When I used to drink margaritas, they were not complete unless the glass was rimmed with a ton of salt; and then I added a pinch to go right in the margarita. Also, I love to add salt to V-8 juice which is already loaded with salt. I feel myself pucker up as I imagine these tasty, salty drinks. Another favorite salty snack is to shake salt right on a apple. Fortunately, I have always had perfect blood pressure. This is how I excused this behavior. Lately, I've had some days with joint pain. I know that my joints only ache on the days when I retain water from the salt that I consumed on the day before. This led me consider some facts about salt.
According to a pamphlet from the Consensus Action on Salt and Health in the UK, salt strongly contributes to heart attacks and strokes. "Reducing your salt intake by around 2.5g a day reduces your risk of a stroke or heart attack by a quarter."
However, since I don't have high blood pressure, I do not have to worry about the health consequences of a high salt diet.
Not so, explains the pamphlet, people who have high sodium intakes have a higher risk of increased blood pressure as they age, and yet this is not the case in person's with low salt diets. Salt has also been linked to stomach cancer and osteoporosis.
As of today, I plan to reduce my sodium intake. A healthy measure of salt is about a teaspoon a day. I usually eat a teaspoon from the shaker in ever meal or two. Some high salt culprits that I may target include pudding, barbecue sauce, salad dressing, mustard, mayo and Ketchup. Also, I will shake a dash of salt at the table instead of cooking with it.
According to a pamphlet from the Consensus Action on Salt and Health in the UK, salt strongly contributes to heart attacks and strokes. "Reducing your salt intake by around 2.5g a day reduces your risk of a stroke or heart attack by a quarter."
However, since I don't have high blood pressure, I do not have to worry about the health consequences of a high salt diet.
Not so, explains the pamphlet, people who have high sodium intakes have a higher risk of increased blood pressure as they age, and yet this is not the case in person's with low salt diets. Salt has also been linked to stomach cancer and osteoporosis.
As of today, I plan to reduce my sodium intake. A healthy measure of salt is about a teaspoon a day. I usually eat a teaspoon from the shaker in ever meal or two. Some high salt culprits that I may target include pudding, barbecue sauce, salad dressing, mustard, mayo and Ketchup. Also, I will shake a dash of salt at the table instead of cooking with it.
2 comments:
Great post! I need to add salt to my plan of attack, too. I don't worry so much about table salt, but I know eating processed food (deli turkey, anyone?) is not helping my cause any.
Your plan sounds like a good approach!
Hi, I'm baaaack! Thanks for stopping by Ready Maid while I was babysitting and traveling.
Salt...I didn't realize how much I was accustomed to eating until we made the South Louisiana culinary trail tour. DANG, I was shocked to hear myself say, "This stuff is really salty."
One of the goals in Phase 3 of the BestLife program is to reduce salt intake. I'm working on it, too.
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