According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, approximately 1 in 3 American adults suffer from high blood pressure, or hypertension. Those who suffer from chronic hypertension are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular complications that may lead to kidney failure, heart attack and stroke. There are several factors that contribute hypertension, including genetics, physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption. Additionally, diets that are high in salt significantly contribute to high blood pressure.
Hypertension
Blood pressure is a quantitative measurement of the amount of force that your blood exerts on your blood vessel walls. There are two measurements of blood pressure, systolic and diastolic. The systolic measurement is the maximum blood pressure that occurs as your heart contracts and the diastolic pressure the measurement between heartbeats. According to MedlinePlus.com, hypertension is defined as having a systolic pressure over 120 mmHg and a diastolic pressure over 80 mmHg.
Salt Function in the Body
There are several types of salts, also known as electrolytes, which you get from your diet. While salt can refer to all types, the primary definition of salt in the context of your diet is sodium-based salts. Sodium has several important functions, including nerve stimulation and regulation of blood volume and blood pressure.
Salt and High Blood Pressure
Excessive intake of sodium causes an imbalance of water in the blood because it pulls water out of your tissues and organs. The increase in water causes the blood volume to increase that then results in an increase of force or pressure against your blood vessel walls. If you consistently eat a high salt diet the sustained increase in blood pressure leads to hypertension.
Salt Intake Recommendations
According to the CDC, the average adult only needs between 180 to 500 mg of sodium per day to maintain proper function. Unfortunately, the average American diet contains nearly 3,500 mg of sodium per day for ages 2 and older. The Institute of Medicine recommends that otherwise healthy adults restrict their sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day. This recommendation is lowered to less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day for those who are African American, over the age of 50, or have diabetes, chronic kidney disease or hypertension.
