In too large a quantity, salt disrupts the body. Among the signs of overconsumption of salt: water retention then bloating, frequent thirst and even migraines, and this, up to hypertension that can appear with age. Beyond the physical discomfort caused, it is therefore important, for health, to pay attention to the way you measure the salt in your plate.
“Thanks to my decision to stop salt, the bloating after meals and nausea stopped. Also, I lost weight!”
Like many people, Juliette systematically added salt to her meals. “Unconsciously, given my salt consumption, I realized that I was very often bloated, with occasional nausea.” Added to her desire to lose weight, Juliette decided, after much research, to stop eating salt. To better understand the link, if salt causes bloating, this is partly due to the symptom of water retention. Salt increases the body’s water load, so the body’s natural elimination is slowed down. As a result, the body retains water, “swells” and causes feelings of heaviness and bloating.
Find out more to better understand your discomfort
“The bloating in the stomach always appeared after meals, especially the feeling of having heavy legs.”
Noticing these details on her body, Juliette decides to learn more about nutrition, with one goal: “to create a healthy diet for a healthy life!”
Having set out to find testimonials on the effects of excessive salt consumption, Juliette wanted “the opinions of different people, who were not aiming to promote anything”. Her sources were invaluable to her, and today, she wants to share them in turn. “I was able to learn more thanks to podcasts, such as “Sport Santé Nutrition Podcast” and “Podcast de la CPTS Paris 8” (podcast #15 le régime sans sel); YouTube videos from several specialist nutritionists; nutrition influencers “@nutrisinexcusas” for example, or pilates influencers, very knowledgeable about healthy nutrition like “@lidiavmera”. ” This research bore fruit with the conclusion: “it’s time to stop salt”.
“Living alone made me reduce my salt intake”
Moving out on my own was the perfect opportunity to drastically reduce my salt intake. “My salt-free diet started 2 years ago, more precisely when I left home for my studies. Living alone, cooking only for myself removed the obligation to follow the menu prepared by someone else. For example, my mother cooked a lot of dishes in sauce, with a lot of salt!”
First results 3 months after stopping salt
Within 3 months of implementing her salt-free diet, Juliette immediately felt “lighter and less bloated after meals.”
“As soon as salt was absent from my meals, my “after-meal” state was much more pleasant and digestion less tiring.”
Having regained a more efficient digestive system, Juliette feels “much less tired when leaving the table, I find myself more productive and from a physical point of view, I have the feeling of no longer having heavy legs, a swollen stomach, and this, even if I have not practiced any sport during the day”. Without a doubt, salt was the major source of her discomfort.
Tips for a successful salt-free diet
To start gently, we know that, just as sugar is addictive, you can no longer stop yourself from adding salt to your plate. “I have completely stopped buying ready-made dishes for my meals at work or at school. I cook myself the night before for the next day, trying to vary the flavors on the plate.”
“Integrating at least 4 different flavors into the plate fills the taste of salt. A psychological phenomenon that works!”
One additional little trick that helped her greatly in stopping adding salt to her meals was becoming a vegetarian. “It’s harder to remove salt from meat or fish than it is from vegetables.” Since vegetables are naturally richer in flavor, “being a vegetarian makes it much easier to do without salt.”
Adapting when following a salt-free diet…
Adapting “happened naturally, without much difficulty. I was all the more motivated by the desire to feel better in my body. I also needed to find productivity in my days, starting by changing the smallest details in my daily life.”
“Thanks to this diet, I feel more informed about what I consume and I am interested in the origin of my products.”
Reading product labels has become a systematic reflex for Juliette. “When I go back to the countryside on the weekend, I try to buy my products at the market. This allows me to be sure of their origin and that there is no added salt or preservatives.”
…and allow exceptions
Reducing your salt intake does not mean that you have to deprive yourself. Salt is still necessary for the body to function properly, it’s all about quantity! As a reminder, salt is actually sodium chloride, a chemical compound that helps maintain the body’s hydration. Also, salt, consumed in reasonable quantities, helps maintain blood pressure.
Without any guilt, “during family meals or special occasions (restaurants or parties, etc.) I sometimes allow myself a salty meal.” In this case, Juliette still tries not to choose a dish containing too much salt, fat and meat, since these products are often served with added salt. In short, “I did not find any constraint in the salt-free diet, I take even more pleasure in eating dishes with much more flavor and original things to prepare rather than eating a salty steak with pasta for example.”
