How is salty food related to high blood pressure?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Tran Quoc Vinh - Emergency Doctor - Department of Resuscitation - Emergency - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital. Doctor Tran Quoc Vinh has more than 6 years of experience (starting in 2011) in the field of Emergency Medicine.
Salt is an indispensable condiment in the daily meals of every Vietnamese family. It not only brings a rich taste to the dishes, but the ingredients in salt all play an essential role in the body. However, eating too much salt may be linked to problems such as high blood pressure or an increased risk of stomach cancer.

1. The importance of salt for the body

Salt, also known as sodium chloride, is a compound made up of about 40% sodium and 60% chloride (two minerals that are extremely important to health). Sodium is a mineral that regulates muscle contractions, nerve function, blood pressure and blood volume in the body. On the other hand, chloride is the second most abundant electrolyte in the blood, after sodium. Electrolytes are atoms found in the body's fluids that carry electrical charges and are essential for everything from nerve impulses to fluid balance. However, low chloride levels can lead to a dangerous condition, called respiratory acidosis, in which carbon dioxide builds up in the blood and makes it more acidic.
While these two minerals are both important, studies have shown that individuals can have different reactions to salt. Some people may not be affected much by a high-salt diet, while others may experience high blood pressure or bloating with increased sodium intake. People with this condition are considered salt sensitive and need to monitor their sodium intake more carefully than others.

2. How is salty food related to high blood pressure?

Normally, excess fluid is filtered through the kidneys and into the bladder, where it is then passed out in the urine. To do this, the kidneys must work osmoticly to filter water out of the blood. When eating too much salt will increase the amount of sodium in the blood and destroy the balance of sodium and potassium, thereby reducing the ability of the kidneys to filter water. This leads to a higher risk of high blood pressure because more fluid is left unfiltered and puts more strain on the blood vessels leading to the kidneys. Over time, this stress can lead to kidney disease and impaired kidney function.

Increased blood pressure from eating too much salt can put stress on the arteries. To cope, the small muscles in the artery walls have to work harder and thicker than before. However, this inadvertently causes the space inside the arteries to become narrower and causes blood pressure to rise. When blood pressure is high, it can rupture or block the arteries, thereby depriving the body's organs of oxygen and essential nutrients, leading to serious damage.
For people with heart problems, eating too much salt can raise blood pressure and make the condition worse. High blood pressure damages the arteries leading to the heart.
Initially, it can reduce blood flow to the heart, causing symptoms such as tightness in the chest, especially when you are active. At that time, the cells in the heart also work less efficiently than before because they do not receive enough oxygen and nutrients. If the body continues to be loaded with too much salt, over time the effects of high blood pressure can become more severe, to the point that arteries burst or become completely blocked.
In addition, high blood pressure is a major cause of potential heart attacks. The best way to prevent heart attacks and effectively lower blood pressure is to follow a low-salt diet.

3. Some signs that you have eaten a lot of salt

In our daily diet, it is difficult to determine the exact amount of salt in each food. So, to know if the body is having an excess of salt, you can rely on some of the following signs:
Constantly thirsty

Increased blood pressure Feeling of swelling in the legs or hands Having kidney stones due to overwork of the kidneys Always feeling that food is bland and unappetizing If you are suffering from the above conditions, it means that your body is "showing off". "because the amount of salt exceeds the necessary amount. To limit the health risks caused by excess salt, you need to adjust your salty eating habits as soon as possible.

4. How to limit eating a lot of salt?

As mentioned above, eating too much salt can have serious consequences for your overall health. The best way to reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure or kidney stones is to limit your salt intake. A day, we should only eat about 6g of salt and no more than 5g of noodles, especially those with cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular risk factors such as dyslipidemia, the amount of salt should be more limited, no more than 5g of salt. In a day, especially people over 45 years old need to pay close attention to this issue.
Besides, adults should also give children the habit of eating less salt from the beginning because their kidney function is still weak, so the kidney's ability to excrete salt is also worse than that of adults. Eating too much salt will cause sodium to gradually accumulate in the body, leading to negative effects on the health of children. When stirring powder for children, it is not necessary to add salt because the food already contains a certain amount of salt and meets the nutritional needs of the baby.

In daily meals, you should also limit the use of foods with high salt content, such as shrimp paste, pickled cucumbers, smoked meat, canned meat, dried meat, fish sauce, vegetables. canned or prepared foods.
For those who have a history of or are suffering from high blood pressure, they should only consume about 3g of salt per day. You should also give up the habit of dipping fish sauce with other foods in the meal, especially those with kidney failure or heart failure in the severe stage, they are forced to eat absolute bland food.
If you find it difficult to follow a low-salt diet, you can start with gradually reducing the amount of salt and adding other seasonings when cooking, such as adding herbs or spices. sour taste to enhance the taste and reduce the saltiness of the dish.

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The article references the source: bloodpressureuk.org, healthline.com