How to Eat Less Salt
What makes salt harmful?
Salt is made up of 40% sodium and 60% chloride. Eating too much sodium can increase your blood pressure. High blood pressure is related to all sorts of problems, like heart attacks, strokes, kidney problems, etc.
How much salt can I eat?
Most people eat about twice as much salt as they should. Generally, you should eat no more than 2300 milligrams (100 mmol) of sodium a day, which equals about 1 teaspoon of table salt a day. Keep in mind that this includes all salt consumed, including that used in cooking and at the table.
If you have high blood pressure, are 40 or older, or are African American, your healthcare provider might advise eating no more than 1500 milligrams (65 mmol) of sodium a day.
What are some ways that I can reduce the amount of salt I eat?
Salt is found naturally in many foods. But processed foods account for most of the salt that people eat. Processed foods that are high in salt include regular canned vegetables and soups, frozen dinners, lunchmeats, instant and ready-to-eat cereals, and salty chips and other snacks.
Read food labels to choose products low in salt. You might be surprised at some foods that contain a lot of sodium, such as those containing baking soda, soy sauce, and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Some medicines, especially antacids and effervescent formulas (e.g., Alka-Seltzer), have sodium. Check labels or ask your pharmacist.
Restaurant meals can have a lot of salt as well. If there's no information about salt content available, ask your server to help you make a low-sodium choice. Learn which meals are lower in sodium at all your favorite places, and stick with those.
Before trying salt substitutes, check with a healthcare provider, especially if you have high blood pressure. Salt substitutes usually contain potassium chloride. Too much potassium chloride can be harmful for people with certain medical conditions, or for those taking certain medicines.
Note that there can be differing amounts of sodium in the same amount of different types of salt.
One teaspoon table salt = 6 grams = 2400 milligrams sodium
One teaspoon sea salt = 5 grams = 2000 milligrams sodium
One teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt = 2.8 grams = 1120 milligrams sodium
Tips for reducing your salt intake:
Buy fresh, plain frozen, or canned "with no salt added" vegetables.
Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned or processed types.
Use herbs, spices, and salt-free seasoning blends in cooking and at the table.
Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereal without salt. Cut back on instant or flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes, which usually have added salt.
Choose "convenience" foods that are low in sodium. Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings. These often have a lot of sodium.
Rinse canned foods, such as tuna and vegetables, to remove some sodium.
When available, buy low- or reduced-sodium or no-salt-added versions of foods.
Choose ready-to-eat breakfast cereals that are low in sodium.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice.
For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
*Tune in tomorrow for PART IV OF IV SODIUM AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Showing posts with label blood pressure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blood pressure. Show all posts
Friday, August 21, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
PART II OF IV SODIUM AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SODIUM INTAKE AND BLOOD PRESSURE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR MANY YEARS.
It was documented as early as 1904.There's a lot of data from epidemiologic, animal, and genetic studies to support the relationship between sodium intake and hypertension. The best evidence to date for this relationship comes from the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH-sodium) study.
Subjects eating the DASH diet had a slightly better improvement in blood pressure at all levels of sodium intake. In fact, in subjects with hypertension, the blood pressure-lowering effect of the DASH diet plus low sodium intake was equal to or greater than what would be expected from a single antihypertensive drug. Systolic blood pressure was lowered by 11.5 mm Hg with the DASH diet plus low sodium compared to the typical diet plus high sodium (p<0.001) in the hypertensive group. But the DASH-sodium results did show that even without dietary changes, reduced sodium intake can lead to a reduction in blood pressure.
Besides actually lowering blood pressure, reducing sodium intake can be beneficial for patients whose hypertension is being treated. Excessive dietary sodium can blunt the blood pressure-lowering effect of most antihypertensive drugs. This is particularly true for individuals who are considered to be "salt-sensitive." This term refers to those whose blood pressure is especially responsive to their sodium intake. Factors predisposing individuals to salt sensitivity are chronic kidney disease, obesity, old or middle-aged, African American ethnicity, and metabolic syndrome or diabetes.
It's important to note that in most patients, potassium intake goes hand-in-hand with sodium intake. A diet low in potassium can cause sodium retention and a subsequent elevation of blood pressure.An increase in dietary potassium can actually reduce sodium sensitivity in people with normal or high blood pressure.
Benefits of Limiting Sodium Intake
Current guidelines for treating hypertension state that reducing sodium intake to less than 2400 mg daily can lower systolic blood pressure, on average, by 2 to 8 mm Hg.The DASH-sodium study backs this up. Without dietary changes other than sodium reduction, systolic blood pressure can be reduced by up to 7 mm Hg when sodium intake is limited to 1500 mg or 65 mmol/day.
