Hypertension is a medical condition that occurs when your blood pressure readings consistently measure higher than 140 mmHg for the systolic reading and 90 mmHg for the diastolic reading. High blood pressure contributes to other medical conditions including heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. With one in three Americans suffering from hypertension and millions more at risk for developing the condition, it is important to reduce your risk factors to prevent the onset of this disease. Because excessive sodium intake contributes to hypertension, sodium restriction can help reduce hypertension.
Recommended Sodium Intake
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans established by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends an adult consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. Although your body needs sodium in order to function, to balance fluids and aid in transmitting electrical signals between nerves, the required amount is small compared to the amount the average American consumes. The American Heart Association reports that Americans consume 3,436 mg of sodium per day on average.
Dietary Sodium
Many foods naturally contain sodium; however, this type of sodium makes up only 10 percent of the typical American's total sodium intake, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Another 10 to 15 percent comes from salt added to foods during cooking and at the table. The majority of sodium in your diet, up to 75 percent, comes from the sodium used in processed foods, as stated by the American Heart Association. Manufacturers use sodium as a preservative to inhibit the growth of food-borne pathogens, and as a stabilizer and flavor enhancer.
Sodium Restriction
Those with hypertension or at risk for developing hypertension can make lifestyle changes to reduce their blood pressure. You should participate in regular physical exercise, quit smoking, refrain from alcohol and reduce your stress levels. You diet, one of the main contributing factors of hypertension, also makes an impact on your blood pressure. Follow a healthy low-fat eating plan that restricts your sodium intake. The American Heart Association recommends that those with hypertension or at risk of developing hypertension lower their sodium intake to 1,500 mg or less per day.
DASH
Because hypertension remains a major health concern in the United States, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute created an eating plant known as DASH -- Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH diet places an emphasis on consuming fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. In addition to reducing the intake of saturated fats and cholesterol, both of which impact blood pressure, it provides for two sodium intake goals, either 2,300 mg or 1,500 mg per day. Following the DASH diet has at both levels has proven to lower blood pressure, but those who consumed only 1,500 mg per day experienced larger decreases in blood pressure readings, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services & U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans
- FDA: Lowering Salt in Your Diet
- American Heart Association: Sodium
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: High Blood Pressure
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Your Guide To Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH
