Is Sodium Really the Bad Guy?

I know you are all wondering why everyone keeps telling you that sodium is bad for you. How can something so savory be the root of all evil? And if it is really bad, then why is it found in almost anything you buy from the store? Let me explain :)

Sodium is a mineral and a nutrient that we actually NEED in our bodies. Therefore, it is not correct to say that sodium is bad for you. It actually plays in essential role in preventing your cells from exploding or shriveling up and dying. Now that I've got your attention, the correct way to view sodium is as an electrolyte that helps to keep your body fluids inside your cells, tissues, and blood vessels in balance. It would be really bad if all of the water in your body randomly decided to flow into your blood vessels, because your blood vessels would likely burst and you would die. Now can you see how essential sodium is in our bodies?

With that said, it is important for us to understand that we can get all the sodium we need in a day from only 1/4 teaspoon of salt!!!!!! Most Americans dump at least that much on top of each meal. So, lets look at what happens when we have TOO MUCH sodium in our bodies.

The American Heart Association has stated that one major negative side effect of excess sodium in the diet is an increase in blood pressure, also known as hypertension. Sodium is also connected with cardiovascular (heart) disease in general (http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/35/4/858.full). Wow!!!! So, if I stop pouring salt over everything I eat, I can reduce my risk for heart disease? The answer to that is yes! But is it really that easy????? For most of us, no, its a lot more complicated. 

Now, I know we all love the taste of salt. It's in every processed food that we eat (because it is a natural preservative), seasons all of our home cooking, and is found naturally in many of the fresh foods that we eat. How can we sufficiently cut back on sodium in our diets when it is everywhere??? Here are a few tips:

• Cut out the processed foods in your diet as much as possible. That means anything canned, boxed, or frozen. Okay, not everything, but you get the idea. The less of these you eat, the better. 
• Eat more whole foods. Whole fruit, veggies, grains, rice, etc. are better options. Mix them together and make a delicious meal low in sodium.
• Instead of adding salt to your home cooking for flavor, add herbs and spices. You can get a lot of flavor from other sources without adding salt. 
• Cut down on sauces. I know this one is hard, but have you ever looked at the nutrition label for BBQ sauce? There is a lot of sodium in the condiments Americans love that could easily be eliminated from our diets.

Try out these tips and see if you can feel your heart getting healthier!

-Kamie