Long-Term Effect Of Too Much Salt
1. Osteoporosis
Your kidneys need calcium in order to expel excess salt through urine. This calcium is typically sourced from the bones if you don’t consume enough of the mineral in your diet. Over time, bones become brittle and thin, which is a symptom of osteoporosis (4).
2. Kidney Stones
The kidneys are in charge of retaining and getting rid of fluid. High salt intake makes the body conserve water to re-establish its ideal sodium concentration. This means that less urine is produced until the body has received enough water. As mentioned before, calcium is necessary to pass sodium through urine. When not enough urine is produced, this calcium builds up in the kidneys and can cause kidney stones.
3. Stomach Cancer
A study (5) published in the International Journal of Epidemiology found that death from stomach cancer in both men and women was closely linked to salt consumption.
“Salt apparently riles up the poorly understood bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori. The H. pylori bug causes the vast majority of stomach and duodenal ulcers… and greatly increases a person’s risk of gastric cancer and a form of lymphoma called MALT.” via WebMD
The mineral may also have an adverse effect on the mucous lining of the stomach and cause the stomach tissue to become abnormal and unhealthy (6).
4. Cognitive Decline
A Canadian study found that high-sodium diets were linked to increased risk of cognitive decline: “sodium intake alone may affect cognitive function in sedentary older adults above and beyond the effects of overall diet,” the researchers wrote. via TheNeurobiologyofAging
How To Reduce Your Salt Intake
The best way to reduce your intake of sodium is to avoid processed foods and to read labels when you buy groceries. You should also drink plenty of water and commit yourself to daily exercise.
At home, consider switching to pink Himalayan salt. Processed salt is 98 percent sodium chloride. On the other hand, Himalayan salt is only 85 percent sodium chloride and contains 84 trace minerals.
These minerals include :
- iron
- magnesium
- phosphorus
- calcium
- potassium
- chloride
- boron
- fluoride
- iodine
- zinc
- selenium
- copper
Just remember that although it’s important to monitor your salt intake, don’t cut it out completely!
Salt is very important for nerve and muscle health, but must be consumed in moderation.
sources:
[1]https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/PreventionTreatmentofHighBloodPressure/Processed-Foods-Where-is-all-that-salt-coming-from_UCM_426950_Article.jsp#.Vng28_FzLFs
[2]https://www.pnas.org/content/108/30/12509.abstract
[3]https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyEating/About-Sodium-Salt_UCM_463416_Article.jsp#
[4]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16772639
[5]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8671549
[6]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1433867/?page=1