Re: Craving... don't laugh

[Guest guest]

Don't feel bad, I go through weird cravings too. I really feel my body is

trying to tell me something so I eat what I crave. It hasn;t been wrong! For

three years I suffered with muscle spasms in my abdomen. Went to three

different doctors and had all kinds of blood work done. Know what it was?

SALT! My sodium was low. I had been craving green olives and dill pickles..

What are they loaded with? Salt. Now if I feel even the tiniest bit like

those muscles are grabbing, I eat some dills or green olives and I am fine.

See with my lack of teeth I can't eat crackers or nuts or chips, and when I

had high blood pressure they convinced me to cut the salt out of my diet, so

I did a too good job of it.When I finally started eating salt regularly,

after realizing this, my legs quit swelling and much of the water weight

problems I had are gone, as well as the high blood pressure, but this all

happened too around the time I go back on Armour again and started treating

myself..

*Artistic Grooming * Hurricane, WV

Fat cat? Diabetes? Listowner for overweight or hypothyroid cats

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hypokitties/

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[Guest guest]

Hi Val, I read your post and thought I'd share some info. about salt:

Dear Reader,

Everyone knows that you should avoid salt, right? Because salt can

cause high blood pressure, correct?

The answers to those questions: No and No.

In fact, recent research from Germany indicates that older people

who choose a sodium-free diet may be doing more harm than

good. In fact, MUCH more harm than good.

The salt misconception

------------------------------------------------------------

" Of all the flavors one eats, salt is indispensable. "

That's an old Chinese proverb that doesn't get much play these

days – mainly because of the mainstream mindset tells us that salt

is bad. And it can be, when consumed in excess. But for the

average person, a moderate daily intake of salt is not harmful. And

according to research presented at the European Geriatrics

Congress in Vienna, some of the people who need salt in their diets

the most may be getting the least.

Professor Ingo Fusgen of the Department of Geriatrics at the

University of Witten-Herdecke in Witten, Germany, presented

research at the congress showing that as many as 10 percent of

seniors may suffer from hyponatraemia (low blood levels of

sodium). Furthermore, hyponatraemia often goes undiagnosed

because symptoms are so similar to some of the conditions that we

associate with aging, such as fatigue, poor concentration,

confusion, poor balance and incontinence. When hyponatraemia

becomes pronounced, hallucinations and even coma may result.

In a presentation that has not yet been published, Prof. Fusgen

reported that 80 percent of the elderly subjects in his research

told

him that they avoided salt based on the popular misconception that

salt intake causes high blood pressure (HBP).

In a press release, Prof. Fusgen stated that many otherwise healthy

older people may be in danger simply because of the widespread

belief that a low-salt diet is healthy.

------------------------------------------------------------

Salt's best friend

------------------------------------------------------------

I completely agree with Prof. Fusgen, but I'll take it even one step

further. Not only does sodium intake NOT cause high blood

pressure, in most cases it's not even a problem for people who

already have HBP, provided they're getting enough of another

nutrient.

According to the late C. Atkins, M.D., the problem for

those with HBP isn't sodium, it's a lack of balance between sodium

and potassium levels. In fact, more than 25 separate studies show

how increasing potassium intake (without decreasing the sodium)

is an effective way to lower blood pressure. And one of those

studies demonstrated that with just one daily serving of a

potassium-rich food the risk of death by stroke may be cut by as

much as HALF.

Fortunately, it's easy to increase the potassium in your diet. High

potassium fruits include apricots, bananas, cantaloupe, honeydew

melon and citrus fruits. Vegetables with good amounts of

potassium are asparagus, potatoes, green beans, avocados, lima

beans, winter squash, and cauliflower. Other foods high in

potassium: grain products, red meat, poultry, seafood and dry

beans, such as peas and lentils.

