Spirits may make you angry or tearful, while red wine or beer may make you relax, research says.

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A 6,000% price rise in an essential thyroid drug led the NHS to overpay, the UK competition body says.

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The move will raise the cost of the strongest, cheapest alcohol by setting a minimum price of 50p-per-unit.

On pizza night, mac and cheese or burger night, you know you’re in for a serious dose of sodium.

But beyond those obviously salty foods, sodium has a way of sneaking on to your plate more often than you might realise.

It’s everywhere – starting with the fancy salt you pick up at the organic weekend market.

“All salt contains 40% sodium,” says Mandy Enright, a nutritionist and fitness trainer in New Jersey.

That means Kosher, pink Himalayan and even that fancy French sea salt are all just as bad as the stuff that comes in packets at fast-food restaurants.

Beyond the salt you know you’re adding, tons of sodium is still sneaking its way onto your plate.

“The general rule of thumb is that any processed or man-made food most likely contains sodium – and high levels of it,” says Enright. “If it comes in a can or is pre-made and frozen, there’s salt present.”

And although there remains debate over the more scary potential side effects of excess sodium (like its connection with blood pressure), too much of it can, at the very least, cause bloating and water retention.

According to the most recent dietary guidelines, capping your salt intake at 2 300mg of sodium (one teaspoon) per day is recommended, but most of us are soaring past their salty limit.

The average daily consumption is closer to 3 400mg of sodium per day (about one and one third teaspoons), she says. Next time you’re grabbing groceries, look at the nutrition label and peep at the sodium percentage.

“Anything with 5% or less per serving is considered a low-sodium source, while 20% or more is considered a high-sodium source,” Enright says.

Read more: 12 salt swaps so delicious you won’t notice the difference

Here are four signs you might be getting too much of the seasoning:

1. You’re seriously thirsty 

Sodium plays a starring role in helping our bodies balance fluid.

“We need some salt intake each day to help maintain water balance in the body,” says Enright. “The sodium found in salt helps to keep fluid inside our cells.”

When you’re thirsty, Enright says, your body is telling you that there’s not enough water to support how much sodium is in your system, so it sends a signal to your brain to drink up.

Read more: This latest news about sea salt is seriously scary

2. You’re battling a bad case of bloat

Salty meals tend to bring on the dreaded bloat.

“When there is too much sodium floating around the blood, water leaves the cells, causing swelling,” says Enright. “Extreme levels of sodium, followed by excess levels of fluid to balance it out can lead to bloating, particularly the belly area.”

You may also notice swelling in your fingers or toes after a particularly salty meal (we’re looking at you, ramen). Blame the bloat-inducing fluid imbalance.

Read more: 7 ways consuming too much salt can affect your body

3. You have a headache

Ever get a headache for seemingly no reason? Check your last meal.

“Too much sodium can cause blood vessels in the brain to expand, which can lead to painful headaches,” says Enright.

Read more: What’s actually worse for your body? Sugar or salt?

4. Your food tastes meh

On top of all the health risks, consuming loads of salt can actually tweak your taste buds so your food tastes less delicious over time, says Enright. The more salty seasoning you eat, the more you need to get that same mouthwatering response.

“Many people may not realise how much excess sodium they are taking in as a result of changing or dulling taste buds from excess salt exposure,” Enright says.

In other words, it’s a slippery, salty slope.

Read more: Can this de-bloating strategy actually make you gain weight?

How to slash your salt intake

If you are eating too much of the salty stuff, Enright has some easy salt-reducing strategies.

Stay away from the ‘salty six’

“The American Heart Association has dubbed the following foods the “Salty Six”: bread and rolls; cold cuts and cured meats; sandwiches and burgers (particularly those from fast food); pizza; canned soups; and cooked chicken (like those frozen chicken nuggets),” Enright says.

Call on your inner chef

Eating out or getting takeout is a speedy way to make your sodium levels skyrocket – the menu is packed with sneaky salt. “Aim to cook more meals at home, and bring your own food to work or school so you have more control over how much salt is being added to your food,” advises Enright.

Find new flavours 

When you cook, experiment with setting the shaker aside. “Aim to get flavours from herbs – both fresh and dried – spices, and acids like lemon juice and vinegar,” Enright says.

