Avoid
excess sodium in food
The kidneys are the organs in the body which
keep up with the excess sodium in the bloodstream. As sodium accumulates in the
body it draws water in to dilute the sodium. In this process both the amount of
fluid surrounding cells and the volume of blood in the bloodstream increases.
Increased blood volume creates more pressure on blood vessels and heart. Over
time, the extra work and pressure can stiffen blood vessels, leading to high
blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. It can also lead to heart failure.
Most of the sodium in our diets comes from
packaged, processed foods. Eating these foods less often can help reduce sodium
intake, lower blood pressure and/or prevent high blood pressure (HBP or
hypertension) from developing.
Excess
levels of sodium/salt can cause:
· High
Blood Pressure - A high sodium diet can
lead to high blood pressure. About 1 in 6 children ages 8-17 years has raised
blood pressure. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease
and stroke. Lowering sodium in children's diets today can help prevent heart
disease tomorrow, especially for those who are overweight. The taste for salt
is established through diet at a young age. The American Heart Association
recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams (mgs) a day and an ideal limit of no
more than 1,500 mg per day for most adults, especially for those with high
blood pressure. Even cutting back by 1,000 mg a day can improve blood pressure
and heart health.
· Kidney
Disease- Too much sodium can be harmful for people with kidney disease because
kidneys cannot eliminate excess sodium and fluid from body. As sodium and fluid
build-up in tissues and bloodstream, blood pressure increases. High blood
pressure can cause more damage to unhealthy kidneys. This damage further reduces
kidney function, resulting in even more fluid and waste build up in the body.
· Stomach
Cancer - Gastric cancer is closely associated with dietary factors, such as the
intake of salt and salted food. Salted food intake
may increase the risk of Helicobacter pylori infection, which promotes the
development of stomach cancer. Salt intake was first reported
as a possible risk factor for stomach cancer in 1959.In some early studies,
using refrigerators for food storage, which may be an indicator of less salted
food consumption or decreased salt intake, was found to be correlated with a
reduction in stomach cancer rates.
· Stroke
- Sodium is essential in regulating blood volume, blood pressure, osmotic equilibrium
and pH, but excess intake of dietary sodium (salt) leads to fluid retention and
subsequent rise in blood pressure. As blood pressure
has a direct relationship to stroke incidence, the reduction in dietary sodium
intake would reduce the risk of stroke. The reduction of dietary salt intake
to approximately 1500 mg/d can reduce the risk of stroke, especially for aged
population.
· Heart
Failure- High salt intake markedly increases the risk of heart failure, this
salt-related increase in heart failure risk can be independent of blood
pressure. People who consumed more than 13.7g
of salt daily had a two times higher risk of heart failure compared to those
consuming less than 6.8g.
· Osteoporosis-
Excessive salt intake is an important risk factor for the development of
osteoporosis along with other factors like insufficient physical exercise,
alcohol, smoking, low calcium intake, low or high protein intake and high
intake of phosphorus or caffeine.
· Kidney
Stones - A high-sodium diet can trigger kidney stones
because it increases the amount of calcium in urine. Certain
foods and drinks are unlikely to trigger kidney stones unless consumed in
extremely high amounts. That may be because the body converts vitamin C into oxalate.
High calcium excretion in urine due to excess salt intake causes oxalate levels
to rise and predisposes to kidney stone formation.
· Enlarged
Heart Muscle - people
who consumed more than 3.7 grams of sodium a day were more likely to have
enlargement in the left chambers of the heart that are responsible for pumping
oxygen-rich blood into the body. They were also more likely to have signs of
muscle strain in the heart that can precede structural damage.
· Headaches
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