DANGERS OF TOO MUCH SALT

We know too much salt can contribute to high blood pressure, but that is not where it stops. Eating too much salt may damage your blood vessels, heart, kidneys, and brain. This information is from scientists at the University of Delaware. They found that high salt intake may impair the endothelium, which is the inner lining of blood vessels involved in blood clotting and immune function, increase hardening of the arteries, weaken heart and kidney function, and interfere with the sympathetic nervous system (the flight-or-fight response.) The USDA recommends no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day.

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SALT

If you are one who always adds salt to your food, some of you before you even taste it, beware! Did you know only one teaspoon of salt contains 2300 mg of sodium? That is the recommended daily dosage. Try seasonings such as the Mrs. Dash salt-free blends to cut back on salt. Your body will thank you. Notice I did not say to eliminate salt, just reduce it, as the body requires salt to operate. However, most of us are putting way more salt into our bodies than they need.

Note: Yes, I know there are people who require more salt. My late husband was one of them, but they are exceptions to the rule. Only use extra salt at the recommendation of your doctor.

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SALT AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

 Approximately 70% of Americans will have high blood pressure during their lifetimes. Even worse, 1 in 4 persons with hypertension (high blood pressure) have their blood pressure under control. It is a good idea to watch your sodium (salt) intake. Studies show that the higher the sodium intake, the more blood pressure increases with age. Salt causes the body to retain fluid thus causing an increase in blood volume. The increase in blood volume raises the blood pressure. One should never salt their food without tasting it first. It is beneficial to one's health to go easy on salt.

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SALT IN YOUR DIET

According to doctors and scientists, the average adult should not consume more than 1,500 mg of sodium (salt) per day. Approximately 75% of the salt in the average American diet is consumed through processed foods. If you haven't already, start reducing the amount of processed foods in your diet and replacing them with fresh whole foods. This is especially important for those who have high blood pressure (hypertension).

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POTATO CHIPS

We have posts on this blog about being a  "Junk Food Addict" and potato chips fall into the category of junk food. There are also several posts on this blog about "Couch Potato Calories" and potato chips fall into that category, too. Let's have a little post now about potato chips. We all know there are many different kinds and flavors of potato chips on the market today but for this post let's say we are just talking about the general potato chip (my favorite 😟).

• 1-oz of potato chips has around 150 calories
• 1-oz of potato chips has around 10 grams of fat and 3 of those are saturated (bad) fat.
• The average potato chip is deep-fried and usually not in a healthy oil.
• The average potato chip has too much salt.
• If you eat just 1-ounce of potato chips a day, 3 times a week, within a year you will have consumed roughly 23,400 calories in potato chips. That translates to a 7-pound weight gain per year, just from chips. And really now, let's be honest here, are you going to eat only 1-ounce of chips 3 times a week? Most of us eat more than that at a time.
• In addition to weight gain, the fat, salt, carbs, etc are just not conducive to good health!

So, what can you do to cut back on or totally eliminate these chips from your diet? Replace them with a healthier food!  Try rice cakes or popcorn cakes. Dry roasted edamame is also a good choice. Nuts are healthy if they are not coated in sugar, etc. But beware of the calorie count in the nuts you choose. And if you want to really go healthy, replace chips with fresh veggies such as carrot sticks, etc.

REDUCING SALT IN CANNED BEANS

When using canned beans in recipes, you can usually reduce the salt amount by around 40% by rinsing and draining the beans before adding them to the recipe.

EASY WAY TO CUT BACK ON SALT

I think we are all aware Americans eat way too much salt. If you are one of those in this category, try this trick.  (First of all, never add salt to the food on your plate especially without tasting it first!)  None of us want to eat dull bland food but you can cut back on salt without giving up flavor.  Did you know you can use less salt by adding a spritz of citrus juice to most foods without giving up flavor? In fact this often enhances flavors.  Why not give it a try and see if you can't do your heart a favor by eliminating some of the excess salt in your diet.  Notice, I am not recommending you have to give up salt, just cut back unless your doctor has told you to eliminate salt!

Note: There are actually people who are deficient in sodium (salt), my husband was one of them. This does not apply to those persons.

WHAT IS A HEALING FOOD?

The editors at Prevention Magazine put it in a simple way that is easy to understand.  A healing food is one that is short on elements we know are bad for us, like saturated fat, cholesterol, salt, and too many calories.  A healing food is chock-full of things we have learned are good for us, like select vitamins and minerals, fiber, and fish oils.  These healing foods can be found in a wide variety of foods that are readily available to us all.  If you think that is complicated, here are a very few examples of healthy healing foods:

• fish
• lean meat
• poultry
• beans
• broccoli
• sweet potatoes
• cauliflower
• cantaloupe
• seeds such as sesame
• yogurt
• fresh fruit
• fresh vegetables
• whole grains
• members of the onion family, including chives

Like I stated earlier, this list is very small but you can see how readily healthy healing foods are.  Remember this, for any food to be healthy, even healing, it should be consumed in reasonable portions.  It is not healthy to overeat any foods.  Also remember how you cook foods and the things you add to them can sometimes destroy their healthy healing status!

