You have probably heard these phrases from doctors (who are perhaps overweight themselves) and “nutritionists:”

• “Salt and sodium lead to high blood pressure.”
• “Always buy the low-sodium option.”
• “Cut out sodium so you don’t get osteoporosis.”
• “Adding salt to your meals will give you heart disease.”

However, the best medical researchers and I are here to boldly say that SODIUM and SALT are NECESSARY parts of a breast cancer-healing diet!

You just need to consume the right salt, sodium, and other essential minerals. Not the BAD salt and sodium—and SUGAR—found in highly processed foods that many Americans fill their fridges and freezers with.

For example, this meta-analysis found that mortality and cardiovascular events were HIGHER in folks consuming less than 2.6 grams of sodium per day vs. intakes between 2.6–5 grams per day. As for salt, this study found ZERO correlation between salt consumption and high blood pressure in 10,000 people across 48 global populations. These are just two studies to show how misguided most of us have been. 

Sodium and Salt are Essential for Breast Cancer Healing

As a breast cancer thriver who lives in sweaty Florida and loves playing tennis in the heat, hydration has always been something that “whet my appetite” for discovering natural and effective ways to live a vibrantly healthy life. But it wasn’t until I really swam around the research that I discovered just how critical salt and sodium ARE for activating anti-tumor cells, enhancing your immune system response, preventing osteoporosis, etc. On top of the obvious reasons people hydrate—to ward off cramps, weakness, dizziness, headaches, and other symptoms associated with dehydration. 

Salt and Sodium 101

First, let’s start with the basics – what actually is salt and sodium? Are they all created equally? (Spoiler alert–NO. Keep reading to discover why and a few salty solutions!)

Salt

A crystal-like compound, abundantly found in nature and made up of sodium and chloride. This is why its chemical name is sodium chloride. The salt issue is that table salt is packed with harmful and highly processed ingredients, such as anticaking agents, bleach, plastics, fluoride, and mercury.

Mercury is considered the most toxic element on the planet, so even the most minuscule amounts can wreak havoc on your body. It is also known as a “Metallo-gen,” which means it mimics and stimulates estrogen production. (Learn more about harmful estrogens here.) Fluoride, plastics, and all the other harmful ingredients are equally harmful to your body.

THIS is why doctors tell you how damaging salt is because table salt can sprinkle on all sorts of problems. However, they fail to mention that GOOD salts provide neuroprotection of your brain and nervous systems. They also carry nutrients into your cells, regulate blood pressure, and provide many other life-giving functions.

Good healing salts include:

• Redmond Real Salt: This pure and unprocessed sea salt is mined from an ancient Utah seabed and is protected from modern pollutants since it is deep beneath the earth’s surface. It’s also a life-giving salt that contains a full range of trace minerals, such as potassium and is entirely free of harmful additives.
• Celtic Grey Sea Salt: It’s harvested by hand and undergoes minimal processing, preserving its natural mineral composition that provides magnesium, calcium, potassium, and other minerals that support hydration, electrolyte balance, and nutrient absorption.
• LMNT electrolytes: They are sugar-free, vegan, and gluten-free packets of electrolytes that hydrate your body with sodium, potassium, and magnesium, and no other dodgy ingredients, unlike most electrolyte companies. 

Sodium

It’s NOT a toxin. Sodium is a mineral (one of its chemical elements is salt) and an essential nutrient for hydration, performance, energy, and cancer healing. Here’s why: restricting sodium sends your body into a sodium retention mode. This mode dangerously SPIKES your aldosterone, renin, and angiotensin hormones for your kidneys to desperately try to retain whatever sodium they can. This causes y

our blood pressure to rise—not decrease, as “common medical knowledge” will tell you.

The other side effects of low-sodium diets can also include brain fog, irritability, weakness, muscle cramps, headaches, AND osteoporosis (which I’ll get to in a moment). However, since doctors and many “health gurus” are constantly preaching to drink gallons of water and limit salt and sodium, a sodium deficiency is rarely the suspect. This formula can even lead to a life-threatening condition of low blood sodium: hyponatremia.

Salt and Sodium Help Prevent Osteoporosis

Your body desperately needs salt and sodium, so much so that it would rather break down bone to maintain sodium levels in your blood. AKA: Your body would rather have osteoporosis than low blood sodium! Click here to review this fascinating study on why salt is essential for building strong bones in women and why sugar causes osteoporosis. 

Salt Activates Anti-Tumor Cells

Another vital reason to live a salty life is that sodium chloride enhances the activation state and effector functions of human CD8 T cells and metabolic flexibility. These salt-induced effects translate into increased tumor-killing capacities in vitro (petri dish) and vivo (living organism) studies. Click here to dive into this 2024 study.

“We were able to show that sodium enhances the immune response of CD8+ T Cells,” – Dr. Chu, part of the 2024 study.

CD8+ T cells are immune cells that can recognize and kill tumor cells or cells infected with viruses in the body. Salt can also help regulate other types of T cells involved in autoimmune diseases and allergies. Meaning, everyone should get salty—especially breast cancer thrivers!

Iodine and Breast Cancer Healing

Another essential mineral and friend of salt and sodium is iodine. It’s a trace element that every cell needs and is essential for thyroid functionality, which was the cause of my breast cancer.

This section is a quick look, but please read this blog post for a deeper dive into my low-iodine story, the breast cancer connection, and solutions. You should also listen to my podcast episode with Dr. Brownstein on why iodine may be your missing ingredient.

Iodine is needed to produce many hormones, such as thyroid hormones, insulin, and growth hormones. Without iodine, many of our glandular tissues, such as the thyroid, breast, uterus, ovaries, and prostate, may develop nodules and cysts. Therefore, low iodine levels result in fibrocystic breasts, polycystic ovaries, and uterine fibroids. If not corrected, the cells can develop hyperplasia (increased cell growth), leading to cancer.

However, your body can’t produce iodine, so it must be consumed through food or supplements such as Iodine Support. Additionally, fluoride, chlorine, and bromide (found in table salt, plastic, carpet, furniture, electronics—basically everything in your world that you can’t stay away from) all displace iodine in your cells. Therefore, iodine is definitely something you should be intentional about consuming via food, drinks, and/or supplements.

 

And there you have it-—YES, salt and sodium should be part of your path to vibrant health. 

And it can all start with this divine sweet and salty treat: Sea Salt Chocolate Date Bark!

 

Author: Dr. Veronique Desaulniers, better known as  Dr. V, is a Doctor of Chiropractic & has 44 years of experience in the wellness industry. For personalized support, please partner with a trained Breast Cancer Conqueror Coach.