NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Ivanhoe Newswire) - Did you know that nearly 1.3 billion adults aged 30 to 79 have high blood pressure, and many don’t even realize it? The culprit? Too much salt in our diets. But making a few changes, like cutting back on salt and getting more active, can make a big difference.
Americans really love their salt. In fact, we eat more than ten times the recommended amount -- that's over a teaspoon a day!
Annet Kirabo, DVM, PhD from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, explains, “That excess salt flips a switch inside us that leads to high blood pressure and heart disease.”
Aaron Finley, who works in customer service and acts part-time, knows the struggle firsthand. He recently found out he's in two high-risk groups: older African Americans and people who are very sensitive to salt.
"Being an older African-American male, I was more likely to get it just because of my lifestyle," says Finley, who is being treated for high blood pressure.
Dr. Kirabo's research team measured participants' blood pressure while they ate either a low-salt or high-salt diet. They found that just one salty meal can raise blood pressure.
“You might go to the doctor and hear that your blood pressure is fine, but then you go home, have a salty meal, and suddenly you're at risk of a stroke or a dangerous spike in blood pressure,” explains Dr. Kirabo.
Too much salt also leads to something called oxidative stress, which causes inflammation and can damage your heart.
“To put it simply, eating too much salt leads to a rapid increase in inflammation, which is really bad news for your heart,” says Dr. Kirabo.
Cutting back on salt, staying active, and spending time with others can help lower your risk of high blood pressure. But the most important thing is to know your blood pressure status.
“It's better to know than not know because finding out too late could be really dangerous,” warns Finley.
So, next time you reach for the saltshaker, think twice. Your heart will thank you.
Dr. Kirabo suggests a personalized approach for those who are highly sensitive to salt, to reduce inflammation and lower the risk of heart disease.
Salt
Hypertension
Sodium
Blood pressure
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