Salt is essential to our health, because it is necessary in the performance of normal bodily functions. It is responsible for balancing the quantity of fluid in the body, maintenance of normal muscle contractions and also the salt is necessary to perform neural functions. But, it is very important to know what is the allowable amount of salt that is recommended, because the consumption of excessive amounts of salt can be extremely harmful to your health.
On average the body needs 0.5 grams of salt a day and you do not need to import more than 2.3 grams per day if you are healthy. However, if you suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease, the maximum daily dose of the imported quantity of salt in the body should not exceed more than 1.5 grams.
Here are some signs that will tell whether entering too much salt in your body.
One of the most common warning signs is excessive thirst. If at night or in the morning, you wake up thirsty, it could mean that the previous day you consumed too much salt. Keep in mind if this feeling becomes a daily habit, then you will need to significantly change your diet before this excessive use of salt will start to adversely affect your health.
Excessive salt intake can lead to a feeling of bloating. Sodium is a natural mineral which retains water, and as a result feeling of bloating might appear. If you often have this feeling, then it is a sure sign that you consume too much salt.
One of the main (and most dangerous) alerts that you have excess salt in the body is high blood pressure. It may cause, among other health problems, the risk of heart disease and stroke. When the kidneys cannot get rid of excess salt, then it goes into the bloodstream. The blood volume increases, due to the capacity of sodium retains water. Larger amounts of salt, not only increase blood pressure, also forcing the heart to work even harder to pump blood through the blood vessels, thereby putting pressure on the arteries and other organs.
Another harmful effect of consuming too much salt is a risk of developing osteoporosis. Weak bones are a consequence of reduced bone density, they become weak and brittle. Excess salt also hinder your body’s ability to absorb calcium, which is essential for building and maintaining bone health. To avoid this, you need to enter less salt in the body, because that way you can avoid weakening of bones and reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis.
To avoid excessive intake of salt in the body, avoid eating fast food and other processed products that contain high levels of salt. Also, drink plenty of water daily to be able to cast out the excess salt from the body.
