Heart disease refers to a range of disorders including high blood pressure, artery disease, arrhythmia or infections that affect your heart. The leading cause of death for men and women in the United States is heart disease with coronary heart disease being the most common form, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. If you have any form of heart disease, physician-supervised treatment along with a low sodium diet is recommended to help prevent further cardiovascular complications.
Sodium For Heart Patients
Sodium is a mineral essential to numerous life-sustaining biochemical functions. It is an electrolyte, or ionized particle important for fluid balance, it plays a role in blood volume regulation and blood pressure. The daily adequate intake for sodium in healthy adults is 1,200 to 1,500 mg and should not exceed 2,300 mg based on the Institute of Medicine's established tolerable upper intake level. Some heart patients can consume up to 2,000 mg of sodium per day without adverse effects, but the American Heart Association recommends consuming 1,500 mg or less to prevent further heart complications.
Effect of Sodium on The Heart
The kidneys normally filter excess water, minerals and sodium from your body through urine elimination. When you consume too much sodium, your kidneys cannot keep up with the excess amount and fluid retention occurs. This increases the force of pressure it takes for your blood to circulate in your body. Blood pressure rises in response to the excess fluid, causing your heart to work harder to pump oxygen-rich blood to your organs. If you have heart disease, this increases your risk of abnormal heart rhythm, arterial clots and weakening of the heart muscle.
Salt and Sodium
Salt contains sodium, approximately 40 percent, and many foods have added salt because it helps extend a food product's shelf-life. Sodium can be used as an additive in foods, but many foods naturally contain this mineral in small amounts. Nutrition facts labels generally list the sodium content of the product. Reading nutrition labels can help you track the servings of sodium you obtain from particular foods. Sodium is also present in ingredients such as monosodium glutamate, baking soda, sodium citrate or seasoned salt. In choosing low-sodium foods, look for nutrition labels to indicate 140 mg or less of sodium per serving.
Tips to Reduce Dietary Sodium
The majority of excess sodium you may consume comes from processed foods like junk food snacks, canned goods, cured meats, frozen entrees and dairy. Naturally low sodium foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, pasta or rice and dried legumes. Choose naturally low sodium foods as the foundation of your diet and when available, opt for skinless, baked poultry or fish instead of pre-packaged lunch cuts or canned meat. Avoid use of table salt and flavor your foods instead with herbs or spices. Consult your physician for sodium and dietary recommendations based on your heart condition.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Heart Disease; January 2011
- American Heart Association; Shaking the Salt Habit; April 2011
- Cleveland Clinic: Low-Sodium Guidelines for Heart Failure
- Colorado State University; Sodium in the Diet; J. Anderson et al.; June 2011
- UCSF Medical Center: Guidelines for a Low Sodium Diet
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Heart Disease Facts
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