In a message dated 2/8/2002 9:14:11 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> And there is just as much danger in hypotension as well, and there ARE a
> class of people (such as myself) who suffer side effects from low blood
> pressure and need to consume salt in quantity just to provide enough
> blood pressure to keep from fainting, to keep their extremities at a
> comfortable temperature, and to keep their cells alive and oxygenated.
> I have actually had to sit and lick potassium & sodium out of my hand to
> keep from fainting and keep my body core temperature up.

My blood pressure and body temperature tend to be low, too (as does my
sister's), but I can't say I've ever taken to licking potassium and sodium
out of my hand.  My heart rate is also low--in part because I'm fit, but it
tends to be low, anyway.  My thyroid function is normal (in case anyone was
wondering).  This is just "normal" for my body.  I think it's genetic,
because my sister has the same pattern.  Neither of us are ill--that's just
how we're made.  I sometimes get dizzy if I get up suddenly and I can't eat a
diet too low in carbs, but otherwise I'm fine.

I think there's probably a genetic component in high blood pressure--perhaps
a tendency to somaticize stress through the cardovascular system.  I have a
tendency to somaticize stress in my bowels, and I think this is also is
genetically based.  As in so many things, you need the genetic predisposition
for the triggering environmental conditions to actually manifest as damage.
There are people who can eat grains and carbs all day every day and never
have any bowel problems or blood pressure problems or anything else.

My boyfriend does not have a single risk factor for hypertension (he's been
fit his whole life, he's never been overweight, and he's been eating a low
carb paleo diet for nearly a year now), yet he still has hypertension.  The
one thing that has helped is cutting out added salt.  He was able to
eliminate one of his medications, but he's not off medication completely.

To repeat the point I made before... I think that anyone eating a paleo
diet--that is, a diet rich in red meat--does not have to worry at all about
getting adequate sodium.  In fact, if one is eating a paleo diet, added salt
can only hurt.  Our paleolithic ancestors most probably did not add salt, we
don't need the extra salt, and there is much evidence that too much sodium
causes hypertension and leaches calcium from the body.