Government + Fad Diets

The Canadian government is proposing that all Canadians be legislated to go on a low salt diet.  A recent article in Macleans by Alexandra Shimo "A Pinch of Reality About Salt" argues that the science behind the the benefits of a low salt diet is far from conclusive.  As the article points out, salt is an absolute necessity of life and most people will not be healthier by consuming only a small amount of it on a daily basis.  Too often governments fall into the same traps as individuals do when it comes to health and other issues.  They go with what is popular not what is right. 

How often have we seen the perceived wisdom of one generation be looked upon as a total fallacy by the next generation?  How absurd to think that covering a person with leaches would cure their illnesses.  It was considered state of the art for a time.  What if the government had legislated that all sick people needed to undergo leach treatment?  Not too many years ago eggs were considered to be almost lethal because of their cholesterol content.  Today we know that eggs are fabulously nutritious.  What if they had been legislated out of the market? 

The problem with trying to put human nutrition into nice tidy boxes where everything is defined is that humans are simply too complex.  There are too many interactions between systems, chemical reactions, etc. to come up with absolutes.  "Normal" lab values are constantly changing as research discovers new "truths" about what is necessary for health.  For every suggested parameter there are many scientists who would suggest other figures as being normal.  For instance recommended vitamin C intake is 90 mg/day while a highly respected Noble scientist believed it should be 10,000 mg/day.  Which amount is correct?  With such great disparity by leading experts it certainly wouldn't be wise to legislate an amount.  The same holds true for salt.

The chiropractic approach to body function is that the body knows what is best for its own individual situation.  We need to supply the body abundant amounts of natural substances which are free of toxins while adopting a lifestyle which promotes health.  Rest, exercise, stress management and regular chiropractic care will help the body to function optimally.  Then listen to the body's subtle signals.  It will tell you when it has inadequate or adequate levels of salt.  It doesn't need the government to tell it what is right.