NATIONAL SPONSORS Sodium December 5, 2012

Overview of sodium  In 2012 the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day (equivalent to about 1 teaspoon)  For people aged 51 or older, and people who have high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or are African American it is recommended they consume 1,500 mg or less of sodium per day  Sodium is high mainly in processed and canned foods  Foods high in sodium are bread, soy sauce, cured meats, chips, salted pretzels, soups, and salad dressings Cooking Matters Presentation 2

Why are sodium recommendations different for some people?  Hypertension ―Disease in which your blood pressure is higher than 120/80 ―High sodium diet is a large contributor to the cause of hypertension ―People with this disease need to take in less sodium than people who do not have the disease  Chronic Kidney Disease ― When your kidneys aren’t working properly your body holds onto more sodium and water ― The extra water and sodium can cause swelling, fluid around the heart and lungs, and can raise blood pressure Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters 3

Sodium and it’s action in the body  The kidney regulates sodium in our bodies  If our kidneys aren’t able to process the sodium and excrete it correctly, we retain the sodium in our bodies  When we retain too much sodium our bodies respond by retaining water to dilute the concentration of sodium  The additional fluid in our bodies travels through our normal sized arteries and capillaries which means that there is higher pressure on the arterial wall because of the high volume  This is how sodium causes high blood pressure (hypertension) Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters 4

How can we avoid hypertension or reduce our blood pressure?  Eat low sodium foods---try to get less than 2,300 mg per day (less if you have hypertension, chronic kidney disease, or diabetes)  Reduce consumption of processed and canned foods  Rinse canned vegetables  If you have high blood pressure your doctor will probably prescribe medication Cooking Matters Presentation 5

How can we avoid hypertension or reduce our blood pressure?  Exercise/lose weight--- blood pressure and weight directly correlate  Drinking alcohol can increase your blood pressure  Recommended that women drink no more than 1 and men drink no more than 2 per day  Be a smart shopper, get most of your groceries from the perimeter of a supermarket Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters 6

Why we need salt

If I eat salt will I get hypertension?  Eating salt doesn’t automatically give you hypertension  Hypertension results from the consumption of too much sodium, that’s why there’s a guideline on how much we should eat everyday  Hypertension can also be genetic in your family Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters 8

We need sodium in our diets to regulate our blood pressure  Too much salt is a bad thing, but in normal amounts salt plays important roles in our bodies Sodium is an electrolyte  Just like potassium, sodium is an electrolyte found in energy drinks like Gatorade because it’s meant to replenish our bodies after we sweat (we excrete sodium in our sweat) Sodium works as an electrical signal  Important in brain function for cell communication  If there is too much or too little sodium can cause cells to malfunction Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters 9

Is there a specific diet someone can go on if they have high blood pressure or if they eat a lot of sodium?  DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension  1,500-2,300 mg sodium per day maximum  Low saturated fat  6-8 servings of grains per day  4-5 servings of vegetables per day  4-5 servings of fruit per day  2-3 servings of dairy per day  Overall a healthy diet for anyone Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters 10

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