Welcome to My World – Salt – Is Too Much Causing You Brain Damage?
Hello World! Do you watch your salt intake? I try to limit my sodium intake in my diet, but I know it isn’t always easy to do. I found this info very good as most of us eat way too much salt…
Eat less salt/sodium & see a difference in your anxiety levels & your BP
Is Too Much Salt Damaging Your Brain?
Like most people nowadays, I spend a lot of time on the internet, and while much of it is spent reading the latest research on health, nutrition and
Keep your brain young & healthy!
natural medicine, I sometimes come across well-meaning but misinformed articles that have completely misinterpreted the research. And, lately it seems that there are more and more articles telling people not to worry about eating a lot of salt. They insist that there are no health issues from doing so. But, new research (not to mention a lot of older studies) and some basic nutritional facts suggest otherwise.
Consider a study
published in Nature Neuroscience that found excessive salt consumption
Do you have a healthy heart?
causes more than just the well-documented high blood pressure and heart issues, it also affects healthy blood flow to your brain and causes an increased risk of your having cognitive impairment, dementia and cerebrovascular diseases, including stroke.
The researchers found that the cells that form the lining of your blood vessels can become impaired from a high salt diet, which can reduce your blood vessels’ ability to transport oxygen-rich blood that is needed by every organ in your body, including your brain. The study found that high amounts of salt in your diet suppressed blood flow to your brain, which leads to cognitive impairment and the risk of cerebrovascular diseases.
The study also found that a high sodium diet impairs your gut-brain axis by
Your “guts” are your 2nd brain & this is where your instincts come from.
increasing your number of white blood cells in your gut which leads to gut inflammation—a factor in many conditions including brain diseases. Your gut has been considered your “second brain” by many experts for years so this new discovery may lend further insight into how your impaired gut health may affect your brain health.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA),
the average American eats twice as much sodium than they should be, ingesting a whopping 3400 milligrams daily compared to your recommended limit of 1500 mg daily.
While the damaging effects of this level of sodium intake is serious, the great news is that researchers also found that your effects of a high salt diet were highly reversible within 12 weeks.
While it is true that your body needs sodium, we certainly don’t need this
Are you eating way too much salt? Do you know what it is doing to you?
mineral in the amount most of us are getting in our daily diet. Sodium is a mineral known as an electrolyte which helps in the transmission of electrical signals in your body. Yes, your brain, nervous system, heart and other functions in your body are kept in balance through electrical communications between your cells and tissues.
In this regard, sodium, along with other electrolytes like potassium, help to ensure the proper transmission of these signals. But, sodium must be kept in balance with potassium. These minerals work in opposition with each other.
In other words,
when sodium rises excessively high, potassium drops, and vice versa. Once you understand this fundamental nutritional fact you’ll understand why a high sodium diet can be so bad for you. After all, there are a host of problems linked to low potassium, including: irregular heartbeat, tissue swelling, abnormally tight muscles, and impaired kidney function, to name a few.
If you eat fast food, processed food, prepared foods or even restaurant
Do you think junk food looks or tastes better than healthy food? I’ll take the healthy, please.
foods, you are probably getting more sodium than you think, so be sure to read package labels and choose only those with low amounts of sodium.
Additionally, here are some ways to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet:
-Salt often hides in extremely high amounts in condiments like ketchup, mustard, relish, salsa, etc. Use these items sparingly and choose low sodium options.
-Avoid poultry that has been injected with a saline solution. Read the fine print on packages and avoid those with terms like “broth,” “saline” or “sodium solution.”
-Cook more of your meals at home where you can minimize the amount of salt you add to recipes.
-Instead of salt, add fresh or dried herbs and spices, lemon juice or vinegar as ways to add flavor to your recipes.
-Avoid spice mixes since they often contain salt.
-Make your own salad dressings with 2 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar or
Tuna salad is good for you, If you don’t add mayo. Instead make your own dressing.
lemon juice and add herbs like garlic. Shake in a mason jar with a lid or blend and store in a covered container. Homemade dressings are far superior to your salt-laden options in most grocery stores.
This is excellent information! I know many of us eat way too much sodium. Do you try to control the amount of sodium you consume? Let me know what you do by leaving me a message below…
Have a great healthy day!
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