Rinse and repeat

When you can’t avoid canned goods, look for “low-sodium” or “no-salt-added” versions. “Rinsing off your beans and legumes can also help remove some of the excess sodium,” says Enright. “Or consider making large batches of dried beans than contain no salt and add your own seasoning.”

This article was originally featured on www.womenshealth.co.za

Image credit: iStock

Macaela Mackenzie

Here at Women’s Health, we know all about the benefits of protein powder.

It can help you lose weight and build muscle, while also being a great way to add protein to nearly every meal (even dessert!).

But US WH beauty director Maura Lynch recently learnt a surprising downside of the stuff from dermatologist Dr Mona Gohara.

Here’s the scoop:

Read more: 6 superfood powders that’ll give your body a boost

“Dr Gohara and her colleagues are anecdotally seeing an uptick in acne among women who drink shakes and smoothies spiked with whey protein.

“There is some research to back it up; one study followed 30 participants on a daily whey regimen for two months and found that female subjects were most susceptible to breakouts. The thinking is that whey upregulates our androgenic hormones, such as testosterone, more than men’s, spurring excess sebum production.

“It also causes an increase in the amount of insulin growth factor our bodies produce, triggering more oil production.

“So what’s the solution? Easy. Switch to a pea protein powder in your drink, like Health Connection Pea Protien Isolate [R148, wellnesswarehouse.com], and you’ll pack the same punch, minus the inflammatory reaction.”

This article was originally featured on www.womenshealth.co.za

Image credit: iStock

Ali Finney

She had tried twice before in 2017, but Camille Herron still hadn’t finished a 100-mile (161km) race until Saturday.

She not only placed first at the Tunnel Hill 100, but also set a world record in the process.

Finishing in 12:42:39, averaging 4:45 per kilometre, Herron, 35, crossed the finish line before any of her male competitors at the Vienna, Illinois, race.

She also set the fastest known time for men and women on the USA Track & Field-certified course. The previous 100-mile women’s world record belonged to Gina Slaby and was set at the 2016 Desert Solstice track race in 13:45:49.

As for fuelling, Herron dutifully ingested two gels per hour and sipped on her sports drink throughout the race. But after so many hours of sugar, she decided to get creative during the last 32km.

“I drank a beer and a half and it helped settle my gut,” she said. “I think you gotta treat yourself at some point.”

It was less than two weeks ago that Herron decided to run Tunnel Hill.

Finding a certified course in the trail-racing world is rare, and the opportunity seemed too good to pass up. But in order for her record to be ratified, Herron also needed to have a US Anti-Doping Agency official there for drug testing, several additional timing mats set out on the course and additional official hand timers present.

The rest was up to Herron and her strategy.

“I do a lot of progression runs with a heart rate monitor in training, so I decided to focus on my easy long-run effort, which is about 75% of my max heart rate,” Herron said. “That usually is about the right pace.”

Herron, who lives in Oklahoma City and works part-time as a research assistant in osteoimmunology at the University of Oklahoma, won the 2017 Comrades Marathon in June.

She originally set a goal to also win the Western States Endurance Run just days after Comrades to become the first woman to claim the double victory since ultrarunning legend Ann Trason did so in 1997. Unfortunately, Herron was forced to drop out.

“There was a lot of snow in the first 24km of Western States this year… I slid down an embankment into a tree and had a concussion,” Herron said. “I kept falling, then started having pain and paralysis in my hands, pain in my head and neck. It was not a good state to be in just 8km into the race – it was pretty traumatic.”

She went for another 100-mile finish at the Leadville Trail 100 later in the summer but suffered a hip injury about 64km into the race. The Tunnel Hill event was her last-ditch effort to conquer the distance before the year was up.

“I’ve really wanted to get redemption pretty much all year,” Herron said. “There have been so many accidents and injuries.”

What’s next for the ultrarunner, who also holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon dressed as a superhero (2:48:51 as Spider Man at the 2012 Route 66 Marathon)?

More record attempts at the ultra distances – and a dedication to having a good time while doing so.

“I think I have to give credit to my teammates [over the years] for showing me what is possible,” she said. “We’ve all been bitten by that running bug – we all like to run a lot and just do crazy things. For me, it’s fun. It’s just fun.”

This article was originally featured on www.runnersworld.co.za

Image credit: iStock

Erin Strout

The men’s relatives say the cases are not part of the investigation into nine Sussex care homes.