High Salt Diet Impacts More Than Blood Pressure
If your blood pressure is normal, that does not mean you can ignore how much salt you consume.
A high salt diet leads to:
- Reduced functioning of the endothelium. The endothelium is the inner lining of blood vessels which mediates coagulation, immune function, and platelet adhesion.
- Stiffening of arteries. The stiffer the arteries, the harder the heart works.
- Enlargement of the muscle tissue comprising the wall of the heart’s main pumping chamber. This enlargement can cause the heart to not pump blood with optimal force and efficiency.
- Impaired sodium-potassium balance causing reduced kidney function.
- Increased calcium excretion into the urine increasing risk for kidney stones and osteoporosis.
- Increased risk for stomach cancer. Research has determined salt and salty foods to be a “probable cause of stomach cancer.”
- Weight gain connected to salty foods leads to thirst and consumption of high sugar beverages to alleviate thirst.
- Bloating and water retention.
- Aggravated asthma symptoms.
- Worsening Meniere’s Disease symptoms, such tinnitus and hearing loss connected to fluid retention resulting in increased inner ear pressure.
Adjust your diet to reduce salt intake.
Nearly three-quarters of the salt in our diet comes from processed foods. Restaurant meals tend to be higher in sodium than meals prepared at home.
Mediterranean Diet for Weight Loss and to Prevent Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is the presence of three or more of the following conditions…
- Fasting blood sugar of 100 mg/dl or higher
- Systolic blood pressure of 130 mm Hg or higher and/or diastolic blood pressure 85 mm Hg or higher
- HDL cholesterol less than 40 mg/dl in men or 50 mg/dl in women
- Triglycerides of 150 mg/dl or higher
- Waist circumference 40 inches or greater for men and 35 inches or greater in women in the US
This “cluster” of factors known as metabolic syndrome doubles heart disease risk with a five-fold risk increase of developing Type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome has also been connected to cancers, including prostate, breast, endometrial, colorectal, and liver.
Metabolic syndrome affects 35 percent of US adults and 10 percent of adolescents.
Here are three steps to counteract metabolic syndrome:
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Beans Health Benefits: Eat Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils for Heart Health
Dried beans, peas, and lentils include kidney beans, navy beans, chickpeas, Great Northern beans, black-eyed peas, split peas, and lima beans.
Dry beans, peas and lentils are a very economical option for adding protein and nutrients to your diet with a 1-pound costing an average of $0.15 per serving for dry beans and between $0.35 to $0.50 per serving depending on brand for canned beans.
Beans Health Benefits: Dry beans, peas, and lentils are highly nutritious
— Contain almost twice the protein of whole grains and all nine essential amino acids
— Provide both soluble and insoluble fiber
— Low in sodium. If prepared without added salt contain they contain almost no sodium. Canned options are higher in sodium. Select “low sodium” or “no added salt” options. Draining and rinsing canned beans, peas and lentils reduces sodium content by 41%.
— Contain almost no fat. Fat content depends on what is added during preparation.
— A plant source of iron. Plant iron sources are a little harder for the body to absorb. To boost iron absorption, combine with foods contains vitamin C.
— Rich source of magnesium, zinc, and potassium.
— Gluten-free
Hormones and Your Heart
This infographic was created by Hormone Health Network
When is it normal for blood pressure to increase?
While your ideal average blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg, blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day depending on what you are doing. Every time your blood pressure spikes does not necessarily equal a medical emergency.
Exercise
During exercise your muscles demand more oxygen. To meet this need, the heart must pump with increased force to deliver more oxygenated blood with each contraction. As the heart’s workload increases during exercise, systolic blood pressure increases. Systolic blood pressure is the top blood pressure reading and measures the force against artery walls when the heart pumps. It is normal for systolic blood pressure to range between 160 and 220 during exercise.
The diastolic blood pressure, or the bottom number, typically does not change during exercise. Diastolic pressure measures the force against artery walls in between contractions. If your diastolic blood pressure increases during exercise by more than 20 mm Hg or becomes greater than 100 mm Hg, stop exercising and consult your doctor.
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3 Ways to Reduce Inflammation and Reduce Heart Disease Through Diet
Cardiovascular disease and breast cancer are the two leading causes of death in the United States for women. Both are associated with inflammation.
Strategies to reduce inflammation may be an effective treatment option to reduce cardiovascular disease and breast cancer.
Chronic inflammation leads to the release of inflammatory cytokines. These inflammatory cytokines contribute to cellular damage, which leads to disease onset or progression. Chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, and diabetes all have an inflammatory component.
There are medications to reduce inflammation, such as steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), but all medication comes with side effects and these are no exception. Potential side effects include nausea, constipation, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, weight gain, increase blood pressure, and immune suppression among others.
Alternate treatment options are desirable for treating inflammation, such as dietary interventions. Improving dietary quality with emphasis on specific anti-inflammatory nutrients is a safe strategy for reducing inflammation and disease risk.
A diet to reduce inflammation is low in added sugars, contains omega-3 fatty acids, and rich in dietary fiber.
Foods high in added sugar that should be avoided or limited include soft drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, cakes, pastries, donuts, fruit drinks, ice cream, pudding, cookies, candy, pie, and cobblers.
