Today we are looking at
sodium, and sodium chloride or table salt. Salt has been used for
thousands of years in the preserving of food. It meant the
elimination of dependence on seasonal foods,and allowing people to
travel over great distances. Salt was difficult to obtain making it
valuable, it was considered to be a form of currency. In ancient Rome
the soldiers were paid in salt. The sources for salt are sea water
and rock salt. The rock salt comes from beds of sedimentary evaporite
minerals that result from the drying up of enclosed lakes, playas and
seas. Salt is extracted from underground beds either by mining or by
solution mining using water. In solution mining the salt reaches the
surface as brine, which is then turned into salt crystals by
evaporation. Our concern this week is the affect that high sodium
has on our health. Its a risk factor for high blood pressure,
hypertension, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, osteoporosis,
ulcers and gastric cancer, asthma. So that leaves us with one
question.
What is a high sodium
diet? The USDA has one number, the American heart association has a
lower number for people afflicted with sodium related ailments. The
average American over the age of 2 years old consumes approximately
3,400 milligrams of sodium a day. The Dietary Guidelines for
Americans came out in 1995 noted the daily intake should not exceed
2,400.The American Heart Association indicates that it should be no
more than 1,500 mg per day. A human being only need 200 milligrams
daily to remain in good health .The New England Journal of Medicine
in March 2013 highlighted the national campaigns by Finland to reduce
the daily salt intake. Salt intake has dropped by 3,000 milligrams a
day in men and women, this has resulted in a reduction in death rates
from stroke and coronary heart disease of 75 to 80 percent. A new
report in the journal Hypertension, projects that 280,000 to 500,00
lives would be save by a 40 percent reduction in sodium intake, to
about 2,200 milligrams a day over 10 years. An immediate reduction to
1500 milligrams could avert between 700,000 and 1.2 million deaths in
10 years. They based these projections on computer simulations
developed by research groups from U Cal San Francisco, Harvard
Medical School, and Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. They
used three different methods to look at the benefits of sodium
reduction and were surprised by the similar results. Method A used a
randomized controlled clinical trial of sodium reduction among men
and women followed for 10 to 15 years. Method B evaluated
cardiovascular risk indirectly based on the blood pressure effects
lowering sodium in coordination with drug therapy. Method C was a
population study of sodium reduction and deaths resulting from
cardiovascular disease stroke and all causes. This drives home the
fact that we could all greatly benefit from reducing our sodium
intake.
Onto the question of the
hour . How do I avoid excess sodium intake? We live in a great time
in history, a time when we have control over our food. Many
companies have come up with lower sodium alternatives, but you need
to review the labels. Lower sodium may still be more sodium then is
allowed with your meal plan. You will also need to read the labels
when you eat something low fat, because they exchange fat for sodium.
Beware of hidden sodium like in deli turkey breast which has anywhere
from 450 milligrams to 1050 milligrams of sodium, canned chicken
noddle soup can have anywhere from 100 milligrams to 940 milligrams
of sodium. A chicken nugget has 111 milligrams of sodium, a fast
food cheeseburger can have anywhere from 710 milligrams to 1690
milligrams of sodium. Another trend has cropped up is the sale of
fresh poultry
in salted water, this is
not marked on the nutritional labels.
Outside of reading labels,
avoiding processed foods and eating a whole food based diet The other
way to help yourself with sodium related issues is to use the DASH
meal plans or dietary approaches to stop hypertension. The DASH
sodium study blood pressure levels declined with reduced sodium
intake for those who consumed either the DASH or control diet.
However, blood pressure declined most for those who both consumed the
DASH diet and reduced their sodium intake.
Nutrition can be a
daunting topic, it seems it is always changing. What was good for
you yesterday, is not good for you today. Jack Lalanne put it best
when he said “If man made it, I won't eat it.” You can follow a
couple of simple steps: Read the labels, look at the sodium, the fat
content, serving size. If its processed try to avoid it as much as
possible. Stick to the fresh fifteen. If need be use the DASH meal
plan. If you have issues with Hypertension, Cardiovascular Disease
and or Kidney disease, contact your treating physician or
nutritionist for guidance with a correct meal plan.
Tomorrow we are looking at
Juicing and Smoothies. Have a great day , read and share this blog.
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