GIFTS FROM THE SEA

GIFTS FROM THE SEA

SOURCES: Nutrition Now, Judith E. Brown, 7th Edition

Mary B. Grosvenor, Nutrition: Science and Applications, 2013.

On one hand, salt is a gift from the sea; on the other hand, it is a hazard to health when consumed in excess. Most of the salt consumed is joined with chloriide and travels around as sodium chloride or table salt.

Every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke. Fortunately, about 80% are thought to be preventable. The average American eats about 8500 milligrams of salt, double the recommended amounts, almost none of which comes from the salt shaker. It comes from processed food, an industry that hauls in $ trillions in annual sales. Your brain and your heart are the organs most affected which occurs when oxygen and and nutrients cannot get to the brain. “Hypertension can then damage the blood vessesls and cholesterol and can cause a buildup of fatty deposits that narrows arteries”.
says cardiologist Phillip Ades, M.D., Eating Well Advisor.

The Role of the Sodium/Potassium Ratio

Sodium closely works with potassium and the two help to maintain water balance in the body. They both attract water nornally and each draws sufficinent water to the outside or inside of cells to maintain an optimal level of water in both places, Water balance and cell function are upset when there’s an imbalance in the body’s supply of sodium and potassium. High dietary intakes of sodium appear to play an important role in the development of hypertension (high blood pressure) in many people.

Risk Factors for Hypertension
Obesity is a major risk factor for hypertension and the most effective treatment is weight loss. Others are age, family history, high sodium/low potassium diet, excessive alcohol intake (>two glasses /day), smoking, frequent stress, and anxiety.

Restricting highly processed foods is very effective to improve your potassium intake. High salt processed meals, salad dressings, canned soups, ham, sausages and biscuits are often the culprits. Reading food labels are also an excellent way to beware of your high sodium inake.

If blood pressure remains elevated and lifestyle changes have been inplemented, or if blood pressure is quite high when diagnosed, anti-hypertensive drugs are usually prescribed. SEE YOUR DOCTOR OR LICENSED NUTRITIONIST.
Is Sea Salt a Better Choice Than Table Salt?

A survey by the American Heart Association of 1000 adults discovered that 6 out of 10 thought sea salt was a low sodium alternative to table salt. Equal amounts of sea salt and table salt contain the same amount of sodium (40%). Unlke table salt, sea salt as well as Kosher salt, is generally not fortified with iodine. Iodized table salt is a leading source of iodine in U.S. diet

How else can I decrease my intake of sodium? One way is to Increase your potassium-rich foods.

The primary functions of potaasium is the same as sodium — Needed to maintain the right acid-base balance in the body. Helps maintain an approprieate amount of water in blood and body tissues, needed for muscle and nerve activity. WARNING — it is not recommended to take potassium supplements. Consequences of overdose: irregular heartbeat, heart attack.

Contents of vegetables is often reduced in processed foods. Diuretics (water pills) and other antihypertension drugs may deplete potassium. Salt substitutes often contain potassium — See your doctor.

Primary food sources: Plant foods, potatoes, sqash lima beans, tomatoes, plantains, bananas, oranges, avocados, meats, milk and milk products, coffee

Snacking on some walnuts at least once a week was associated with a 17% lower risk of stroke, according to research at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Walnuts are a top source of heart-healthy alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid. It can help improve blood vessel function and reduced inflammation which has been shown to damage arteries. All this together helps prevent blood clots and vascular weakening.