Does Salt Cause High Blood Pressure?

According to the CDC, one in three Americans has high blood pressure. And, though we’ve pushed the “watch your salt intake” message to death (yes, even I recommend this for the masses, with a caveat or two though) it’s time to take a closer look at what really causes high blood pressure and also take the anti-salt mantra with well, a grain of salt.

First, let’s take a look at what causes high blood pressure. Blood pressure is a measure of the force of blood pushing against artery walls. And systolic (the higher number) is the pressure when your heart beats and pumps out blood to the body while diastolic is the pressure in your arteries at rest. Over time high blood pressure damages artery walls leaving behind areas that plaque can stick to very well. Plus, high blood pressure makes your heart work harder.

Those at greater risk for high blood pressure are:
- men over 45 and women over 55 (your artery walls are not as elastic when you age )
- family history
- lifestyle habits including:
- inactivity
- being overweight or obese
- smoking
- drinking too much alcohol
- excessive sodium consumption
- too little dietary potassium

And 90% of the people I’ve seen with high blood pressure are overweight and inactive. Amazingly enough when they drop some lbs and start exercising, their blood pressure often normalizes.

Now back to salt. While I think people should be mindful of their sodium intake, I think they need to spend more time focused on losing weight, getting active and quitting smoking. Secondly, people’s response to sodium varies tremendously. And lastly, it isn’t a good idea to cut out all salt from your diet because we need the iodine in iodized salt for proper thyroid functioning and according to some of the foremost nutrition scientist in the world, the recommendation to consume less than 2,760 mg sodium per day (CDC recommends 1,500 mg) is wrought with many assumptions including: "1) that the basic biology of the organism should be ignored; 2) that intakes below this threshold are not potentially harmful; 3) that the food industry can produce foods of such reduced sodium content and its attendant changes in texture, taste, and stability that people will change their eating habits; and 4) that people will desire to make these changes rather than see them as unwarranted constraints on a fundamental element of human behavior, ie, choosing the foods they eat."

For the most accurate blood pressure reading, follow these guidelines from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

Sure, you can cut the sodium down from 4,000 mg a day but, don't go too low.....

Why You Should Take Nutrition Information with a Grain of Salt

Today starring me in the face, I remembered why I often tell people to listen to the message but then take decide if it applies to you. If you don’t know, ask your dietitian or physician. But, always keep in mind that there isn’t a one-size-fits all approach to nutrition. What you hear in the media may have nothing to do with you. An above average BMI may mean little to nothing as long as you are otherwise healthy and active. And just because your co-worker thinks she needs to lose 5 lbs, that doesn’t mean you should jump on that bandwagon.

So my personal wake up call of the day was about sodium. I agree with CDC’s take that many people consume too much sodium and hypertension (high blood pressure) is prevalent. I discuss this message in the media, advocate that most sedentary people watch their sodium intake yet carefully monitor how much sodium my athletes get to ensure they don’t cramp or worse yet, end up with dangerously low blood sodium. However, somewhere in this mix of people to look after and messages to convey, I forgot the very thing that has helped me for years - regularly salting my food. You see, I’m on the opposite end of the spectrum compared to the majority of Americans. My blood pressure is very low. Normally my body warns me, I get dizzy or end up with postural hypotension (get dizzy and my vision blurry when standing up too quickly). But today an ordinary blood pressure cuff and a nurse with a puzzled look on her face made me realize I had slacked on the advice a doctor gave me years ago: “salt your food!” This just goes to show you how subconsciously, messages seep in and we think “yes, I need to take vitamin C daily” or “everyone else is taking fish oil, I’ll take some and see what it does.” And, that my friends, is like playing a game of Nutrition Scrabble. Taking a ton of advice, mixing it up and seeing if you can spell out a health prescription.

As your own health advocate, read, ask and listen but consider what is good for your own body, not your neighbors, the general public or your coworker’s body. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition or health. And sometimes, you have to ignore what the people around you say and do what’s best for you. And, be diligent about it…..even if it goes against popular opinion.

And, here I go, back to the odd looks people give me and comments like “that stuff’s gonna kill ya, you should know better” when they see a dietitian salting her food.