Sodium

They did say that his kidneys were in a bad way as well, so that explains it then, thank you Jess.

Well our bodies contain salt and if the level dropped too low we would be in bad trouble. But normally the kidneys do a good job of retaining salt to maintain the right levels. If someone is sick then the balance can be disturbed and I guess that's what happened to your husband number.
The rehydration treatment for bad diarrhoea would contain a little salt to replace salt lost due to illness.

When my husband was re-admitted to hospital in a hurry last October, having lost an awful lot of weight and proving almost impossible to get blood out of his veins, he was told that amongst other things, he was badly dehydrated, and to drink lots and lots of water, and take plenty of salt as well, which surprised me somewhat, as we`re always being told that salt`s bad for us.

I should have added I do not eat much processed food,, never eat ready meals and could not say when I last had a takeaway meal. I cook from fresh every day but a regular "tipple" is firmly on my agenda as I have a DH with serious memory problems which call for some compensations.

If you haven't got raised blood pressure then worry is a bit of a waste.
Salty food is an acquired taste - babies don't like it and if a high salt user reduces the amount they eat then their taste buds (as it were) adjust. Same with sweet things - how many of us used to have 2 teaspoonfuls of sugar in tea and have none now - and how revolting it would be with sugar.
There used to be a lot more salt in processed food than there is now. I remember looking at some minestrone soup about 10 years ago and there was an astonishing amount in. But I do have to say that reduced salt and sugar baked beans are pretty boring, because the beans don't really have a taste at all do they. Also chips, because most of them don't taste of much without.

I cook with salt. I add salt to food,I enjoy my food. I am 77 I am fit and well, I walk, I have no aches and pains, no arthritis and only take medication for a hiatus hernia (lanzoprozole) which is common for my age .I don't know whether I will sleep well tonight worrying about this.

I agree with you Vampirequeen.
I usually put some on my food and don't worry about it - I think it's a tiny amount compared with how much there is in processed snacks like crisps, which I very rarely eat. My BP is usually 120/70 so what's the problem.

I only ever have salt on chips
If I have chips once a year I feel I've had too many

Sorry I mean don't make it - grammar!

Salt .....what is salt ...not in my kitchen! And yet, salt in eggs salt in anything you buy which is not a vegetable. We make our own bread (without salt) we make our own cereal (without salt) but I still doubt we get anywhere the 2g. I never add salt to anything but there is almost nothing you can buy ready made without salt or sugar or fat. Basically food without sugar, salt or fat doesn't taste of anything so that's why food manufacturers doesn't make it. Got any good tips for flavour let me know.

I love salt. It's a necessary part of my diet. I don't go wild with it but I do sprinkle it on my food so I'm probably on the WHO 'naughty person' list. I'm fortunate that my blood pressure is spot on so it's not an issue for me. If it ever becomes necessary to cut back I'll really miss it.

I can't remember when I last cooked with salt as DH inherited hypertension from his father. I was told it was possible that the reason my thyroid didn't work properly was because I didn't eat salt! Before someone tells me there is salt in bread, cereals, processed foods etc. I very rarely eat any of those. Can't win either way.

I haven't cooked with salt since being diagnosed with hypertension nearly 40 years ago now (its another one of the lovely Lupus symptoms) I use lots of herbs and spices and yes I do offer salt on the table to guests but few people add it (other than on chips) no-one has ever said my food lacks flavour. there is a lot of hidden salt in food so I expect we get enough. My blood picture is Ok.

JessM, entirely with you on the sea salt crystals . My nephew is a chef, and insists they add to the flavour of food - I agree with him. Will we be told in 10 years that we need some salt (and even sugar) …