Salt is a very important element in our diet and has been in use for many thousands of years as both a preservative and to give added taste to our food. Indeed, in spite of the fact that many people in the West take it for granted, in a significant number of countries it is a major economic commodity and many readers will no doubt remember the important role played by salt in bringing British rule in India to and end in the middle of the last century.

Unfortunately however salt can also be a major contributory factor when it comes to the problem of high blood pressure.

Salt is a compound composed of sodium and chloride and when we are considering high blood pressure it is the quantity of sodium we eat that needs to be watched.

Initially it may seem that controlling your salt intake is merely a question of monitoring the quantity of salt which you put into your food while you are cooking and which you add to your food at the table. But, the true problem rests in the fact that most of the salt in our diet is found in the processed foods which most of us purchase and eat every day.

To ensure that you minimize your risk of high blood pressure you should keep your intake of salt under the government’s recommended daily consumption figure of 2,400 milligrams and here are just a few tips to help you do just that:

� Do not put salt on the|Remove salt from your} table. As long as you are getting a properly balanced diet your food will contain enough salt without any need to add more while eating, so simply remove the salt from your table.

� Learn how to to read food labels. Food labeling laws and most foods now carry nutritional information including the quantity of sodium which the food in question contains. You need to read the label very carefully though as often the sodium figure shown will apply to the whole pack or tin and sometimes it will apply to a single serving.

� Buy sodium free or low sodium products. An increasing range of foods today come in sodium free or low sodium options and, where possible, you should choose these over the regular product.

� Purchase low salt snacks. The majority of us like to snack but try to stick to things such as vegetables and fruit and, if you cannot live without your crisps, purchase varieties which are low in sodium or salt free.}

Read the Ingredients

Unfortunately, given its prevalence, a good amount of the sodium you digest comes from processed foods. A good habit to develop, before buying such food, is to read the ingredients label. Unfortunately, those labels, with their multisyllabic words, seem like they aren’t written in English. You feel as if you need a chemistry degree to understand them. Well, to help, remember that foods that contain ingredients with the word “sodium” in them can be bad news. For example, take disodium phosphate and monosodium glutamate (MSG). The word “sodium” is visible. Miminize your use of such ingredients and foods.

Also, the US FDA , to aid people’s dietary choices, developed sodium guidelines. For example, “low sodium” equates to 140 milligrams or less of sodium per serving. Or, as another example, 5 milligrams or less of sodium per serving is “salt free” food. Google FDA sodium for the entire guide. If necessary, bring it with you to the grocery store to allow for quick and easy interpretation when you shop.

Further, highly processed foods often contain high levels of sodium, making them contributory to a high blood pressure diet. I can only imagine the thoughts going through your head now. You’re busy and have no time to cook. You rely on frozen dinners and canned goods to quickly whip something up for you and your family. Unfortunately, a good amount of these foods are laced with sodium.

The Infamous Salt Shaker – One of the More Prominent High Blood Pressure Causes

Finally, like most people, you probably grab for the salt shaker at the center of your dining room table to add some quick flavor to your sometimes bland food. And, to compound the matter, you may be adding salt to processed food that already contains high levels of sodium. So resist the “salt shaker” temptation. Perhaps you might even empty your salt shaker. Further, use natural herbs to add flavor to your food. Consider onions or thyme, for example. This may be hard to do, but it’s in your body’s best interest.

As you can see, sodium not only presents a high blood pressure health issue, but also is hard to avoid given our busy lives. If you look at your food labels, especially those of processed foods, you’ll start to see sodium everywhere. So remember to avoid ingredients with the word “sodium” in them as sodium can play a huge role in a high blood pressure diet. Also, use the Food and Drug Administration guidelines to monitor your sodium use. And put down that salt shaker!

Take these small, proactive steps and you are on your way to eliminating some high blood pressure causes and earning better health.