Limiting sodium intake as a society could have a major impact on public health. Researchers say that reducing salt intake by 3 grams daily (1200 mg or 50 mmol of sodium) would have an impact on morbidity and mortality similar to the total elimination of cigarette smoking. New cases of heart disease would drop by 6%. There would be 8% fewer heart attacks, and 3% fewer deaths. These benefits would be even more profound for specific groups like African-Americans, whose blood pressure can be more sensitive to salt.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice.
For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
*Tune in tomorrow for PART III OF IV SODIUM AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
It was documented as early as 1904.There's a lot of data from epidemiologic, animal, and genetic studies to support the relationship between sodium intake and hypertension. The best evidence to date for this relationship comes from the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH-sodium) study.
Subjects eating the DASH diet had a slightly better improvement in blood pressure at all levels of sodium intake. In fact, in subjects with hypertension, the blood pressure-lowering effect of the DASH diet plus low sodium intake was equal to or greater than what would be expected from a single antihypertensive drug. Systolic blood pressure was lowered by 11.5 mm Hg with the DASH diet plus low sodium compared to the typical diet plus high sodium (p<0.001) in the hypertensive group. But the DASH-sodium results did show that even without dietary changes, reduced sodium intake can lead to a reduction in blood pressure.
Besides actually lowering blood pressure, reducing sodium intake can be beneficial for patients whose hypertension is being treated. Excessive dietary sodium can blunt the blood pressure-lowering effect of most antihypertensive drugs. This is particularly true for individuals who are considered to be "salt-sensitive." This term refers to those whose blood pressure is especially responsive to their sodium intake. Factors predisposing individuals to salt sensitivity are chronic kidney disease, obesity, old or middle-aged, African American ethnicity, and metabolic syndrome or diabetes.
It's important to note that in most patients, potassium intake goes hand-in-hand with sodium intake. A diet low in potassium can cause sodium retention and a subsequent elevation of blood pressure.An increase in dietary potassium can actually reduce sodium sensitivity in people with normal or high blood pressure.
Benefits of Limiting Sodium Intake
Current guidelines for treating hypertension state that reducing sodium intake to less than 2400 mg daily can lower systolic blood pressure, on average, by 2 to 8 mm Hg.The DASH-sodium study backs this up. Without dietary changes other than sodium reduction, systolic blood pressure can be reduced by up to 7 mm Hg when sodium intake is limited to 1500 mg or 65 mmol/day.
Limiting sodium intake as a society could have a major impact on public health. Researchers say that reducing salt intake by 3 grams daily (1200 mg or 50 mmol of sodium) would have an impact on morbidity and mortality similar to the total elimination of cigarette smoking. New cases of heart disease would drop by 6%. There would be 8% fewer heart attacks, and 3% fewer deaths. These benefits would be even more profound for specific groups like African-Americans, whose blood pressure can be more sensitive to salt.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice.
For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
*Tune in tomorrow for PART III OF IV SODIUM AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
PART I OF IV SODIUM AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Hypertension affects about one-quarter of the world's adult population. An even greater proportion of people in North America, about one-third, have hypertension. High sodium intake can increase the risk for high blood pressure. As such, sodium restriction is a first-line intervention for people with prehypertension and hypertension.
However, many people are still consuming more than twice the recommended amount of sodium. This demonstrates the need for healthcare professionals to educate individuals about the importance of reducing sodium intake.
How Much is Too Much?
Overall, most people are getting too much sodium. The average adult consumes around 3500 mg (150 mmol) of sodium per day. The American Heart Association, the
USDA, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that adults should not consume more than 2300 mg (100 mmol) of sodium per day. This is equal to about one teaspoon of salt daily Health Canada and the Canadian Hypertension Education Program (CHEP) make the same recommendation.
A more limited recommendation applies for individuals with hypertension, the middle-aged, older adults, and blacks. This group, which includes about two-thirds of adults, should get no more than 1500 mg (65 mmol) of sodium per day. CHEP recommends between 65 mmol and 100 mmol for hypertensive individuals.
The generally accepted max is 2300 mg sodium/day...about one teaspoon table salt. But even that's too much for some people.
Recommend staying under 1500 mg/day for people with hypertension, over age 40, or African Americans. Most people get DOUBLE this much.
Many folks THINK they don't eat much salt because they don't use the salt shaker...but most comes from prepared foods.
Explain that a can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup has about 2000 mg of sodium...and some restaurant meals contain over 5000 mg.
Suggest cutting back and following the 1500 mg sodium DASH diet...especially for patients with prehypertension or hypertension.