EASY WAY TO LIGHTEN UP

This post is an easy way to improve your diet.  It is a simple yet effective way to make a subtle change in the foods you prepare without doing something drastic.  Cut back on salt!  We have a tendency of use way too much salt in America.  If you are one of those people who automatically adds salt to the food on your plate, start tasting your food first.  Here is the easy part - buy canned foods labeled salt-free or low-sodium.  This is especially true for foods such as canned tomatoes that you will probably be adding to sauces, soups, pastas, etc that are already salted.  Even better, buy frozen vegetables instead of canned when possible.

Too much salt in the diet causes the body to retain fluids causing weight gain.  It also raises blood pressure, puts stress on your heart, etc.  For your health and your weight, cut back on salt.  Notice I didn't say eliminate salt.  That should only be done through your doctor's instructions.  But most of us could cut way back on salt and be healthier and slimmer for it.

SALT AND ACNE

Dermatologists stress that diet is not what causes acne, no matter what some diets and teen magazines may say.  Hormones are most often responsible for cases of acne. However, the doctors also stress there is an exception to that fact and that is kelp.  Kelp is a seaweed and is sold as a dietary supplement or as a salt substitute.  It can actually cause severe cystic acne.  Likewise, iodized salt can cause an acne flare-up.  If you have problems with acne, you should probably stay away from kelp and cut back on your salt intake.

TOO MUCH SALT

Almost all of us get too much salt (sodium) in our daily diets.  If you say you don't salt the food on your plate, that is not good enough.  Read food labels when buying packaged products!  About 75% of the salt in our diets comes from packaged foods. Too much salt can cause several health problems so to be aware of what you are taking in on a daily basis.

Note: There are exceptions to everything. The last few years of my husband's life, he required extra sodium. Follow your doctor's recommendations.

FOODS TO EAT AND AVOID IF YOU HAVE ACNE

If you suffer from acne, there are things you should eat plenty of and things you should avoid.  While most of the things teenagers are told will cause acne are just mistaken folklore, anyone with serious acne problems should avoid any supplements containing kelp and cut back on salt.  Unless taken under a doctor's supervision, high doses of B vitamins should also be avoided.  Stick with a healthy diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, cereals, lean meat, poultry, and fish.

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HOW MUCH SALT IS IN A LOW SODIUM DIET?

 If your doctor suggest you eat a low sodium diet, do you know how much salt you can have? It is amazing how much salt is in the average American diet, yet we eat it without even thinking about it. A low sodium diet limits salt to 1,500 to 2,000 milligrams (mg) a day. You may wonder what that means.  l,500 to 2,000 mg of salt is less than 1 teaspoon of salt a day! Most people have trouble adjusting to so little salt but rest assured salt preference is a learned or acquired taste. It can take 6 weeks or more of cutting back on salt for your taste buds to adjust. However, once you accomplish this many salty foods you once enjoyed will be too salty for you. If your doctor puts you on a low sodium diet, it will be to your benefit to follow his/her advice.

TABLE SALT

Are you one of those people who grabs the saltshaker and salts their food without ever tasting it?  If you are, STOP IT!  Most of us get way more salt than is recommend.  Salt is a preservative, so it is prevalent in almost everything we purchase to eat.  The American Heart Association recommends a maximum of 1,500 milligrams (mg) daily.  Are you aware that 1/2 teaspoon of salt is about 1,200 mg?  Do not resalt your food and if you are one who does salt everything, start out by cutting the amount of salt you apply in half.  Wean yourself of this nasty habit.  Your body will thank you!

NOTE: If your doctor has told you to get more salt in your diet, follow his/her advice. My husband was one of those people, so I know this does happen.

CANNED SOUPS

Are you aware that most canned soups are high in sodium (salt)?  Even if you don't eat canned soups as a meal, you are probably using them in recipes.  Now I am not saying you can't use them, I use them myself at times.  But pay attention to the sodium content, use low-sodium options, or when using in recipes, omit any salt called for, etc.  Just be aware of the sodium content and adjust accordingly.  As an example, if you eat regular canned soup as a meal with crackers, use unsalted crackers, etc.

Note: This picture is not an endorsement of this particular product.  It is just a picture I was allowed to use.