Does water cancel out sodium/salt?

I do think that if you drink enough water it will remove sodium. I am not sure you can balance your sodium use if excessive with water.

I do drink a lot of water to push out sodium out. I don't intake excessive amount of sodium so I am not sure if there is a limit to what water can do.

I don't think it does because I still feel bloated after eating high-sodium foods even if I drink a lot of water. But this is not medical advice.

It can cause the bloated feeling from too much sodium even worse. Potassium can help cancel out the effect of a high sodium meal, but best to have at the same time. Natural diuretics like leeks, tea, and coffee can help you get rid of the salt. Vitamin C has a slight diuretic effect as well.

So does vitamin B complex.

This is why in Taiwan and Japan they serve fresh fruit for dessert. Potassium in fruit helps to balance the sodium consumed in the main meal.

But it’s best to cut down on sodium consumption as it’s not good for overall health. Your kidney works harder to rid your body of excess sodium. Also increased risk for stomach cancer.

If your doctor diagnosed you with medical issue related to salt, why are you still eating it?

If the water is an issue, tell your doctor about it. He may prescribe a diuretic for the water bloating.

[quote] Q. I eat far more salt than I should. If I drink a lot of water, will that flush the sodium out of my system?

[quote] A“That would be nice, wouldn’t it?’’ says Jonathan Williams, a physician in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Unfortunately, he says, the total salt you consume has an effect on your body. You can’t simply dilute it or flush it out with water.

Yes, it's basic biology called extracellular fluid osmolarity. If your body have enough of water (at least 3 liters a day) it will flush out excess chemicals like sodium, sugar, vitamins, etc. without forcing your kidney to re-absorb waste water. And if your kidney keeps re-absorbing waste water, you body will start storing water all your body, that is when edema and ascites start.

Drink lotsa water, it's good for your body and it's cheap, fountain of youth. 100-kg fat hoes should drink at least about 8 liters of drinking water (not TAP) every day.

If you think you had a too-large dose of sodium, take a potassium supplement (just one). It'll help flush the excess sodium from your system, in addition to ensuring you're properly hydrated.

Don't mess around with your sodium levels unless a doctor advises you to. My PCP told me to reduce my water intake because my sodium level was too low. I asked if I could just increase my salt intake, and was told, "it doesn't work that way". Several months later, I couldn't walk, and had to be taken to the hospital, all because my sodium was too low. And I hadn't been avoiding salt, either.

Sodium too low because you are a fat ho who takes too much spironolactone/Aldactone!!! Ask your doctor to prescribe furosemide once in a while. And stop eating too much bananas!!!

[quote]I still feel bloated after eating high-sodium foods even if I drink a lot of water.

So why do still keep doing it? BTW, your body will stop craving high sodium intake a short time after avoiding it.

Eating bananas is good for your colon (fibre) and it also helps to get rid of gas bloating.

My father had severe diabetes and he was forbidden from eating bananas. Why?

No, not really. Maybe it will help with a little extra sodium if you have healthy kidneys and a healthy heart but if you go really heavy with sodium you'll pay the price and if you do have heart or kidney problems too much water will make it even worse. A healthy person can usually handle about 3000 mg of sodium a day. Most processed foods, like frozen dinners have more than that in just that one small serving. Sodium adds up very quickly, even quicker than calories and fat.

R15, people with severe diabetes usually have kidney issues, like mild to severe renal failure. Their bodies can't handle too much potassium. Bananas have a lot of potassium, not to mention are high in sugar. Your dad should also stay away from colas and any dark colored sodas like root beer, even the diet, sugar free variety. They have a lot of phosphates and they are also bad for the kidneys. Light colored sugar free soda like Sprite or 7Up is okay, not especially healthy because of the artificial sweetener but not so terrible in moderation, like no more than 2 cups a day. Actually if the doctor is concerned about your dad's kidneys all high potassium foods should be eaten in moderation or not at all. Tell him to ask his doctor why no bananas or why anything a doctor says. People should not blindly follow any doctors advice without knowing why.

Find a doctor you like and feel you can trust. It's important that you feel comfortable being honest and asking questions. Stick with that doctor and for the most part just follow his/her advice. It's not rocket science, it's mostly tests, common sense, moderation and some good drugs.

Hyper-vigilance is fine for those with the energy for it. I, myself, do not have it.

No. That's like asking if eating a lot of salad will cancel out the 2 pounds of cheesecake you just ate. No.

R17, thanks. My father did eventually die of renal failure but the real cause was that he gave up after Mom died. They had been together for just short of 70 years, he had been keeping himself alive for her and he gave up six months after she left us.

Sorry for your loss, R20.

Bananas are bad for diabetics because they’re full of carbs and sugar. They’re like candy.

If you have kidney issues, you need to stay away from salt. My dad had renal failure too. At the end, his ankles swelled up a lot. There’s no reason to do that to yourself.

Stop with the fast food and TV dinners, that’s a lot of it. Learn to cook from scratch. It’s not as hard as you think. And you’ll lose weight because there’s a lot of additives in prepared food. You don’t have to cook fancy gourmet meals, just some vegetables and chicken, turkey or fish. Salads aren’t really that great because almost all the salad dressings are really salty. You’re better off just eating broccoli, spinach, kale or green beans. Most prepared food in the U.S. has corn oil or soy oil, it’s just invisible, empty calories. Start reading the labels on food. A can of soup or chili is more salt than you should have all day.

You know, I have COPD and I just had a bowl of canned chicken soup & I can’t tell you how much it cleared my lungs. Sure, there’s fat from the chicken in there, but I think the sodium helps with inflammation. I inhaled the steam before each spoonful, so maybe I’ll make canned chicken soup more often & just inhale the steam.

Dudes, unless you have congestive heart failure, liver cirrhosis or renal failure and retain water, other words have edema, salt is not that dangerous. So season your food well if you need to, nothing to worry about. Also if you spent a lot of time outside in hot weather, exercising or otherwise being active, make a point to take some extra salt. Otherwise you will have cramps.

I don't know, does magical thinking cancel out science?

R22, it’s the chicken broth, not the salt. There’s been studies done on it. Hot liquids and protein are good for sinus congestion. Steam is good for sinus congestion. If you have chronic sinus congestion, get a humidifier.

Diabetics are more prone to heart damage, especially if it’s uncontrolled diabetes.

No, there is no circumstance where having high blood pressure or water retention is good for your heart or kidneys. None. If you’ve been told to be on a low salt diet, quit looking for excuses and do it. You can’t eat things that are bad for your medical conditions and be fine.

Chicory has mild diuretic properties that may be helpful.