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Monday, 03 August 2009 11:56 |
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The less salt we eat, the better our health. High salt diets are strongly linked to high blood pressure - a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases including stroke and heart attack. It is widely recognised that a high salt diet has other adverse affects, including being a risk factor for kidney disease and stomach cancer. Salt may also be implicated as an aggravator of asthma and a contributor to osteoarthritis. How does salt increase blood pressure??As the salt content of our blood increases, our blood vessels retain water to try to keep the salt concentration balanced. This extra water increases the amount of blood in our vessels causing high blood pressure.
Courtesy of: The Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health (AWASH)
Low salt, Low blood pressure?There is very strong evidence that links salt intake to blood pressure. Reducing your salt intake will help lower your blood pressure and your risk of health problems such as cardiovascular disease and kidney failure.?A reduction in salt intake of 1.7 grams per day results in a 2-5 mm Hg fall in systolic blood pressure. Recent evidence* suggests that a reduction in salt intake of 25 to 35% could lead to a 20% or greater reduction in risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Lowering your salt intake?When most people think of the salt they eat, they think of sprinkling it on food, or adding it to cooking, however 75% of the salt that we consume comes from processed foods. So, while it's important to get out of the habit of adding salt to your food as you cook or eat it, you also need to think about the salt that you can't see but are probably eating through the food you put into your shopping trolley.??Even if you don't think you eat much processed food at all, you could be getting salt from unexpected places including bread, breakfast cereals, cheese, soup and sauces.
The best ways to reduce your salt intake are to:
- Eat fresh foods
- Go for low salt when you do buy processed foods, including bread and cereals
- Use herbs and spices or other flavorings rather than salt during cooking or at the table
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Last Updated on Monday, 03 August 2009 14:12 |
Stroke Prevention 
