FMCDH
Posted on 11/14/2023 9:45:29 PM PST by ConservativeMind
Nearly everyone can lower their blood pressure, even people currently on blood pressure- reducing drugs, by lowering sodium intake, reports a study.
"In the study, middle age to elderly participants reduced salt intake by about one teaspoon a day compared with their usual diet. The result was a decline in systolic blood pressure by about 6 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), which is comparable to the effect produced by a commonly utilized first-line medication for high blood pressure," said Deepak Gupta, M.D., MSCI.
"We found that 70-75% of all people, regardless of whether they are already on blood pressure medications or not, are likely to see a reduction in their blood pressure if they lower sodium in their diet," said Norrina Allen, Ph.D., MPH.
The total daily sodium intake recommended by the AHA is to be below 1,500 milligrams, and this study was designed to decrease it even lower than that, Allen said.
Middle-age to elderly individuals in their 50s to 70s from Birmingham, Alabama and Chicago were randomized to either a high-sodium diet (2,200 mg per day on top of their usual diet) or low-sodium diet (500 mg in total per day) for one week, after which they crossed over to the opposite diet for one week.
On the day before each study visit, participants wore blood pressure monitors and collected their urine for 24 hours. Among 213 participants, systolic blood pressure was significantly lowered by 7 to 8 mm Hg when they ate the low-sodium diet compared with high-sodium diet, and by 6 mm Hg compared with their usual diet.
Overall, 72% of participants experienced a lowering of their systolic blood pressure on the low-sodium diet compared with their usual diet.
The blood pressure lowering effect of dietary sodium reduction was achieved rapidly and safely within one week.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Do note 500 mg puts you at a place where it can be easier to get dehydrated. Thus helps stop high blood pressure damage, but it still does not address the root cause behind why you have high blood pressure, in the first place.
Disgraceful Medical Xpress story headline.
Doc says my sodium levels are always under the normal range.
???
FMCDH
These people eat enough salt that they can REDUCE their intake by a teaspoon?
Unless I’m eating processed foods, I doubt I even consume that much!
Be extra careful about any further sodium reduction.
In fact, you might need more sodium.
Have you ever eaten a hard boiled egg without salt?
Salting you food with, and cooking with a combo that is 50% each of sodium and potassium chlorides would be a simple solution. Potassium cancels out sodium’s effects. Cancels out its nature to contract tissues.
I take sodium ascorbate (form of vitamin C) every day. This type of sodium does not stay in your system. You can use for salting your foods such as scrambled eggs, hamburgers, steak etc.
Most people are wildly deficient in salt.
Use potassium as a salt substitute..
Make your own...
Wood fire ash has potassium...bake some potatoes in the ash ...cut open when done and slather with butter and cream cheese.
That is my general understanding, too, but with so many people having high blood pressure, every option to reduce it needs to be looked into.
My understanding is that sodium levels above 2,700 mg a day, are healthiest, from multiple studies.
ping
I eat tons of salt. My BP is great.
That is how it should be, for everyone, sadly.
I use giant salt shakers - get tired of filling them up
Until my kitchen was finally remodeled (took 1.25 years), I had to rely on eating out or eating takeout foods or frozen foods, all of which are quite high in Na. Once my kitchen was finished and I could cook for myself, my BP went down dramatically.
I stopped eating salt. My blood pressure dropped to zero.
I seem to remember a Star Trek alien that would remove all the salt from a person, which caused the victim’s blood pressure to drop to zero.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.