With some regularity I see reports in the news that we all consume way too much salt. This has all kinds of health disadvantages. An example of this is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease or obesity.
In the context of this blog, I find it interesting to see if it could also affect restless legs. Do your symptoms worsen if you eat (too) much salt?
Father
From my parental home I am used to be sparing with salt. The amount of salt on the food I ate in my youth was very limited.
My father had a problem with his kidneys as a child. With kidney disease it is better to eat little salt. My mother was therefore always extra careful not to sprinkle too much salt over dinner.
She herself liked a little salt. I saw that sometimes when she used the salt shaker over her boiled egg. Later on, she started to pay more attention to this for herself.
To this day I use very little salt in my diet. I think I should rather be careful that I get enough.
A pinch of salt
The question remains whether it matters to RLS how much salt you consume.
If I delve further into this, it turns out that a diet that is too salty can cause complaints that resemble restless legs. However, the chronic tingling in your leg as a result is not the same as RLS. This tickle is related to a cramp in the kidneys, which radiates to the thighs.
Maybe salt is a bit like other foods that are not recommended if you have restless legs syndrome. Or any other illness. The regular list that I see repeated everywhere, consists of coffee, cigarettes, alcohol and chocolate. Sugar is also often mentioned, and gluten.
In general, I think that a healthy diet for a good night’s sleep is the best. Health is best guaranteed by applying the rule of ‘everything in moderation’.
A foot bath with salt could actually be beneficial for restless legs. You should think of Epsom salt or bath salts with magnesium.
