If you have high blood pressure and want a natural way to lower it, start by lowering your dietary sodium (salt) consumption. Lower salt leads to lower blood pressure, which leads to lower risk of heart disease and stroke. In the average US diet, processed food scores the highest as the major contributor of sodium.
Next up is salt added during cooking and at the table. About a teaspoon of salt a day, or no more than 2,400 mg, must be your salt reduction target to help lower your high blood pressure.
Read the food labels and you may be shocked to discover how much salt is actually in your favorite “out of the freezer and on the table in a matter of minutes” food choices. Your option here is to purchase the lower sodium variety, or stop this fast food consumption altogether.
Some foods you may not be giving much salt attention to are:
- canned vegetables
- canned & instant soups
- cheese & cheese spreads
- butter, fatback, salt pork
- some cold & instant hot cereals
- quick cooking rice & instant noodles
- salted chips, nuts, pretzels, pork rinds
- canned fish ~ tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel
- pickled foods ~ herring, pickles, relish, olives, sauerkraut
- smoked, cured meats ~ bacon, bologna, hot dogs, ham, corned beef, luncheon meats & sausage
- boxed mixes like rice, scalloped potatoes, macaroni & cheese, some frozen dinners, pot pies, pizza
- soy sauce, steak sauce, salad dressing, ketchup, barbecue sauce, garlic salt, onion salt, seasoned salts, bouillon cubes, meat tenderizer, MSG
Some adjustments for naturally cutting back on your salt intake is to:
- pick foods without sauces
- rinse canned fish or vegetables
- cut back on sauces, condiments
- sprinkle lemon juice over vegetables
- lean pork roast instead of country ham
- taste food before adding salt ~ then add slowly if necessary
- use smoked or salt-cured meats in very small amounts ~ flavoring only
- season, marinate meat, poultry, fish ahead of time ~ brings out its flavor
- while dining out, ask for your meal to be prepared without salt or MSG ~ take control the sodium
You may go experience sodium withdrawals, but your taste buds will adjust. Maybe even to the point that you may turn down food stuff because it’s “too” salty, while your natural lower blood pressure will continue to give your heart a break.
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