Sodium is Not All Bad
Sodium helps our body to absorb nutrients and maintain the balance of water and minerals. We all have different mineral requirements but a person with normal health only needs about one teaspoon of salt per day to replace your body's daily loss of sodium. That includes the natural salt in the food, the salt added during preparation and the salt that you add.
Too much salt or sodium causes excess fluid retention in our blood vessels which makes our heart work harder. This can lead to high blood pressure. Some people are more susceptible to sodium's side effects than others. The sensitivity seems to increase with age. Regular physical exams and a good relationship with your doctor is the best way to monitor your sodium intake. You can't rule it out altogether but you can be careful about where you find it.
Natural sodium is found in meats, nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. The downside is that it's also added to just about everything we eat. If you read food labels you will see that foods such as chocolate chip cookies, cold cereal and even bread contains sodium. Food manufacturers use sodium to preserve food. Fast food, processed food and restaurant food are high in sodium. So are soups and cold cuts. Avoiding some of these is a good way to reduce your sodium intake and save money too.
Too much salt or sodium causes excess fluid retention in our blood vessels which makes our heart work harder. This can lead to high blood pressure. Some people are more susceptible to sodium's side effects than others. The sensitivity seems to increase with age. Regular physical exams and a good relationship with your doctor is the best way to monitor your sodium intake. You can't rule it out altogether but you can be careful about where you find it.
Natural sodium is found in meats, nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. The downside is that it's also added to just about everything we eat. If you read food labels you will see that foods such as chocolate chip cookies, cold cereal and even bread contains sodium. Food manufacturers use sodium to preserve food. Fast food, processed food and restaurant food are high in sodium. So are soups and cold cuts. Avoiding some of these is a good way to reduce your sodium intake and save money too.
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