonymous]

I am on the low blood pressure list as well. I remember my docs telling me when I was younger that I needed to take in more salt than the average person because I lose so much in comparison. That being said I would imagine everyone else is right on the money with saying that it all evens out.

Lindsey

 

[coltsfan715]

that last post was me .. not logged in <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

Linds

 

[JazzysMom]

I have only known one CFer with high blood pressure, but she had many problems. The blood pressure for her was associated with heart disease from her Dads side of the family. She also was a severe diabetic & was on strict diets for low sodium & low sugar.......talk about a fighting battle if you try to keep weight on for CF! My pressure is always very low, but my sis has low pressure to (no CF) yet our Mom & other sis have high blood pressure requiring meds. They are more stressed out people tho LOL!

 

[Scarlett81]

I've always been told to eat as much salty stuff as possible-along with water in the summer. I wouldn't worry about hearrt/stroke problems. My doc has said that in a healthy cfer the heart is pumping more than a 'normal' person-working more to get oxygen to the blood and lungs-why we struggle to breathe more than others-and that is the equivalent of a 'normal' person doing alot of cardio exercise a day. So generally it will keep the heart just fine.
Give her all the salt she wants. In the summer-at the end of the day you can see the layer of salt crystals on my skin, and wipe them off. The dog always like licking my legs and arms! Ew.

 

[anonymous]

My dog loves me in the summer. She could spend hours licking my legs.

I agree with everyone else, my doctor always told me to salt everything, and to even bring salt packets to just have by themselves if i needed them.

Sue 24w/CF