Theoretically, could you eat a higher sodium diet if the majority of your food intake is vegetables because of the sodium/higher potassium intake balance?
I think it depends on each body. I personally exhibit symptoms of POTS throughout the year, and my cardiologist recommends a higher sodium intake for me because I get very dizzy and come close to passing out.
I’m pretty sure the theory regarding sodium and potassium is in regards to their relationship in the body on a cellular level. Specifically, when potassium moves in, sodium is pushed out. So theoretically if you eat a diet high in potassium rich vegetables you can maintain a pretty high sodium diet so long as you consume enough water to excrete the sodium pushed out of the cells. However, this would still place more strain on your kidneys as they would have more to filter, and it would increase extracellular sodium levels. Realistically, everything should be kept in moderation pretty much no matter what but theoretically the answer to your question is yes as long as you have enough water to attract the sodium and transport it out of the body.
Having an imbalanced diet is always going to have an impact on the body, because you are forcing the body to address the imbalance, instead of giving it a consistent balance.
Sodium in particular has a strong impact on the body, because it attracts water, and also causes muscles to constrict vs potassium that causes muscles to relax.So the body is having to react to this chemical imbalance, and this causes stress in the body organs, even if you are taking countermeasures to reduce that imbalance.
Additionally, you’re now putting extra load on the body filtration system, as it’s having to process the results of this imbalance, regardless of whether you’ve consumed enough water to counter the I’ll effects.
You wouldn’t treat a swimming pool in the same manner by throwing an excessive of chlorine in, and then adding extra sodium thiosulfate to counter the effects.
Rather than using your body as a mixing pot, and getting to do the hard work, giving it optimal fuel in the first place will ensure it has the best chance of working longer and more efficiently.
I have found high sodium to be very beneficial for my exercise performance and strangely enough, a reduction in appetite.
I’ve been around 4g of sodium per day from Celtic salt, with blood pressure staying around 100/60.
My potassium is around 5.5g and I drink plenty of water.
I use a lot of natural unrefined sea salt on my veggies/cooking and I don’t get any health concerns from it since it’s a natural mineral.
I don’t usually worry about it bc I work out very intensely everyday so I need electrolytes for my body and this is an easy way to replenish it, so it might apply to your situation if you workout. Regardless, everything should be balanced within a normal diet and tailoring it to your specific needs. I wouldn’t worry about your sodium content as long as it’s more natural sources or there are health issues involved your doctor told you about.
I think it should more a concern in regards to the sodium content of packaged foods and preservatives added. Those kinds of items should be consumed in moderation.