The Importance Of Salt Consumption In The United States

Although medications are very effective, lifestyle and dietary changes can help treat or prevent high blood pressure more effectively.

Fast food is exactly how it sounds: food that can be quickly produced for a simple meal. Although they may be satisfactory, they are anything but healthy. Eating fast food is appetizing which is one of the main reasons it is so popular. Not only does it taste good to many, but it is inexpensive, too! America is the number one place for fast food. There are over 160,000 fast food restaurants in the United States and over 50 million Americans are served fast food daily. The frequency of eating fast food is also a problem because according to statisticbrain.com 44 percent of Americans confessed to consuming fast food once per week. What people do not realize is the harm that fast food is doing to their body. Not only is fast food a

Sodium: My 3 day average sodium intake value was 1831.68 mg, and it is higher than the DRI value of 1500.00 mg. Although over-consumed sodium (~ 3400 mg/day) can cause hypernatremia and hypertension, it posts a low risk for healthy people (Hammond, 2016d). I do not need to concern too much about the sodium intake, while I am more likely to reduce the consumption of canned

Hypothesis- eating healthy and exercising lowers blood pressure. Null Hypothesis- Blood pressure levels are not affected by eating fatty foods or healthy foods and exercise.

Sodium recommendations are set low enough to protect against high blood pressure, but high enough to allow adequate intake of other nutrients with a typical diet (Page. 379). The recommended adequate intake (AI) for sodium for someone my age and sex is 1500 mg a day (Page. 379). On day 1 of my 3 day analysis I consumed 1507.83 mg of sodium. On day 2 I consumed 1627.11 mg, and on day 3 I consumed 1632.12 mg of sodium. Summarily, during my three day analysis I was well with range of the recommended AI for sodium consumption.

The average American consumes more than double the daily recommendation of sodium. These levels are above the upper limit that is considered to have no adverse effects on our bodies. The CDC lists heart disease as the most common cause of death for Americans, as well as kidney disease at number nine on the top ten causes of death. These are conditions that can be exacerbated by high sodium levels. Not only that, but high blood pressure affects nearly 1/3 of Americans and chronic kidney disease effects about 10% of the population. These are conditions in which reduced sodium in take could be very therapeutic. Especially considering that these very common medical conditions cost many billions of dollars a year to treat. Tenapanor has been developed to help meet the needs of those who need to reduce their sodium intake.

Salt: A World History written by Mark Kurlansky in 2002 is his fifth work of nonfiction. This novel explains the importance of salt, a mineral our bodies need, but cannot create; more than just an ordinary condiment, a substance of life. The book jacket identifies the book with the tagline:

Babies and children that is younger than 11 should have less salt than adults. Similarly, babies that are breastfed will get the right amount of salt from their mother’s breast milk.

Salt water is toxic to our bodies because the body eventually fails when it has to try to get rid of the salt that enters our bodies if we were to drink salt water. The body normally gets rid of excess salt by the kidneys producing urine, but it needs regular water to dilute the salt in our body for our kidneys to work properly. Normally that is not a problem because we drink water and eat foods with water in them. Tissue in our bodies also contains water that can be used. But if there is too much salt in our bodies, our kidneys cannot get enough water to dilute the salt and our bodies will shut down due to kidney failure.

Perhaps the reason why salt is not discussed earlier in the chapter is that humans require the nutrient of salt intake. Per author Jeremy Likeness in the article, the “The skinny on salt” at bodybuiliding.com informs that body needs the nutrient of sodium and chloride that cannot produce in the body. Furthermore, Likeness believes that it is not the sodium amount that is important rather the sodium in the diet is the ratio of sodium to potassium (Likeness). As sodium potassium effects, fluid balance in the body. As a result, if there is too little sodium it will cause the body to retain water. Unbeknownst to me, I did not realize how important it is to get the right amount of sodium into my diet. Perhaps Bushman wanted all readers to gain a basic understanding of physical activity and diet before

African American has a salt sensitivity. Sometime patients are unaware of this salt sensitivity, so they eats large amount of salt in foods such as bread, canned goods, fast foods, pickles, soups, and processed meats. Patient CF already receiving diuretics so he will be benefits if he decrease salt intake in diet to reduce blood pressure and decrease the need for mediation

Lastly, blood pressure is associated with ones diet and lifestyle. It is amazing when one’s diet consist of a high intake of salt they will shows signs of hypertension. Studies have shown that people who did not use salt shown no signs of hypertension. Monitoring the intake of salt will improve blood pressure readings drastically although; it is not the only contributor to high blood pressure. Increasing activity levels has also been known the lower blood pressure readings.

“Salt, A World History,” is an extensive aspect of world history by Earth’s one edible rock - salt. The book begins at the start of recorded history, and highlights humanity’s dependence on salt, up to roughly present day times. It focuses on the effect salt had on, and its contributions to, humankind. The book details how salt affected, economics, religion, science, and culinary practices all over the world.

Salt is the term used for compounds formed of ions of sodium, potassium and chloride. Table salt is the general name for sodium chloride. This sodium needed in the human body to regulate fluids and blood pressure, along with keeping muscles and nerves running smoothly. The Canadian Meat Council considers 1500 milligrams of sodium a day to be an adequate amount to promote good health. While consuming a maximum of 2300 milligrams per day is will pose no risk of adverse health effects (Canadian Meat Council).

Studies have shown that people with hypertension were able to lower their blood pressure by consuming diets high in Omega-3 fatty acids or taking fish oil supplements. After analyzing the results of 17 clinical studies using fish oil supplements, researchers determined that taking 3 or more grams of fish oil per day may lower blood pressure in people with untreated hypertension.