Sodium is a well-known word when it comes to blood pressure. This is because high-sodium diets tend to increase the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. One healthy lifestyle habit you can make if you have high blood pressure is to limit your salt intake, which can lower your blood pressure.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is caused by many different factors including genetics, diet, level of activity and body weight. High blood pressure is typically diagnosed when your blood pressure reading is consistently higher than 140/90. High blood pressure is a condition that does not usually have symptoms until it progresses to something more serious like a heart attack or stroke. If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you need to evaluate the amount of sodium you consume each day.
Significance of Sodium
Sodium is significant because it is required by your body for proper body function, but chances are you are consuming too much per day. Experts at the Harvard School of Public Health state that Americans eat one-and-a-half or more teaspoons of salt a day, and this is far too much. Try to eat one teaspoon of salt or 2,300mg of sodium a day.
Recommendations
The recommendations as of January 2011 for sodium intake are to consume no more than 2,300mg a day, but the American Heart Association states that if you reduced your intake to 1,500mg you would have significant reduction in the risk for high blood pressure. In addition, you should focus your diet on fruits, vegetables and healthy unsaturated fats like those from fish, nuts and seeds. These foods are naturally low in sodium and provide the essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients that lead to a healthy body weight and a decreased risk of heart disease.
Considerations
Salt is one component of a healthy diet and is only one part of the equation for a healthy heart and cardiovascular system. Eating less salt will help lower your blood pressure, but other factors like exercise, weight, genetics and stress play a role as well. If you do not know what your blood pressure is, have it checked; if you have high blood pressure, your doctor will work with you to manage it. Medication is often prescribed, but high blood pressure can be managed with diet and exercise if you are looking for a natural approach.
