Eat Less Salt: A Doctor Explains Why
Jan 18, 2012; 10:25 AM ET
Where would we be without salt?," asked celebrated food writer James Beard. A cardiologist's answer to that is likely to be a wry ,"in a healthier place."
Is salt actually good for you, but just a victim of bad press? Can too much salt give you a heart attack? Is it possible to keep your taste buds happy on a low-salt diet?
I asked esteemed New Delhi-based cardiologist Dr. K.K.Aggarwal to sort out the healthy, the harmful, and the hype. Let me reproduce my interview with him for you:
Is salt bad for my heart?
Short answer: yes.
Why?
Salt increases blood pressure.
How?
Salt contains sodium, which causes the body to retain water. When the level of body fluids goes up, blood pressure increases. Increased blood pressure puts a strain on the heart.
Scary. Anything else?
Plenty. That innocent-looking white powder can cause kidney troubles, too.
What's the connection?
The kidneys maintain normal levels of sodium in your body. If there is too much sodium, the kidneys excrete it. Conversely, when the body needs sodium, the kidneys maintain it, and then pump it back into the blood. But when you eat extra salt, the kidneys fail to excrete enough sodium, which holds water, raising the volume of blood. When a lot of blood passes through the arteries and veins, it exerts pressure on their walls.
Still don't think you can kick the salt habit? Continue to Care2.com for tips.
By: Shubhra Krishan
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