The effects of salt on blood pressure.
By thetis74
@thetis74 (1525)
August 14, 2011 7:16pm CST
Salt is essential to life since its role is to regulate the amount of water retained in the tissues is crucial. But it is all to easy to get too much of the good thing. Although the body needs only a minuscule quantity of salt everyday, most people consume far more, year in and year out.
Research has shown that whatever salty foods are mainstay of the diet, blood pressure levels tend to be higher.
People with elevated blood pressure are advised to reduced their salt intake sharply. Salt is present not only in foods but also in antacids and laxatives, as well as in carbnonated drinks.
Even after scrupulous efforts to avoid salt, one may still take in more than the body needs because even natural raw foods, to which salt has been added, frequently contains substantial amount of sodium chloride.
2 people like this
11 responses
@rifki91 (9)
• Indonesia
15 Aug 11
Salt (sodium) is essential
to our bodies. Normally
the kidneys control the
level of salt. If there is
too much salt, the
kidneys pass it into urine.
But when our salt intake
levels are very high, the
kidneys cannot keep up
and the salt ends up in
our bloodstream. Salt
attracts water. When
there is too much salt in
the blood, the salt draws
more water into the
blood. More water
increases the volume of
blood which raises blood
pressure.
Salt Sensitivity :
Some people are more
sensitive to salt than
others. In some people
too much salt will cause
their blood pressures to
rise, in others there will
not be as large a change.
About half of people are
salt sensitive. African-
Americans, the elderly
and people with diabetes
are more often salt
sensitive. If you have
high blood pressure, you
can always benefits from
decreasing your salt
intake.
1 person likes this
@voracious (624)
• Philippines
19 Aug 11
In addition for rifki91 said sodium also helps our joints to prevent arthritis. There's nothing wrong use of salts as long as you do it with moderation plus drink pineapple juice will help your to reduce your blood pressure at the same time.
1 person likes this
@thetis74 (1525)
•
15 Aug 11
Hi there! I appreciate the valuable addition. Very informative too. You are so right. I am glad that I am not really salt sensitive. My mother is. Well, she has got high blood pressure and smokes a lot. They love pork. Although they like vegetables too they seem to love pork more and cook it with more salt. It worsens the condition. But she doesn't listen.
@kareng (61855)
• United States
15 Aug 11
All very true. It also seems that we now rely on a lot of fast food, frozen food which all contain an alarming amount of sodium. All processed foods are loaded with sodium. People need to take a look at what they are eating and know what is in it.Go natural.
1 person likes this
@greenline (14838)
• Canada
15 Aug 11
Hello Thetis. Good to see you. That is very good information you have presented. I do have high blood pressure, and need to be very careful with foods I take. One thing of course is salt. I am very careful with that, and avoid taking salty foods.
Thank you.
@thetis74 (1525)
•
15 Aug 11
You are so welcome greenline. I am so glad you found it to be very good. Yes you should. Anyway, we all get used to the taste of foods not having too much salt. They can even taste better without them. Always be careful my friend. I'm sue you'll be fine if you are watchful all the time.
@cadguy08 (1224)
• Canada
15 Aug 11
We always consume Salt on all we eat but me I've been in diet with High Blood Pressure , I usually see the back of the content that I buy before buying it or consuming it. But the problem is that all commodities are having salt content the least I can see is 1 % content of sodium but slide of bread with wheat in it had a 7 to 8% sodium even wheat bread have it. So to make my BP low I usually run in treadmill for 35 minutes in the morning then after work 35 minutes more.
1 person likes this
@flowerfest08 (1677)
•
15 Aug 11
hi:)
Yes that's true, my grandpa has kidney stone and high-blood pressure, so the doctor told him to avoid salty food especially processed and can foods because it can worsen his condition, so now he's more on raw food, fruits and veggies.
1 person likes this
@thetis74 (1525)
•
15 Aug 11
Hi! Oh process foods has plenty of the bad things with all the preservatives in it. When we are ill with something we really need to be more careful with what we eat. But at least, even if we are forced to make more efforts as to preparing our foods, we are getting a lot of the good things.
@youless (112586)
• Guangzhou, China
15 Aug 11
It is true that the over intake salt will cause high blood pressure. So the best diet shall be light. Namely we shall put less salt for the food and it will be healthy for us.
I love China
@DoctorDidi (7018)
• India
23 Aug 11
Salt exaggerates blood pressure due to its sodium component and so is advised to restrict it totally or partially in case of a hypertensive patient.
@dallas2011 (149)
• United States
15 Aug 11
Yeah you are right.Salt and sugar are the main culpits nowadays.Not even in foods,there is a high quantity of sodium chloride in drinks,coke and many other soft drinks.So people have to be more cautious in choosing their food and drink.
@zerd87 (301)
• Philippines
15 Aug 11
Yes, it is true. That is why the doctor always say to limit salt intake especially in people with hear disease and blood pressure problem. Do some balancing of foods to help your body become healthy and active. Eating of vegetables and fruits may help also.
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