Why is a low sodium diet a good idea for everyone? When your food is not very s alty, you don't think twice, you reach for s alt. You provide the palate with a s alty taste, and the body with excess sodium. In this way, you can contract the most common diseases plaguing our society - atherosclerosis and hypertension.

Low-sodium dietis associated with diseases of the heart and circulatory system. And speaking of cardiovascular disease, we rarely know what is really at risk. This is a very wide group of diseases related to heart disorders . We do not have much influence on the occurrence of some of them (inflammatory heart diseases, bacterial, viral or toxic infections, congenital heart defects). Others, such as coronary heart disease, hypertension or atherosclerosis, are brought on by an unhygienic lifestyle and an improper diet. Sometimes it is worth considering whether to radically give up the pleasure of the palate in favor of he alth.

Hypertension - what is it?

Hypertension is a medical condition that manifests itself in the constant excess of blood pressure norms. How are these standards presented? The World He alth Organization has established the following values ​​as normative:

  • systolic blood pressure: 140 mmHg
  • diastolic blood pressure: 90 mmHg

The first value is the blood pressure at the moment of contraction of the heart muscle, the second - at the moment of diastole. The disease is diagnosed after multiple measurements of blood pressure, the results of which exceed the values ​​recognized as normal. Based on the most recent division established by cardiologists, it is assumed for the Polish society that "exemplary" blood pressure should be lower than 130/85 mmHg.

How s alt affects hypertension?

The circulatory system, to put it simply, is a system of pipes - veins and arteries, through which flows a liquid - blood. Using this analogy, if the pressure in the system rises above normal, it can damage the walls. Of course, the body is protected against such accidents. The function of such a safety valve is performed, among others, by sodium-potassium pump. Unfortunately, by supplying too much sodium (Na - the basic component of table s alt, i.e. sodium chloride - NaCl), we disrupt the actionemergency teams. This can ultimately lead to a stroke or, in the worst case scenario, to a rupture of the heart. Although there are many causes of the disease (hyperthyroidism, diseases of the kidneys, endocrine glands, pregnancy poisoning, smoking, excessive nervous excitability), it is an inappropriate diet and finally - obesity is the most common among Polish society.

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Hypertension and s alt in food

According to the recommendations of the World He alth Organization, the maximum daily consumption of s alt by an adult should not exceed 6 g (i.e. a flat teaspoon). Meanwhile, research shows that a statistical Pole consumes about 18g of s alt during the day, which is three times more than recommended by the standards and over ten times more than the physiological need. Generally, we s alt too much. For many years in Poland, there has been a tendency to add extra s alt to dishes. At this point, hardly anyone takes into account that food products naturally contain sodium chloride. The technology of production of cheese, bread, marinades or cold meats requires a significant addition of s alt. An excess of s alt in the diet also contributes to impaired kidney function, cardiovascular failure and the formation of edema. The body's mineral balance is disturbed. Potassium and magnesium are washed out. Too much s alt in the body is also one of the causes of stomach cancer.

Do not add s alt to the dish

This slogan should be heard in everyone's mind. Because reducing the amount of s alt in the diet is the most effective prevention of many diseases. Excluding s alt from your diet does not necessarily mean that the food must taste like the proverbial grass. Nothing similar! In place of s alt, herbs and spices that have a distinct flavor and aroma can be used. These include, among others: tarragon, oregano, thyme, marjoram, garlic, cinnamon, cloves. People forced to limit the supply of sodium chloride in the diet should avoid foods with invisible s alt. S alty bread, snacks such as peanuts, sticks or chips, smoked fish, canned food and all kinds of pickles and vegetable marinades should be excluded from the diet. A large load of s alt is also found in ready-made dishes from the bag: sauces, soups and spices such as vegeta or maggi. An alternative to high blood pressure is potassium s alt in which sodium has been replaced with potassium. The supply of the latter in the diet should be especially taken care of, because sodium has the ability to displace potassium from the intercellular spaces, and thus aggravate the disturbance of sodium-potassium balance.

Important
  • the heart must roll from 5 to 7 a daythousand liters of blood
  • the pipeline of blood vessels is almost three times long around the earth
  • an adult's heart contracts 72 times a minute, i.e. 38 million times a year
  • it pumps 50 to 70 milliliters of blood into the vessels during one contraction
  • 3.5-5 liters of blood flow through the heart per minute

Category:

Diets