Did you know: Why does eating salt raise blood pressure?

 Your diet has a direct effect on your body. If you eat right, your body science will be healthier. On the contrary, consuming food improperly is like "feeding pathogens" in your body. In particular, the habit of eating salty is a habit that should be eliminated because it can be harmful to health, especially blood pressure problems. The following article will explain to you more clearly, why eating salty raises blood pressure.

1. Why does eating salt raise blood pressure?

1.1. What role does salt play in our body?

Table salt is an indispensable spice in each of our daily meals. Thanks to the salt, the dishes are more flavorful. People who, for some reason, are forced to eat bland, will have a feeling of paleness in their mouths and not eating well. But on the contrary, people who have a habit of eating salty foods, eating too much salt can face health risks.

Salt plays an important role in the body

Salt contains sodium and chloride - these are two very good and important minerals for the body. In particular, sodium helps regulate blood pressure, blood volume, muscle contraction and regulate nerve function. Chloride is an electrolyte, which is essential for all organs in the body. If the chloride concentration is low, it can cause respiratory acidosis, which is very dangerous for the body.

Salty foods cause kidney function decline and high blood pressure

So it can be said that salt is very important for health. However, do not eat too much salt. In fact, people who eat too much salt are at risk of some problems such as high blood pressure or bloating and discomfort.

1.2. Habits of salty foods can cause high blood pressure

In our body, the kidneys will take care of filtering the excess fluid, then put the liquid into the bladder and finally they will be excreted through the urine. In order for the kidneys to function properly, the kidneys must be osmotic to filter water out of the blood.

The problem with people who eat too much salt is that the amount of sodium in the blood increases, and at the same time, an imbalance between sodium and potassium, thus leading to poor filtering of water by the kidneys. As a result, unfiltered fluids lead to increased blood pressure, which puts pressure on blood vessels, even clogging arteries. The habit of eating salty foods is also the cause of kidney function decline.

Habit of eating salty is harmful to health

Patients with cardiovascular diseases need to eliminate the habit of eating too much salt. Because when you eat too much salt, high blood pressure can make the disease worse, damage the arteries leading to the heart and endanger the patient.

At first, the habit of eating salty foods will have a certain impact, causing blood flow to the heart to be reduced, accompanied by some symptoms such as angina, ... especially when you are active. This habit lasts for a long time, meaning that salt is constantly being loaded into the body too much, which will lead to high blood pressure, even causing arterial rupture, completely blocking the artery.

Eating too much salt leads to high blood pressure and is also the cause of potential heart attacks. Therefore, doctors recommend that patients with cardiovascular disease need to follow a lighter diet.

2. How do you know you are eating too much salt?

It is difficult to measure exactly how much salt we consume every day from foods. But you can tell if you are eating a lot of salt through some of the body's symptoms as follows:

    • Always feel thirsty.

    • There is an increase in blood pressure.

    • Feeling of swelling in the hands and feet.

    • Having kidney stones because when you eat too much salt, the kidneys will have to work harder,         even overwork.

    • There is always a feeling that the food is bland and unappetizing.

Above are some signs that you are eating too much salt and are taking health risks. Therefore, to protect the body, or adjust your eating habits as soon as possible.

3. Instructions to eliminate the habit of eating a lot of salt

Every day, each of us only need to eat about 6g of salt. People with heart problems need to eat less salt and people over 45 years old are also the target group who also need to adjust their appetite, so eating lighter will be good for the body.

Cardiovascular patients should eliminate the habit of dipping fish when eating

Nutrition experts also recommend that you should not eat foods that contain a lot of salt in each meal every day, such as shrimp paste, pickles, salted eggplant, smoked meats, canned meat. , processed foods, etc.

Patients with a history of high blood pressure need to eat less salt.

Subjects with kidney failure, heart failure who have entered the late stage need to eat lightly, eliminating the habit of dipping fish sauce while eating.

For young children, mothers should also pay close attention to their children's diet. Ideally, mothers should teach their children the habit of eating less salt from the first years of life, especially suitable when the baby's kidneys are not fully developed, so the kidney's salt excretion will be worse than that of adults. .

If the mother gives the child too much salt, it will lead to the accumulation of sodium in the body and affect the health of the baby. Note that you should not add salt when stirring the dough for your baby because there is enough salt in the powder for the baby's body.

Experts advise that, if you find it very difficult to binge eat, making every meal unappetizing. You can change it slowly, gradually reducing the amount of salt and can increase the taste of the dish with some other spices such as herbs, etc.