BLOG 58 SODIUM

BLOG 58 SODIUM

Sick of me harping on your sodium consumption yet?? I’m like that little bug on your shoulder every time you pour that salt, use that teriyaki or soy sauce, eat that soup, or indulge in those chips or fries. But it’s all for a good reason and this Blog will reveal why.

Don’t get me wrong our bodies need sodium, but most folks have trouble sticking to the amount we are supposed to not exceed per day. So here are numbers: ”The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend an upper limit for sodium consumption of 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day for adults. If you are African American, age 51 or older or have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic disease, that recommendation is lowered to 1,500 milligrams per day. Average American consumption of sodium is close to 3,400 milligrams of sodium per day. Just 1 teaspoon of table salt has 2,325 milligrams of sodium” (http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/much-sodium-supposed-per-day-5703.html). Quite eye opening. For the functions the body performs using sodium we only need about 500mg. (http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/much-sodium-supposed-per-day-5703.html

The main role of sodium is to help send nerve impulses, maintain fluid balance, and to help with muscle functioning (contraction and relaxation). But here’s the catch: “When there’s extra sodium in your bloodstream, it pulls water into your blood vessels, increasing the total volume of blood inside. With more blood flowing through, blood pressure increases. It’s like turning up the water supply oa garden hose – the pressure in the hose increases as more water is blasted through it. Over time, high blood pressure may overstretch or injure the blood vessel walls and speed the buid-up of gunky plaque that can block blood flow. The added pressure also tires out the heart by forcing it to work harder to pump blood pressure thorough the body” (http://sodiumbreakup.heart.org/sodium-411/sodium-and-your-health/). You don’t have to be diagnosed with high blood pressure to still benefit from eating less sodium because ultimately you are helping prevent the risk of heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis, kidney disease, and headaches.

So let’s take a look at some sodium bomb foods. Deli meat and hot dogs are filled with the substance. That Subway turkey sandwich can have up to 300mg of sodium per slice. Fresh is best. Breakfast choices like biscuit and pancake mixes have quite a bit of salt and so do many cereals. Portion control comes into play with that cereal for sure. Vegetable juices, especially tomato are salt filled. Most canned items like vegetables and soups are packed with salt. I always recommend rinsing these items before consuming. Opt for fresh spices versus ketchups and condiments like soy sauce. Frozen meals and pizzas are super salty. And canned spaghetti sauce is a major “no-no”: “One cup of spaghetti sauce can have a sodium content of 1,000 mg” (http://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health-pictures/10-sneaky-sodium-bombs.aspx#08). Bread, tortillas, and cheeses are high salt containing as well. Tuna in a can is another salty choice which you can rinse off. Read the labels and go for low-sodium selections when possible. http://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health-pictures/10-sneaky-sodium-bombs.aspx#08

Read those nutrition labels folks. You may not realize how much you are consuming but innocence is not “bliss” when it catches up to you. Here’s why you should cut back on sodium: “One estimate suggested that if all Americans moved to an average intake of 1,500 mg/day sodium, it could result in a 25.6 percent overall decrease in blood pressure and an estimated $26.2 billion in health care savings” (http://sodiumbreakup.heart.org/sodium-411/sodium-and-your-health/). And then there’s this: “Another estimate projected that achieving this goals would reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease by anywhere from 500,000 to nearly 1.2 million over the next 10 years” (http://sodiumbreakup.heart.org/sodium-411/sodium-and-your-health/).

That good old saying comes into play in which everything in moderation is okay. The trouble is that moderation has become a problem for us. Be mindful of your choices and hopefully this Blog will make you more aware of your sodium consumption. Your fitness journey doesn’t have to be perfect, but the more we learn the more we are more prepared for battle and informed to make those better choices. So how much salt have you have you had so far today??