Excess Salt Consumption Implicated in Millions of Heart Disease Deaths Worldwide

New cases of cardiovascular disease continue to mount in the US and worldwide, making this the leading killer of men, women and children in western cultures. Enlightened, health-conscious individuals now understand that heart disease is not only preventable, but also treatable in all but the most advanced stages. Lifestyle modifications including elimination of processed and fried foods, smoking cessation, stress reduction and adequate physical activity are among some of the changes that promote heart health and dramatically lower future disease risk.

Excess Dietary Sodium Increases Blood Pressure, Dramatically Raising Incidence of Heart Attack and Stroke

Excess salt consumption from synthetic salt products is a known risk factor for early heart disease, but researchers now report that sodium, largely coming from the disproportionate amount of processed foods that many people eat, is killing millions around the globe. Scientists from the Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health now report the result of their research that found how eating too much salt contributed to 2.3 million deaths from heart attacks, strokes and other heart-related diseases throughout the world in 2010, representing 15 percent of all deaths due to these causes.

Researchers presented their findings to the American Heart Associations Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions. Lead study author, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian commented “National and global public health measures, such as comprehensive sodium reduction programs, could potentially save millions of lives.” To conduct their study, scientists analyzed data from 247 surveys of adult sodium intake, sorted by age, gender, and region spanning 50 countries over a 20 year period.

Lower Daily Salt Intake to 1,000 mg or Below to Limit Vascular Disease

The team then determined how the amount of sodium people were consuming was affecting their risk for cardiovascular disease in a large cohort of 107 randomized trials that determined the impact of sodium consumption on elevation of blood pressure. They determined that an optimal daily sodium intake of 1,000 mg was optimal. The current target in the US for adults is 2,300 mg per day, and many people who eat regularly at fast food restaurants and prepare meals using processed and ined foods can consume 3,500 to 5,000 mg per day, placing them at considerable risk for chronic vascular disease.

Researchers determined that nearly one million deaths occurring during the study period were due to excessive sodium consumption. This represented forty percent of all deaths recorded, as sixty percent occurred in men and forty percent in women. The US ranked nineteenth out of the thirty largest countries where 429 deaths per million (one in ten) were attributable to excess sodium intake. Nutrition experts explain that added salt should always be from natural salts containing the full-spectrum of minerals that encourage healthy cellular metabolism. Eliminating canned and ined food consumption, and closely monitoring processed salt usage could prevent the early demise of millions worldwide over the next decade.

To Salt or Not to Salt That is the Question

Salt helps maintain the fluid in our blood cells and is used to transmit information in our nerves and muscles. It is also used in the uptake of certain nutrients from our small intestines. The body cannot make salt and so we are reliant on food to ensure that we get the required intake. Every cell in our body needs salt and our body relies on salt to aid in healthy bone density, proper circulation and stabilized blood sugar levels.

The main ingredient of iodized salt is sodium chloride, which is linked with hypertension (high blood pressure) and other medical disorders. Sodium chloride is acutely toxic in large amounts and could cause poisoning. 

Table Salt is a manufactured form of sodium called sodium chloride. While similar to naturally occurring rock, crystal, or sea salt, table salt merely mimics the taste of these elements.  Table salt is created by taking natural salt (or crude oil flake leftovers) and cooking it at 1200° Fahrenheit. Once the unprocessed salt is heated up to this temperature, it starts to lose the majority of the eighty important elements that naturally occur. Other naturally occurring forms of sodium, including sea salts and Himalayan salts, are harvested and dried in the sun. Natural salts are actually alkaline minerals that help keep us hydrated, balance our sodium-potassium ratios, as well as fill the body with powerful electrolytes. They also contain all of the trace elements needed for proper immune, thyroid and adrenal function. Natural salt also boosts the creation of digestive enzymes and juices that allow us to extract and assimilate other vitamins and nutrients from the food we eat. 
 

Harvesting Celtic Sea Salt

What Is In Table Salt?  

Commonly purchased iodized salts have synthetic chemicals added to them. These chemicals include manufactured forms of sodium, iodide, sodium bicarbonate, fluoride, anti-caking agents, toxic amounts of potassium iodide and aluminum derivatives.

The natural forms of important iodine are lost when salt is manufactured. Without this natural iodine, the thyroid is adversely affected, leading to growth and metabolism issues. Because of this, the chemical-based salt industry began to add synthetic forms of iodine to their products.

Other salts add things such as processed white sugar and toxic MSG (mono-sodium-glutamate). And what about the color of table salt? Salt found in the natural world is not usually white. Table salt has been bleached using harmful chemicals. And where does this salt come from? Much of it is the actual flaky residue, a by-product of oil digging. Crude oil extract is used to produce much of table salt commonly consumed.

Table salt causes blood pressure to rise rapidly because the blood is attempting to rapidly move the toxic elements away from the heart. Excessive ingestion of table salt causes unhealthy fluid retention. Many chronic imbalances such as diabetes, gout and obesity can be worsened or even partially caused by excessive intake of common table salt; kidney, thyroid and liver problems, the development of goiters, edema, hypertension, heart disease, strained elimination systems, muscle cramps, gout, stroke, heart failure, PMS, and even major nervous system disorders such as anxiety and depression are affected as well. Table salt is harmful to the circulatory, lymph and nervous systems. Processed salt is also highly addictive.

Hidden Salt

The sodium content listed on food packaging is misleading. The amount of salt in processed foods can be 2.5 times greater than the value quoted. Salt is added to food for many reasons including:

• Seasoning to enhance the taste of food and make bland food such as bread and pasta palatable
• Preservatives Even with the advent of refrigeration salt still plays a part in food hygiene
• Binding agent in processed meats
• Colour controller  makes food more attractive for us by, for example, enhancing the golden crust of a loaf of bread
• Texture aid improves tenderness in meat and gives an even consistency in cheese
• Fermentation control  makes a consistent product and reduces opportunity for harmful bacteria

It is the excessive consumption of processed foods containing high amounts of processed salt and the long term neglect of basic healthy habits that is questionable.