Bad Excesses Shouldn't Get In the Way of Good Health
By Tom Herrin
If not careful, it is pretty easy for people to let too many bad things slip past them in their diets. Even when they are pretty well-informed about what is good and what is not, trying to be in a hurry or take shortcuts in cooking can load peoples' diets with things that can do some pretty serious damage. A lot of canned goods, ready-to-eat-meals, and fast foods are full of sodium. People may eat them often without ever giving a second thought because they are used to the taste, not realizing it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way.
Many People Already Associate Sodium With High Blood Pressure
With its reputation for contributing to high blood pressure, it is amazing how many people still consume large amounts of sodium. Taking for granted the fact that they may need to take something for blood pressure is a backward way of looking at it. Increased amounts of sodium can make the body retain water to balance it out. This increases the amount of fluid the kidneys have to purify, making more work for them. The heart will also have to pump extra to move this larger amount. This tends to make the blood vessels thicken, causing more problems.
Sodium or Salt May Help Cause Some Diseases
There is some belief that consuming too much salt can increase the risk of stomach cancer. An even more common problem of too much sodium is that when it increases in the blood, it can cause a loss of calcium. In order to replace the calcium lost from the blood, the body may drain calcium from the bones, reducing bone density. This is believed to be a contributor to osteoporosis that affects so many people today, particularly older women.
Knowledge Is Always A Great Tool
It goes without saying that reducing the amount of sodium taken in can be a real step in the right direction. There is more that can be done, fortunately. Potassium can act to almost do the opposite of what sodium does. It can remove sodium from the blood and help to make the blood vessels relax. Higher amounts of potassium can be found in fresh fruits and vegetables. A good thing is that they taste good. If you want to do something good in your diet that may improve your health, reduce your sodium and increase your potassium. It is an easy formula, and it can produce good health.
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Carmel, Ind.