Many disputes broke out in Xiao Jiu's background over the issue of eating salt:
@阿欢: My grandmother is 92 years old this year, and she went for a physical examination two days ago, and the results made the doctors envious! She has no other hobbies, she is a Sichuan person, and she loves to eat salt.
@jiang Jiang: It's really not good to eat more salt, my uncle was diagnosed with heart disease in his early 40s this year, and he is making an appointment for surgery in half a year
@精神奥特曼: People live their lives, let's eat freely!
In fact, Xiao Jiu himself is a person with a light diet, and occasionally likes to eat street food with a strong taste, and he is really a little afraid to see that everyone suspects that eating salt will cause a risk of death!
1. Is there a real risk of death if I eat too much salt?
The claim that eating salt increases the risk of death comes from a study by the Harvard School of Public Health. The article says that the saltier the food, the higher the risk of premature death and the shorter the life expectancy. It is understood that the study collected 501379 respondents, all aged 40-69 years old, and the standard of food salt addition rate was used as the main consideration of the questionnaire.
The study showed that at age 50, the study participants had a 1.5 year reduction in life expectancy for men and 2.28 years for women compared to participants who consumed little salt, representing a 28% increased risk of death for participants on a high-salt diet.
What is the root cause of the increase in blood pressure caused by eating salt?
First of all, there are different types of salt, and some salts contain more sodium, and sodium is an essential element for our body, and its role in the human body is irreplaceable. It has the functions of maintaining the volume of extracellular fluid, maintaining the acid-base balance of the human body, and maintaining the stability of blood pressure, which is very important for the life activities of the human body. At the same time, excessive dietary intake of sodium and sodium may lead to sodium and water retention, which can lead to an increase in blood pressure and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
This is because a high-salt diet increases the concentration of sodium ions in the body, and in order to maintain the water balance in the body, the renal tubules reduce the reabsorption of water molecules, resulting in an increase in urine output. Increasing urination frequency and urine volume causes the body to lose more water and electrolytes, especially potassium, which can lead to hypokalemia.
Low potassium levels can affect the heart's conduction system, making the heartbeat irregular, and in severe cases, even causing arrhythmias or sudden death. Therefore, Xiao Jiu recommends that you strictly control your salt intake, limit your daily salt intake to no more than 6 grams, and pay attention to the sodium content information on food labels.
2. Please note that eating salt may bring 5 hidden dangers to the body
High-salt foods play a role in seasoning in life, adding a rich taste to food and are loved by many people. However, what are the serious health problems that can lead to excessive long-term intake of high-salt foods?
1. High blood pressure
Excessive sodium intake increases fluid volume in the body, which increases the workload on the heart and thus increases blood pressure. It is characterized by a persistent increase in blood pressure, which may be accompanied by symptoms such as headache and dizziness, and may feel lightheaded or blurred vision in daily life.
2. Edema
High-salt foods keep the body hydrated, the plasma colloidal osmotic pressure decreases, and the return of interstitial fluid is blocked, resulting in edema. Clinically, eyelid puffiness, lower limb edema and other phenomena can be seen, and there may be obvious puffiness in these areas.
3. Heart failure
Foods high in salt can cause water and sodium retention, which will increase the burden on the heart, and it is easy to induce the occurrence of heart failure in the long term. Patients may present with symptoms such as dyspnea, paroxysmal nocturnal tachypnea, and limited physical activity.
4. Renal impairment
Long-term high-salt diet will increase the metabolic burden on the kidneys, which may lead to glomerulosclerosis, renal tubular damage and other diseases, affecting kidney function. It can be accompanied by uncomfortable symptoms such as urinary frequency, urgency, low back pain, and increased nocturia.
5. Gastric mucosal injury
High-salt foods can stimulate gastric acid secretion, and long-term consumption will damage the gastric mucosa and cause inflammatory reactions. It may cause gastrointestinal discomfort symptoms such as epigastric pain, nausea and vomiting, and loss of appetite.
3. Vegetables, the "savior" of diet for people with heavy tastes
High-salt foods play an indispensable role in life, and there are also a considerable number of people who have strong tastes, and of course, salt intake is inevitable in their bodies. In fact, various seasonings in life also add a rich taste to our diet. However, consuming too much sodium may lead to health problems such as edema and high blood pressure.
At this time, how to balance high-salt food and health has become the focus of many people's attention. Xiao Jiu recommends that when you consume high-salt foods, you can eat fresh vegetables such as spinach and celery in moderation to help the body better metabolize sodium.
Foods high in salt may lead to water retention in the body, causing edema and other related health problems. By increasing the amount of dietary fiber and potassium, it helps to regulate body fluid balance. The reason for considering eating more spinach is that spinach is rich in vitamin C and folic acid, which play an important role in reducing inflammation and can boost the body's immunity. Celery, on the other hand, has a diuretic effect and can assist in the excretion of excess sodium ions to a certain extent.
To ensure a balanced diet, you should avoid excessive consumption of any particular type of food and adjust your total daily caloric intake according to your own situation.
Resources:
[1] "The Saltier You Eat, the Shorter Your Lifespan", Metz Medicine.2022-07-14
[2] "Chinese eat too much salt, it's really dangerous!".Popular Science China.2023-02-07
[3] "Peking University Professor Suggests Promoting "Low Sodium Salt" Nationwide, Life Times.2022-02-08
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