From the beginning, you may notice that you feel a bit bloated.
Excess Salt Intake
The average American consumes about 3,400 mg of sodium daily, according to the FDA. This amount far exceeds the levels recommended by major health organizations. However, the optimal amount varies.
Bloating and Water Retention
Bloating can occur after eating a sodium-rich meal or snack, such as a pretzel with a side of sausage at a beer hall. This excess sodium causes your body to retain water. In the short term, it can lead to belly bloating and swelling throughout the body.
High Blood Pressure
If you regularly consume excess salt, it may lead to chronic water retention and increased blood volume, according to Manaker. “When we consume too much salt, our bodies hold onto the excess water to dilute the excess sodium concentration”.
Headaches
In the short term, temporary high blood pressure – even among those without chronic high blood pressure – can trigger headaches, research suggests. But if you consume less sodium, you will notice a reduction in the number of headaches you experience.
Kidney Disease
The kidneys function as the body’s natural filtering system. In addition to other tasks, the kidneys play a vital role in regulating sodium levels in the body by adjusting how much sodium is excreted in urine. “High sodium levels can make this balance more difficult,” according to Manaker. “Over time, this can lead to decreased kidney function and, in severe cases, kidney disease.”
Bone Loss
When you consume calcium in foods and beverages like dairy products, leafy greens, tofu, and certain fish, it is absorbed through the intestines into the bloodstream. The kidneys then filter the blood, either directing this calcium to be stored in bones, transferring it to other tissues, or excreting it from the body through urine.
How to Reduce Salt Intake
The Centers for Disease Control and the American Heart Association are excellent resources filled with guidelines on how to eat less salt. But we cannot leave out Ehsani and Manaker without benefiting from some of their personal strategies. Here are some tips to reduce salt consumption.
Shop for salt. Prioritize fresh, whole foods over processed ones, and be sure to read food labels to check the sodium content, according to Manaker. “No added salt” is the key phrase to look for on canned products, and she says that if monitoring sodium intake is important to you, check the sodium level on the nutrition label before adding the item to your shopping cart.
Choose herbs and spices. Enhance the flavor of your recipes by sprinkling fresh or dried herbs and spices instead of salt, according to Ehsani. “This adds a lot of flavor to your food, plus it provides some antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.”
Just add acidity. Lemon juice and zest, lime, orange, grapefruit, yuzu, and other citrus add so much flavor to foods that you probably won’t even miss the salt, according to Ehsani. Similarly, vinegars, such as balsamic, white wine, red wine, rice, and champagne, are low in calories and sodium and provide a satisfying burst of acidity as well.
Eat at home more often. Dining out and grabbing takeout is delicious, but eating at home gives you full control over the sodium content in your meals, according to Manaker. Even cooking two or three meals at home each week can move the needle.
Take it
Slowly. As with many health transformations, gradual changes are much more sustainable than radical changes. Try to reduce your salt intake gradually, which will allow your body and taste buds to adapt, according to Manaker.
Summary
Regularly consuming excess sodium – typically defined as more than 2300 mg per day – can lead to a range of symptoms. Headaches, bloating, swelling, high blood pressure, kidney disease, and bone loss are among the many potential consequences of consuming more sodium and salt than your body needs.
For personalized guidance on the appropriate amount of sodium for you, as well as ideas on how to adjust your current diet and achieve the perfect sodium balance, you can reach out to a registered dietitian. Here’s how to find the best dietitian for your needs.
Source: https://www.aol.com/happens-body-eat-too-much-160456693.html
Leave a Reply