Find Out What Lowering Salt Intake Can Do for High Blood Pressure
Will you benefit if you lower your salt intake when you have high blood pressure? – Most of the time, you will, by consuming less salt in this condition. However, there are some cases where it can create another set of problems. The following information will help you decide if lowering salt intake can be beneficial when you have hypertension.
Does Lowering Salt Intake Lower Blood Pressure?
People with high blood pressure receive the recommendation to reduce their salt intake. Sodium is needed for maintaining fluid balance, but in excess amounts, it becomes harmful to the body. Those suffering from HBP receive advice to choose a healthy lifestyle – one aspect of this lifestyle change is reducing salt intake. HBP patients receive advice to reduce the amount of salt they use in their dishes, and they should also avoid processed foods that contain lots of salt.
The heart association recommends 1500 mg/day safe salt intake for high blood pressure; for healthy people, the recommendation is 2300 mg per day. You should choose healthy lifestyle options like a healthy diet, regular exercising, reducing or stopping alcohol consumption, and quitting smoking. To get the best result, combine these changes with a lower intake of salt – research has shown blood pressure starts falling within weeks when an HBP person reduces salt intake.
High Salt Intake Increase Blood Pressure Explain
Sodium is the chemical name of salt. It regulates fluids to maintain their right balance in the body. Any such component in excess or low amount is going to cause health problems. An excess amount of salt creates problems, especially for individuals suffering from high blood pressure. How?
The body has its defensive mechanisms for different risks. An increased level of sodium in the blood is not good for the body, so it tries to attract more water and dilute the sodium level in the blood. The blood volume increases due to this extra water, and the high volume of blood puts pressure on the blood vessels, causing an increase in the blood pressure. Blood vessels in this condition become narrow and impede the free flow of blood, increasing the BP.
High Blood Pressure for Salt Intake
It is important to know that some people are salt-sensitive, and they react differently to increased salt intake than other people. Those with sensitivity to salt will see health problems even with a slight increase in their salt intake. On the other hand, those not sensitive to salt can increase that much salt intake and see no health problems at all.
Will Eating Salt Help with Low Blood Pressure?
Eating salt can help with low blood pressure, but there are many conditions to this advice. It will not work for everyone who has low blood pressure, and it is especially not advised for people sensitive to salt. The amount of salt a low blood pressure patient can increase to raise BP depends on many factors.
In place of increasing salt intake, it is more important to solve the underlying cause of LBP. The solution may require opting for a healthy diet. Medication is prescribed to patients who have a serious level of LBP and do not respond well only to lifestyle changes. Even a slight increase in salt intake can be damaging to your health if you are sensitive to salt, so it is important to do so only after consulting your doctor.
Is Salt Intake Bad for High Blood Pressure?
You should never eliminate salt completely from your diet even when you have HBP, as sodium is necessary for maintaining fluid balance in the body. At the same time, because it is known as a cause of HBP, you should reduce its intake to the recommended level of 1500 mg per day. All essential nutrients and minerals should be taken in moderation and never in excess or very low amounts. In case an element is causing problems or is the reason for a medical issue, you should reduce or stop its intake if recommended by your doctor.
Consult your doctor to learn how much salt you should consume per day if you have hypertension. Learn to calculate the amount of salt you consume every day and use only the necessary amount of salt in your meals. Read the labels of processed food products to know how much salt a particular food product contains – these precautionary measures will help you lower your salt intake and keep its consumption within the safe limit.
Lowering salt intake can do wonders if you have high blood pressure. At the same time, you should not eliminate its intake completely unless advised by your doctor, or it can create another set of health problems. Consult Dr. Storch to learn more about how much salt you should consume. You will also receive guidance on other HBP-related issues.
