Cut Down on the Salt

Most all of us have heard that too much salt can be for our health. While we understand that this may be true, just how much salt do we consume a day and what is a safe amount? We will try to answer those questions as well as give you a better understanding of what salt does to our bodies.

The medical community estimates that those of us who live in the U.S. take in close to 5,000mg of sodium a day. How does that compare to the recommended daily average? Not good, as the normal daily average should be approximately 2,500mg. When you consider the fact that a McDonald's quarter pounder with cheese combo meal is over 1,500mg of sodium alone, you can quickly see how salt intake can get out of control.

Why is too much salt so bad for your health?

Too much sodium is a big contributor in getting high blood pressure and heart disease, as well as other health related problems. To help fight the sodium your body also has to produce more potassium. It should go without saying that you simply can not eat fast food all the time and expect to remain healthy. It just won't happen.

So, how can we start eating less salt in our daily diet?

Using less salt every day can be as simple as leaving the salt shaker on the table and not on your food. However, it does not mean you have to sacrafice taste. Consider using other spices to increase food taste if you need to. Pepper is a wonderful addition. I'm sure you have some other favorite spices that you can use as well. You should also consider using a salt substitute that you can find in the grocery store. These substitutes give you the salt flavor without the harmful effects.

Another way of reducing sodium intake is looking at the labels on the food you buy. I am not only talking about fast food, but frozen dinners and processed foods from the grocery store. Canned foods such as vegetables are also high in sodium content. Look for foods that have reduced sodium in them.

Some other tips in reducing sodium include:

-Leave out the soy sauce. Soy sauce is full of salt

-Do not add salt to the water when preparing pastas or rice

-Reduce the trips to the fast food restaurants

-Use fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned

These are just some of the many ideas you can begin using in order to reduce your amount of sodium intake immediately. Yes, by eliminating much of the salt may be a change to your body, but the results are well worth the sacrafice, and after a while you will wonder how you ever ate such salty foods in the first place!

Remember, high sodium levels lead to hypertension, high blood pressure, heart disease and other health issues. So, start putting down the high sodium in fast food meals and get on the road to a more healthier you.