Do you ever have times in your life when you seem to crave salt more than usual? Perhaps you always crave salt and are constantly dreaming of potato chips, tortillas and salted popcorn. The thing is, we’re all hard-wired to crave both salt and sugar because back in the day, these two foods were scarce. We could only get them once in a blue moon which made them a luxury. But nowadays salt (like sugar) is everywhere, and we can eat as much of it as we desire.
But eating too much salt isn’t healthy. If you find yourself dreaming of salt all the time it could be that you’re dehydrated, so drink more pure, clean water. It could also be that you’re deficient in a mineral, so consider supplementing with sea veggies like spirulina, nori, kelp, kombu, and dulse. Make smoothies with hempseeds, flaxseeds and chia seeds, and take a whole foods daily vitamin if you think that might help.
Your adrenals might also be off if you crave salt all the time. So, check your stress levels. Do you have high stress or low blood pressure? These are two factors for adrenal fatigue. Practice yoga, meditation, and anything that calms you and gives you a healthy dose of pleasure.
You’ll also not want to make eating loads of salt a habit. Like any old pattern, the more you do it, the deeper those grooves in your brain will become. So do your best to alleviate the habit, bit by bit. Don’t add salt to your food and cook with other spices and herbs besides salt. Refrain from eating out too much as restaurants generally over salt their foods. Keep potato chips and other salty snacks out of reach. Don’t even buy them when you go shopping if you know you’ll be tempted having them around. And always have compassion for yourself as you make healthy changes in your diet. Don’t get upset if you take two steps backwards every once in a while. It happens. But with time, your innate capacity to heal and evolve will help you balance your cravings.