Exercise and Healthful Diet More Important than Salt Restriction
from DrMirkin.com
A recent report from the University of London warns that a high-salt diet is associated with increased risk for stroke, heart attacks and premature death (Journal of Human Hypertension, January 2009). The authors feel that taking in too much salt is the major risk factor for high blood pressure, associated with 62 percent of strokes and 49 percent of heart attacks.
They are correct about the association between high salt intake and high blood pressure in some people. However, the association with heart attacks is much stronger between eating meat and processed foods (both high food sources of salt) than it is with added salt.
Other studies show that eating meat increases inflammation that causes heart attacks.
The highest association between high blood pressure and risk for heart attacks is in people who have a systolic [that's the "first" or "upper" number in your reading] blood pressure that does not drop below 120 in the evening. I recommend getting a wrist blood pressure cuff (about $30 in drug stores) and taking your blood pressure in the evening.
If your systolic blood pressure is above 120 before you go to bed, you are at increased risk for premature death and need to check with your doctor, make lifestyle changes and perhaps take medication.
Data associating a high-salt diet with disease is reported only in people who are not heavy exercisers. In 1942, James Gamble of Harvard Medical School showed that salt is the only mineral you lose in significant amounts with exercise.
If you are a regular exerciser and run low on salt, you can become too tired to work out every day and be at increased risk for muscle cramps and injuries.
Eighty percent of people with high blood pressure can be cured with diet alone. See my explanation of the DASH diet at http://www.drmirkin.com/heart/8614.html
Regular exercisers who have bedtime blood pressures below 120 probably do not need to restrict salt. If they suffer muscle cramps, injuries or chronic fatigue, they should get blood sodium (normal is above 135 nmol/L) and chloride (normal is above 98 nmol/L) levels. If either test result is low, they may need to take in more salt.
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