Explain that this DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet can lower BP about the same as a thiazide diuretic or ACE inhibitor.
Also caution patients that too much salt can make diuretics less effective and lead to increased blood pressure or edema.
Keep in mind that some meds have a lot of sodium...especially antacids and effervescent formulations. Zegerid (omeprazole) has 304 mg sodium per cap...Alka-Seltzer
Original has over 500 mg per tab.
But explain that most oral meds that come as a sodium salt, such as levothyroxine sodium or pravastatin sodium, won't increase BP.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice.
For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
*Tune in tomorrow for PART II OF IV SODIUM AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
However, many people are still consuming more than twice the recommended amount of sodium. This demonstrates the need for healthcare professionals to educate individuals about the importance of reducing sodium intake.
How Much is Too Much?
Overall, most people are getting too much sodium. The average adult consumes around 3500 mg (150 mmol) of sodium per day. The American Heart Association, the
USDA, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that adults should not consume more than 2300 mg (100 mmol) of sodium per day. This is equal to about one teaspoon of salt daily Health Canada and the Canadian Hypertension Education Program (CHEP) make the same recommendation.
A more limited recommendation applies for individuals with hypertension, the middle-aged, older adults, and blacks. This group, which includes about two-thirds of adults, should get no more than 1500 mg (65 mmol) of sodium per day. CHEP recommends between 65 mmol and 100 mmol for hypertensive individuals.
The generally accepted max is 2300 mg sodium/day...about one teaspoon table salt. But even that's too much for some people.
Recommend staying under 1500 mg/day for people with hypertension, over age 40, or African Americans. Most people get DOUBLE this much.
Many folks THINK they don't eat much salt because they don't use the salt shaker...but most comes from prepared foods.
Explain that a can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup has about 2000 mg of sodium...and some restaurant meals contain over 5000 mg.
Suggest cutting back and following the 1500 mg sodium DASH diet...especially for patients with prehypertension or hypertension.
Explain that this DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet can lower BP about the same as a thiazide diuretic or ACE inhibitor.
Also caution patients that too much salt can make diuretics less effective and lead to increased blood pressure or edema.
Keep in mind that some meds have a lot of sodium...especially antacids and effervescent formulations. Zegerid (omeprazole) has 304 mg sodium per cap...Alka-Seltzer
Original has over 500 mg per tab.
But explain that most oral meds that come as a sodium salt, such as levothyroxine sodium or pravastatin sodium, won't increase BP.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice.
For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
*Tune in tomorrow for PART II OF IV SODIUM AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Pressure Stockings 'Should Not Be Used' to Prevent DVT
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism are common after stroke. In small trials of patients undergoing surgery, graduated compression stockings (GCS) appear to reduce the risk of DVT.
National stroke guidelines in several countries extrapolating from these trials recommend their use in patients with stroke. Researchers assessed the effectiveness of thigh-length GCS to reduce DVT after stroke.
In an international trial, researchers randomized some 2500 immobile patients hospitalized within 1 week of an acute stroke to either use of, or avoidance of, thigh-length stockings. Ultrasound studies done at roughly 30 days found no significant difference between the groups with regard to the occurrence of DVT in the popliteal or femoral vessels.
However, the risk for adverse effects (skin breaks, ulcers, blisters, and necrosis) was much higher in stocking users than nonusers (5% vs. 1%).
Graduated compression stockings don't reduce the risk for deep venous thrombosis after stroke, according to this large trial. Commentators say flatly that the stockings "should not be used after stroke and current guidelines will need to be amended."
The Lancet, Online Publication, 2009 doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60941-7
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice.
For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
* Tune in tomorrow for Don't spend your life trying to impress others.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
National stroke guidelines in several countries extrapolating from these trials recommend their use in patients with stroke. Researchers assessed the effectiveness of thigh-length GCS to reduce DVT after stroke.
In an international trial, researchers randomized some 2500 immobile patients hospitalized within 1 week of an acute stroke to either use of, or avoidance of, thigh-length stockings. Ultrasound studies done at roughly 30 days found no significant difference between the groups with regard to the occurrence of DVT in the popliteal or femoral vessels.
However, the risk for adverse effects (skin breaks, ulcers, blisters, and necrosis) was much higher in stocking users than nonusers (5% vs. 1%).
Graduated compression stockings don't reduce the risk for deep venous thrombosis after stroke, according to this large trial. Commentators say flatly that the stockings "should not be used after stroke and current guidelines will need to be amended."
The Lancet, Online Publication, 2009 doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60941-7
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice.
For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
* Tune in tomorrow for Don't spend your life trying to impress others.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
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