The Skinny on the Salt

 Almost 90% of Canadians rate themselves as healthy.  The reality is that 90% have at least one risk factor for heart disease and stroke.  Heart disease is something that affects each and every one of us as we all know a family member, friend, colleague or perhaps it has even been ourselves who have been affected.  High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart disease.  Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing alcohol intake and watching our weight are  diet driven approaches that can help to play a major role in reducing our risk.

Overall, Newfoundland has the highest provincial average of individuals high blood pressure and some of the largest waistlines in the country. We all know that extra calories play a role in the obesity epidemic, but what you may not know is that salt does too. Yes, that's right, extra salt not only increases our blood pressure, but may also affect our weight – making it a double whammy for increasing heart disease risk and giving you another reason to give it the boot.  Excess salt can increase the number of fat cells in our body and make the existing fat cells heavier. It can also prevent our metabolism from burning fat. Salt can also not only make us thirstier, but hungrier too! (Ever wonder why bars and pubs frequently have free nuts)?

There are several things we can do to decrease the amount of salt (or sodium) we eat. Our traditional and favourite foods tend to be very high sources. Think salt beef or pork riblets, salt fish cakes, battered fish and chips, bologna and the list goes on. A good idea is to look to the nutrition facts table when choosing packaged foods. This is an easy way to determine if a food has a little or a lot of sodium (and other nutrients too). Keep in mind the serving size, and refer to the % daily value (5% or less would be a small amount of sodium, and 15% or more would be a lot).  This can be quite practical for simple everyday foods and help offer insight on lower sodium choices. As an example consider the two breakfasts. A bowl of Corn Flakes in the morning, or oatmeal (home prepared, not an individualized package) topped with blueberries. This is a good example of when to check and compare the nutrition facts tables, as the sodium difference might surprise you!  The serving of dry
Corn Flakes has a daily value of about 12% for sodium, whereas the oatmeal and blueberries will have next to none. Ok, so maybe you are thinking 12%  doesn't seem like a lot.  In the run of a day it can be, especially since cereals aren't commonly considered by most to be a sodium containing food.  Fruits and vegetables should be the staple of any meal plan. In their natural state they are low in salt and help to lower blood pressure, so be sure to have them at each meal daily. Refraining from adding salt to food is also a good idea since typically we tend to have more than enough throughout the run of a day. Try seasoning foods with spices that 'bite.' These are usually the most effective at replacing salt and include black pepper, basil, cumin, coriander, curry, dill, onion, garlic and ginger.  If you are considering a salt substitute, check with your physician or pharmacist as certain people with medical conditions shouldn't use them.  There is good news for the salt lovers out there. Our tastebuds tend to turn over every couple weeks. What this means is after a month or so of gradually reducing your salt intake you'll get used to the taste. Trying former foods will taste too salty and you'll be used to (and enjoy) eating lower salt foods.

June is Stroke Month. For more information on heart disease and stroke risk visit our provincial Heart and Stoke Foundation website at www.heartandstroke.nf.ca and take the Heart and Stroke Risk Assessment, for a free personalized risk profile and customized action plan for healthier living.

As seen in The Telegram June 6, 2011