Eating too much salt is bad for your health

[New Sancai Compilation First Edition] Salt is an important substance needed by the human body, but excessive intake of salt will cause some risks to the human body and may even be fatal, because excessive salt is one of the factors leading to high blood pressure and other diseases. According to US media reports, approximately 120 million Americans have high blood pressure or suffer from hypertension.

The report mentioned that a race living in the Amazon rainforest has the lowest salt intake in the world. Blood pressure generally rises with age in American adults, but in this Amazonian race, their blood pressure remains stable in the 100/60 range and does not get higher with age.

Common medical knowledge tells us that excess sodium (the main element of salt) can increase blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Heart disease and stroke rank among the most dangerous health risk factors for Americans.

The report quoted experts' suggestions that people can reduce blood pressure that increases with age by reducing sodium intake.

How do you know if you are taking in too much salt? According to a report from a health magazine quoted by the media, the human body will experience some phenomena when excessive salt intake:

You will feel thirsty. After eating foods high in salt, you often become thirsty because the ratio of salt to water in your body is out of balance.

Edema in the hands and feet and a feeling of distension in the abdomen. Because after eating foods with high salt content, the body will have too much sodium, which will slow down the discharge of water in the body. Excess water will be retained in the body and cause abdominal distension. It can also lead to edema of the hands and feet or swelling of the entire body.

Promote blood pressure to rise. As excess water accumulates in the body without being drained out in time, blood pressure increases due to the increased water content in the blood. People with weak physical functions may develop high blood pressure due to excessive salt. If they do not seek medical treatment in time, it may lead to the heart not working properly, stroke or kidney function damage.

Consuming too much salt on a regular basis without getting enough water also increases the risk of kidney stones. To avoid this risk, you must drink an appropriate amount of water to balance the excretion of calcium so as not to form stones in the kidneys. In addition, research data also shows that excessive salt intake may be related to gastric cancer. Although medical scientists currently do not know the exact cause and its correlation, experts suggest that it is safer to limit salt intake.

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend no more than 2.3 grams of salt per person per day. But how much salt everyone needs each day is different. The general advice from health care professionals is to moderate the amount of processed foods you consume and to sprinkle less salt on your food. If necessary, consult your doctor.

(Compiled by: Mulian)

(Editor: Jiang Qiming)

(Source of the article: Compiled and published by New Sancai)