Dr Oz: What’s Your Truth?
Dr Oz said that most of us have a salt shaker on our dinner table. It has its health benefits, and it can be a key ingredient in many recipes. But what if you are hooked on salty foods and snacks?
Mary loves salty foods such as pickles, chips, olives, and other treats. She showed off a cabinet containing a variety of her favorite types of salt, of which there were close to a dozen. Rather than a smoothie, she enjoys a virgin bloody mary at breakfast, or a cold drink of pickle juice.
Dr Oz: Salt Addiction
Mary is a woman with an extreme salt addiction that follows her daily. Can Dr Oz help her see the ways she is hurting her body, so she can make changes?
For lunch, she snacks on chips and salsa or soup. She also enjoys tomato juice to get her fix on the way home. Mary snacks on chips while cooking dinner. She realized she loved salt when she woke up in the middle of the night and drank some pickle juice.
Mary knows that salt makes her bloated and has given her heart palpitations. She takes blood pressure medication, and she understands that is connected to salt, but she cannot seem to stop on her own.
Dr Oz: Daily Salt Recommendation
Mary stepped into Dr Oz’s Truth Tube to get some data about herself and her health. Dr Oz said his first consideration was her hormones. Her Adrenals came back normal. What about Anemia or Iron Deficiency? Her Iron Levels and Blood Count were also fine.
Dr Oz asked Mary to keep a food journal of her habits before coming to the show. Since she is on blood pressure medication, her recommended amount of daily salt is 1/2 teaspoon. Doctor Oz said this is a healthy goal.
However, based on her food diary, she ate 10 times that amount, on what she called good days in terms of salt consumption. Dr Oz said it is an acquired taste that can spiral out of control.
Dr Oz: Enlarged Heart High Blood Pressure
To help get through to Mary, Dr Oz showed her a human heart. An average heart is about the size of a fist. Prolonged high blood pressure, even sometimes when a patient is medicated, can lead to an enlarged heart.
Dr Oz showed an example of overgrown muscles in a huge heart, which was stiff and “fibrous.” Blood Pressure is the primary cause of an enlarged heart, and Dr Oz pointed out that this is a behavior that can change.
Dr Oz: Salt Addiction Intervention
Mary said that salt gives her pleasure, and she admitted it is an indulgence. She does not think about the long term effects when she is in the moment. Dr Oz told her that her heart is resilient, and you can reverse damage you may have already done to your heart.
Doctor Oz said that many people can identify with her Salt Addiction. He offered her the chance to break her addiction, starting with a plan over a few weeks. How can she get solutions?
Todd Fuqua says
Mary, I’m suffering from the same addiction. I didn’t realize that it was a serious problem. I currently diagnosed with Cardiomyopathy, Congestive Heart Failure, and Renal (Kidney) failure. I’m having to live with a Heart Defibrillator / Pacemaker. And now I have to watch my sodium and fluid intake. This is a very hard journey. Thank you for your story letting me know that I’m not by myself….Blessings..