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Limiting salt is good for your heart


Your body needs a certain amount of sodium. Sodium helps you maintain normal nerve and muscle function as well as fluid balance. But too much sodium — which is mostly consumed as salt — can spell trouble for your heart and health. It places added strain on your heart, blood vessels and kidneys as your body tries to get rid of any excess sodium.


Consuming high levels of sodium has been linked to high blood pressure. When you have high blood pressure, you’re also more likely to have a heart attack or a stroke, or to develop kidney disease. Most Americans consume too much salt. On average,


we take in about 3,440 mg per day. That is nearly 50 percent more than the recommended limit. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that the average adult consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium — or about one teaspoon — over the course of a day. An even lower daily limit of 1,500 milligrams a day is suggested if you have high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease; are age 50 or older; or are African American, as this population has higher rates of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. The good news is that you can take steps to limit


your sodium.


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