Originally posted April 25, 2017
Your diet plays a HUGE role in your overall wellness. Instead of just concentrating on fitness, concentrate on what you're putting in your body as well.
Are you someone that enjoys salty or sweet foods? Personally, I would much rather eat a bag of chips than cookies. But, as we all know, high sodium foods can be very dangerous to our health.
High sodium diets increase blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease, strokes, kidney stones and osteoporosis. According to the American Heart Association, 9 out of 10 Americans consume too much salt. Most of which have no clue how much they are consuming and where they are consuming it from. In fact, 75% of the sodium Americans consume is found in processed food and restaurant meals.
With that being said, salt IS necessary for the human body. It helps to control fluid balance and the functioning of muscles and nerves.
The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 mg a day and an ideal limit of less than 1,500 mg per day for most adults, especially for those with high blood pressure. Even cutting back by 1,000 mg a day can improve blood pressure and heart health.
So you may be asking, what can I do to help lower my sodium intake? Below I have a list of high sodium foods you should limit. Print it out, take a picture of it, or memorize it...either way, monitoring these foods will help lower your sodium intake dramatically.
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