Haims: Eating less salt goes a long way

If you were asked what you could do to live a long and healthy life, what would you say? Most likely, you would mention eating well, exercising, limiting alcohol intake, avoiding smoking and illicit drugs and maybe even getting plenty of sleep.  So, why don’t we simply just do some or all of these things and live a great life?

I’m curious as to what your thoughts just were. Did you think, “Hmm … maybe I should?” Maybe you thought, “I eat well and exercise.” Maybe you even thought “something is gonna get me anyway, so I’m just going to do what I do.”

On one hand, we could follow the best medical advice, eat well, exercise, and get plenty of sleep, and suddenly drop dead. On the other hand, we could live like a rock star and possibly outlive all those who chose to do everything right. There really are no guarantees, are there?

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People don’t always prioritize living a healthy life due to factors like ingrained habits, the appeal of immediate gratification from unhealthy foods, the difficulty of breaking old routines, finances and time constraints, lack of access to healthy options, confusing and conflicting information about healthy living, and environmental and psychological barriers like stress, depression, and even a lack of personal control.

At the end of the day, there is so much research and education available to be shared on how to live and eat well.  Sometimes, it’s all just so much noise and often overwhelming. In my opinion, the best and easiest path to living a healthy life is finding a lifestyle that works for you. Exercising, if you hate doing it, will only last for a short and sporadic time. Being aware of everything you put in your mouth and trying the newest and latest diet rarely lasts too long.

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So, what am I getting at, you may be wondering?  Here it is: if you were receptive to watching your blood pressure, you could lower your risk of a number of potential deadly ailments. Ailments like heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease or failure, vision loss, and conditions like dementia and memory loss are all related to hypertension.

According to findings from a study conducted from 2021 to 2023 called the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, in the U.S., the prevalence of high blood pressure in adults 18 and older was 47.7%.  Not unexpectedly, the prevalence of hypertension was found to increase with age. Among adults ages 18–39, the prevalence was 23.4% and increased to 52.5% for those between the ages of 40–59 and 71.6% for those 60 and older.

Untreated hypertension is called the “silent killer” because it often has no noticeable symptoms, allowing it to cause severe and ongoing damage to organs like the heart, brain, and kidneys without a person knowing until a major health event occurs.

High blood pressure isn’t caused by any singular factor. Rather, it is a condition arising from a combination of lifestyle choices and underlying medical issues. That said, it is worth noting that one of the leading causes of high blood pressure is something that is easier to tackle than exercise, eating the perfect diet, or limiting alcohol and tobacco use.

While there and many potential contributors, salt consumption is one of the biggest contributors to high blood pressure. Limiting its consumption has been proven to lower the risk for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and even dementia. While a small amount of salt is essential for health, most people consume too much. The average American consumes about 3,300 mg (about a teaspoon and a half) of sodium daily — well over the recommended 2,300mg limit suggested, or ideal goal of 1,500 mg, by the American Heart Association.

The next time you go to the grocery store, consider these surprising sources of sodium:

• Soups. Soups can contain 800-1000 mg or more of sodium per serving (a can of soup often contains more than one serving)
• Bread. Rye and artisan bread often contain more salt than other types. Even the whole grain variety can contain between 100 and 200 mg of sodium per slice.
• Lunch meats: The weight of an average sliced deli meat often varies between 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce and can have 400 mg of salt per slice.
• Salad dressings: Dressings can often contain 200-300 mg of sodium or more per tablespoon.

Think about this: the “healthy” lunch of a half sandwich and soup/salad could contain more salt than anyone should have per day. Limiting salt consumption may be one of the easiest things someone can do to prevent heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and dementia.

If you desire to live a life with fewer health concerns but have little inclination to adhere to eating a balanced diet, exercising, or limiting alcohol intake, maybe doing something as simple as being aware of your salt consumption may be something to consider.

Judson Haims is the owner of Visiting Angels Home Care in Eagle County. He is an advocate for our elderly and is available to answer questions. Connect with him at jhaims@visitingangels.com.