Conscious Nutrition Epidsode #26: Swelling, Salt and Hypothyroidism
413 views · Published 19 August 2018 · 25:09 · Indexed 29 September 2026
Channel: Healing Simplified with Josh Rubin · 2018 · Education
Download your FREE introductory guide on How to Use Food to Restore Thyroid Health - http://eastwesthealing.com/restoration-thyroid-audio-series ____________________________________________________________________ FREE 15min Consultation: http://eastwesthealing.com/get-start-with-a-private-consultation ____________________________________________________________________ We will be on FB Live EVERY Thursday at 12pm PST. If you have any questions or ideas, please head on over to our FB and post your comments. Sharing is caring, please don't forget that :) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eastwesthealingperformance There are so many myths out there about salt and most of them are false. Except that table salt is bad for us, I agree with that. Sodium is very important nutrient that our body uses for many functions. Including regulating blood pressure, blood volume (esp. when pregnant) as well as playing a role in body fluids that transport oxygen and nutrients. Restricting it will for sure have a negative impact on your health, especially when trying to getting pregnant, during pregnancy and labor. One of the most common hallmark symptoms of hypothyroidism is the loss of salt through the urine. This happens because our cells take up too much water, which is a stress. Our metabolism will slow down, stress hormones go up, there is an increased burden on the adrenal glands (they play a role in releasing mineral corticoids) - and the vicious cycle continues. Often in hot weather, when we work out, we have an over heated home or work place, etc you can lose a lot of salt and fluids. The end result of this is a lowered blood volume. This will lead to swelling and edema. This is where most people think that they need to cut salt, which will make the swelling much worse. This can easily be regulated with protein and salt modification within your diet. Your liver makes albumin out of the protein you eat. Albumin and salt have osmotic pressure which is needed to hold fluids in your blood circulation. The swelling is a sign that you don’t have enough albumin and salt to hold the fluids in your circulatory system, which is resulting in the fluids leaking out int your tissues – ankles, etc. There is good swelling and bad swelling. Its hard to tell which one is which when your ankles are super swollen during pregnancy. BUT, what you need to ask yourself is what have I been eating. That will help you differentiate good from bad swelling. If you are cutting calories, not eating enough protein or carbs, eating keto or paleo while pregnant, over exercise, etc, than most of the time the swelling is BAD swelling. If you are eating organic carbs and protein with every meal, you are eating throughout the day and regulating energy, using salt on your foods, etc., then the swelling is GOOD swelling. Swelling of your ankles can simply be a sign of your body getting ready for labor, creating your own IV fluid supply, so to speak. Other reasons for swelling in ankles: •Weight of baby and uterus restricting flow of the blood to the legs, as it returns to the heart •Swelling of the ankles, face and fingers can be a sign of pre-eclampsia or toxemia •Blood volume loss Normal water retention comes about in pregnancy chiefly from an impressive rise in the level of female hormones, principally estrogens, manufactured by the placenta. These hormones are the same ones which cause many women to have water build-up and swelling in the few days preceding their menstrual periods, or when they are taking birth control pills. During pregnancy these hormones influence connective tissue throughout the body to retain extra fluid. Hence, the pregnant women commonly experiences swelling of her face and hands (generalized edema) in addition to that of her feet and lower legs (dependent edema). -Dr. Tom Brewer The retained fluid is of benefit to mother and baby. Like a reservoir, it provides a water storage system in the mother's body. The stored fluid serves as a safeguard, a backup for the expanded blood volume we have learned is needed to nourish the placenta. At the time of the birth, when some blood loss is unavoidable, the extra fluid protects the mother from going into shock. Remaining tissue fluid is mobilized in the early breast-feeding period to insure the mother an adequate milk flow.
