Supertraining

As a physician I am always stressing to my patients
with high blood pressure that they need to be careful
in using salt and in some patients their Hypertension
is salt sensitive.

Unfortunately this advice given to older patients with
Hypertension is taken by young healthy and active
individuals, who are trying eat a healthy diet, that
they too should avoid salt.

Just as sugar does not cause diabetes salt does not
cause Hypertension.  However just as an individual
with diabetes has to limit their sugar intake so does
an individual with Hypertension have to limit their
sodium intake.

In your case as well as Warren Buirch's daughter you
are more likely to be suffering from hypovolemia
rather than hyponatremia. The hypovolemia is causing
"low blood pressure" which in turn is the cause of
your dizzy spells. 

By taking in more sodium your body will retain more
fluid and consequently raise your blood pressure to
normal values.

Hyponatremia does not occur as often as you think.  In
athletes it will occur only if they are sweating
profusely for a long time (the rule of thumb > 3 hrs)
and replacing the lost sweat with plain water. 

 In the study from the New England Journal of
Medicine, which reported the findings of runners in
the Boston Marathon, hypnatremia was more likely to
occur in th slower runners whose time was very slow
and who drank just water during the entire race.  The
front runners were least likely to suffer from
hyponatremia.

On the other hand in the elderly and sick this
condition is unfortunately more common, not because
they lack sodium in their diet but rather because the
kidneys and other mechinisms for controlling
osmolality and fluid not longer function properly. 

Ralph Giarnella MD 
Southington Ct USA 




--- Lisa Day <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> I also was having dizzy spells and my doc
> recommended having a V8. Since 
> having one a day, I have not been having the dizzy
> spells. Also like your 
> daughter I drink water, and not soda or juice. This
> maybe would help her and 
> she would get some nutrients from it being a veggie
> drink.
> 
> 
> Best of luck
> Lisa Day
> BC Canada 
> 
>