The media comments we have seen regarding recent research on the relationship of very high salt concentrations to the development of autoimmune diseases are a classic example of exaggeration and myth-information. Dr. David Hafler, the author of one of the studies stated that the salt concentrations employed were at the very high end of salt ingestion limits, higher than what is consumed in current high salt diets, such as the classic Mediterranean diet, and way above the levels in the American diet. Because these extremely high salt concentrations seems to activate the immune system, Hafler went on to theorize that some people may actually benefit from them.
In reality, based upon the current World Health Organization figures, those populations that consume higher levels of salt in their diets have longer life expectancies, which is the only practical measure of lifelong health. Of course, total life expectancy is the result of many factors such as genetics, social development, etc., but these data conclusively demonstrate that current levels of salt consumption are fully compatible with increasing life expectancies.