It would be difficult to get too much potassium from dietary

sources alone. But if you're already getting plenty of potassium in

your diet, a potassium supplement would be unnecessary for most

people, and in some extreme cases could lead to kidney damage

and other complications. Obviously, balance is called for. And – as

always – talk to your doctor, dietician or health care practitioner

before using potassium supplements to help manage high blood

pressure.

------------------------------------------------------------

Going Celtic

------------------------------------------------------------

More than three years ago, in the e-Alert " Lower Your Blood

Pressure Without Side Effects " (8/23/01), I told you about research

indicating that severe sodium restriction, (much the same as Prof.

Fusgen observed) actually increases the risk of premature death.

On the other hand, a long-term overindulgence in salt is dangerous

as well, putting stress on the kidneys, which remove excess salt

from the blood.

So if you love your salt, you might try using sea salt. According to

some physicians, moderate use of Celtic Sea Salt has been shown

to have no negative effects on blood pressure and actually provides

the body with a number of helpful minerals, including magnesium,

which is essential for heart health.

To Your Good Health,

Health Sciences Institute

To start receiving your own copy of the HSI e-Alert, visit:

http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/hsi/freecopya

Or forward this e-mail to a friend so they can sign-up to

receive their own copy of the HSI e-Alert.

> Don't feel bad, I go through weird cravings too. I really feel my

body is

> trying to tell me something so I eat what I crave. It hasn;t been

wrong! For

> three years I suffered with muscle spasms in my abdomen. Went to

three

> different doctors and had all kinds of blood work done. Know what

it was?

> SALT! My sodium was low. I had been craving green olives and dill

pickles..

> What are they loaded with? Salt. Now if I feel even the tiniest

bit like

> those muscles are grabbing, I eat some dills or green olives and I

am fine.

> See with my lack of teeth I can't eat crackers or nuts or chips,

and when I

> had high blood pressure they convinced me to cut the salt out of

my diet, so

> I did a too good job of it.When I finally started eating salt

regularly,

> after realizing this, my legs quit swelling and much of the water

weight

> problems I had are gone, as well as the high blood pressure, but

this all

> happened too around the time I go back on Armour again and started

treating

> myself..

> *Artistic Grooming * Hurricane, WV

> Fat cat? Diabetes? Listowner for overweight or hypothyroid cats

> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hypokitties/

>

>

>

> ---

> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.

> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

> Version: 6.0.786 / Virus Database: 532 - Release Date: 10/30/2004

[Guest guest]

That's interesting because.... although I don't 'crave' cucumbers, I

do enjoy eating them for the first time ever. I've never really

liked them until this fall. We're eating them almost daily.

Try a cucumber sandwich. On wheat bread put cucumbers, salt,

pepper, and touch of ranch dressing. Sometimes we add ham and/or

tomatoes.

S.

> Can anyone explain to me why I would be craving..... cumcumbers of

all things?

>

[Guest guest]

Cucumbers have a lot of calcium in them as does celery. Maybe you need more

calcium? Also cucumbers are cooling for the system as they tend toward

YIN/cooling energy. Maybe you have inflammation (YANG) so you need the cooling

balance? why not do a search online for the content of cucumbers to learn more?

Craving... don't laugh

Can anyone explain to me why I would be craving..... cumcumbers of all things?

I am NOT pregnant, but I can't get enough cucumbers lately. This has been

going on for the past 3-4 weeks. It's driving everyone crazy at work. Luckily

there is a farm across the street from where I work that grows them.

I just ate a bunch of them for dinner. Could I be lacking something in my

system that my body is craving to get?

I feel silly... most people crave chocolate or something like that.

Hugs,

Tigger

[

[Guest guest]

I agree about the cravings too. Satisfy them while keeping in mind " moderation

in all things " .

Re: Craving... don't laugh

Don't feel bad, I go through weird cravings too. I really feel my body is

trying to tell me something so I eat what I crave. It hasn;t been wrong! For

three years I suffered with muscle spasms in my abdomen.