Your doctor may prescribe medications for heart disease, but diet also plays a big role in keeping your heart healthy. Many people with heart disease--and many of those at risk for heart disease--follow a low-salt diet. Their doctors may provide advice similar to that from Dr. Gerry Maddoux, author of 'Your Heart, Treat It Like You Love it." He says, "My first advice is to throw away the salt shaker."
Function
Americans are deficient in many minerals, but not sodium. Federal guidelines say we need 500mg per day, but the average consumption is about 20 times what is recommended, says dietitian Lisa Hark and Dr. Darwin Deen in the book, "Nutrition for Life."
Sodium, or salt, controls the amount of water in your body and maintains the proper level of acidity or alkalinity of blood. It also plays a role in transmitting nerve signals and contracting muscles. It is present to varying degrees in all foods, but almost all processed foods have salt added.
Dangers
High concentrations of sodium in your blood can cause swelling and high blood pressure and can lead to heart failure. Sodium attracts and retains water, so its presence can increase blood volume. This means your heart works harder moving the increased volume of blood through the vessels--which strains your arteries and can lead to high blood pressure.
High blood pressure can lead to arteriosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries, and also to congestive heart failure. It is a leading cause of stroke.
What to Eat
The DASH Diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is a heart-healthy diet that is naturally low in sodium and has been shown to reduce high blood pressure. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the American Heart Association and many doctors recommend it to patients. In general, the plan calls for eating lots of fruits and vegetables, plus low-fat or nonfat dairy.
In addition, look for food labels that say "low-sodium," "reduced-sodium" or "no salt added." If you find the foods too bland, use fresh herbs and seasonings instead of salt for flavoring.
What Not to Eat
Getting rid of the salt shaker on your table is one step. Tossing the potato chips is another. But you also need to check food labels in order to eat a low-salt diet. Sodium is prevalent. Check breads, canned vegetables, soups and cheeses. Dietitian Lisa Hark and Dr. Darwin Deen say in their "Nutrition for Life" book to avoid foods that have more than 400 milligrams (mg) of sodium per serving.
Be aware that some medicines contain sodium; ask your pharmacist about the ones you take.
Other Benefits
Diets low in sodium are believed to improve the effectiveness of high blood pressure medications. In addition, lower sodium intake has been shown to reduce the risk of dying from a stroke, to reverse heart enlargement and to reduce the risk of kidney stones and osteoporosis. The British Journal of Nutrition in 2009 reported that women who ate low-salt diets saw a reduction in calcium excretion--which helps protect bones from osteoporosis.
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