Too much salt in our diet can cause
numerous health problems. |
Most of our excess sodium comes from consuming processed or cooked foods.
Salted meat, eggs and vegetables, miso, and most cheese are particularly high in salt.
While its chloride component is believed to be harmless, daily sodium intake exceeding four grams can cause numerous health problems since salt and MSG are such common food flavourings. Among these salt-related health problems are:
Water retention
Our kidneys are not efficient in removing excess salt from our blood stream. Too much salt causes thirst, fluid retention, and higher blood volume. However, we do need some sodium to maintain desirable blood volume and blood pressure. Depending on body weight, an average adult has between 70g and 90g of sodium and most of this is in the blood.
Loss of calcium
We lose calcium in our urine when our salt intake is high. Osteoporosis develops when about 30% of our bone mass is lost. Some 18 nutrients, including calcium, are needed to build our bone structure. Taking supplemental calcium may not help as it is difficult to absorb. Calcium absorption also depends on adequate intake of vitamin C. Taking one without the other can cause health problems.
Hypertension
Excess salt is widely regarded as a contributing factor for high blood pressure. Adults in salt-free societies such as the Yanomama tribe in Amazon have average blood pressure of just 96/61 (Intersalt, 1988).
Our risk of stroke, heart attack, and kidney failure increases with blood pressure higher than 110/70 (Kannel and Gordon, 1970). Complementary medicine uses 110/70 as being ‘normal’, and not 120/80. Balancing sodium/potassium intake helps control blood pressure. Foods very rich in potassium include sengkuang, tapioca leaves, and tomato.
Edema
Not only do our kidneys weaken with age, our ability to excrete salt declines with age too so that senior citizens tend to suffer higher incidence of edema (swelling of limbs and other body parts).
All things being equal, edema improves with lower sodium and adequate potassium intake whereas hypothyroidism worsens edema.
Individuals with frequent edema should check their thyroid functions. They are advised to consume more fresh produce or raw vegetables/fruits to reduce overall sodium intake as well as drink more fluids.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
If the PMS symptoms included edema, mood swings, and irritability, then increasing salt intake can only worsen a woman’s condition.
Kidney and bladder stones
On a high salt diet, kidney stones are prevalent especially in the presence of excess calcium in the blood (Borghi et al, 2002) and arterial hypertension (Midgley et al, 1996).
Enlarged heart
Chronic hypertension enlarges the heart to help it cope with higher blood pressure. Irrespective of blood pressure, increased salt intake also enlarges the heart. An enlarged heart increases the risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke – all of which can lead to sudden death (Schmieder, 1989). Higher salt intake also promotes arterial stiffness (Avolio 1983).
Glaucoma
The fluid in our eyes are constantly being replenished and removed to maintain stable pressure. Glaucoma occurs when pressure rises. This is a common cause of poor vision and even blindness. A low salt intake helps control this eye disorder.
Allergies
Lung functions of asthmatics can depend on their sodium excretion rates. Studies confirm that a high salt diet adversely affect bronchial airways (Burney, 1987).
Cancers
International studies have linked intake of salted foods to increased risk of nasal, oesophagus, and stomach cancers (Nazario et al, 1993). Japanese suffer the highest rates of stomach cancer in the world and their studies have linked this disorder to high salt intake, although consuming raw meat/fish containing the bacterium H. Pylori might be an issue too.
Salt is alkaline, but excess amounts can be highly toxic to some organs of the body.
Hyponatraemia
When blood sodium level is below 135mmol/L, we may be low on sodium (hyponatraemia) which is rare for anyone consuming a modern diet.
Furthermore, diuretic drugs used to treat hypertension can dramatically lower blood sodium irrespective of salt intake.
In addition, intense sweating, excess fluid intake, cortisol or aldosterone deficiency, and even poor distribution of body fluids can lead to hyponatraemia.
Source: More than just a pinch of salt
