Hypertension Salt Intake Guidance from an Expert Doctor
The effects of high blood sugar on health are well-established, but many people still underestimate the effects of high salt levels. Excess salt is known to increase the risks of cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure.
One problem with this assessment is that the same amount of salt that can be unhealthy for one person may not be so for another. Many factors determine how much salt is too much or too little for a particular person.
Kidneys Control the Salt Level
The bean-shaped kidneys control the level of salt in the body. They remove the excess salt and pass it through the urine. However, they can only handle the excess amount of salt up to a certain level – if the salt content in the blood increases more than their filtering capacity, they cannot keep up with the filtration demand and start failing. The excess salt that kidneys cannot remove remains in the blood and affects health. One of those effects is in the form of high blood pressure.
Kidneys pull in water to keep the salt content at the right level. If they start drawing more water to dilute the excess salt, the blood volume increases, raising blood pressure. When this pressure remains elevated for a long time, it damages the arteries responsible for moving blood throughout the body. Once the walls of arteries are damaged, it gives rise to many health problems, including HBP.
How does Salt Content Affect Blood Pressure?
Research has established a strong relationship between salt consumption and blood pressure level. A reduced salt intake is known to bring down blood pressure, which is beneficial, especially for people with HBP. The effects of low salt content can be noticed within a few weeks.
If you have been diagnosed with hypertension, your doctor may advise you to reduce salt intake. In many countries, people consume a low amount of salt and do not experience HBP at the levels seen in developed countries where the populace consumes salt more than average.
Salt or Sodium
The chemical name for salt is sodium chloride, and most of the sodium people consume comes from salt. At the same time, both sodium and salt are not the same but are often used interchangeably. Many packaged food items indicate the salt content as “sodium” or even “soda,” but sodium present in packaged foods comes not only from salt but also from other ingredients.
In addition to the salt, some of the sodium comes from sodium citrate, monosodium glutamate, sodium benzoate, and sodium nitrate. Check the product label to see the salt or sodium amount information.
Hypertension Salt Intake Due to Processed Foods
Most people consume sodium from packaged and restaurant foods. Only a small amount of salt comes from home-cooked meals. It can be challenging to reduce the salt amount if most of it comes from processed foods.
While sodium information is printed on the packaged food’s label, that is not so with foods prepared in restaurants and fast food joints – in such cases, it isn’t easy to estimate the amount of sodium you consume.
The food packages generally show sodium content in the following terms:
- Lightly salted – It indicates sodium content is less than 50% compared to what is present in regular products.
- Reduced sodium – This product will have 25% less sodium compared to the normal level.
- Low sodium – This product will have around 140 mg of sodium per serving.
- Very low sodium – This product’s content will have 35 mg or less per serving.
- Sodium/salt-free – It does not mean the content is completely free from salt or sodium but indicates the content has less than 5 mg of sodium.
Some food manufacturers do not add salt during food processing, but still, their products may have some sodium content in insignificant amounts.
The sodium percentage data may not have that much value for healthy individuals, but if you suffer from hypertension, every small amount of sodium reduction will make a difference. Start making small adjustments to see effective results; make lifestyle changes as well, and do not depend only on medication to lower your blood pressure.
Benefits of Reducing Sodium Intake
A lower intake of salt will not only reduce your risk of high blood pressure, but also stroke and heart disease. HBP is known to increase the risk of heart disease, so when you reduce your blood pressure and bring it to the normal level, you will avoid all these health risks. Reducing sodium intake is considered a safe, natural, and effective strategy for lowering blood pressure.
Consult Dr. Shimon Storch online if you need help with hypertension salt intake guidance. Dr. Storch will help you understand your HBP complications and make appropriate lifestyle changes. This online consultation is also suitable if you are looking for a second opinion after being diagnosed with high blood pressure. Book your online consultation with Dr. Storch here.
