Controlling excess swelling?

After we have reconstructive surgery, as part of healing process the body naturally swells, but injesting too much salt makes that swelling uncomfortably worse and most of us here like our salt, myself included. I've made it a point to be very careful, just a few cheats. Anyhow I found this link to an incredible article on the American Dietetic Association: and I thought - WOW, I didn't know salt was that bad. So how do you feel about salt intake? I've very sensitive so I am already following the lowest level in the guidelines. I cross posted this in the Clean Eating, Whole Foods forum www.obesityhelp.com/group/Clean_Eating/ 

BTW this is something that ADA members read and then take a test and get "CPE hours" to keep up their accreditation. here is the original link: http://foodandhealth.com/cpecourses/salt_new.php 

Salt Toxicity: Is It A Major Threat To Public Health?

By James J. Kenney, PhD, RD, LD, FACN.

This course is approved by the American Dietetic Association for 8 CPE hours. Good through December 2013

Read the article (Word DOC)

Please note: It is your responsibility to report your CPE hours to ADA and your state licensing department. Proof of completion will be mailed to you as soon as we grade your test. Please retain it for reporting and your records.

Summary of Research:

• Salt toxicity and subsequent hypertension (HTN) is the #1 destroyer of kidneys
• HTN is a major risk factor for senility, which can take the fun out of ones latter years.
• HTN being the #1 risk factor for stroke, which is the #1 reason people go into a nursing home for the rest of their lives.
• And while heart attacks are down, heart failure is up and the #1 cause of heart failure is salt toxicity and related HTN.
• Heart failure coupled with excess salt intake is the #1 reason Americans get admitted to a hospital.
• Heart failure is also known as congestive heart failure because fluid builds up in the lungs (causing congestions) causing shortness of breath and a slow suffocation. Living with a failing heart usually means relatively low enjoyment of life.
• Hypertension and salt toxicity greatly increase the risk of developing Atrial Fibrillation - the most common heart rythm disorder
• And let's not forget HTN and salt toxicty are major causes of the 1.5 million heart attacks each year.
• Excess salt and meat are the two major causes of kidney stones
• The increased calcium lost in the urine with each salty meals contributes to osteoporotic fractures
• Cancers of the stomach, esophagus, and kidneys are all prmoted by excessive salt intake
• Excess salt intake promotes more headaches and heartburn
• The majority of Americans have HTN by the time they are in their 60s and of those who are lucky enough to escape HTN up to age 65y two-thirds will still develop it before their 75th birthday and 90% by their 85th birthday.
• According to a recent University of Southern California study reducing salt intake by 1200mg/day (or by less than 1/3) would save as many lives over the next 10 years as if all American smokers quit tomorrow for good.
• And research shows that cutting sodium intake even more to about 1200 to 1500mg/day depending on age would virtually eliminate HTN and other lills caused largely by added ("second hand") salt.

HTN is usually reversable without drugs; salt kills far more Americans than tobacco (or anything else); salt is no longer needed to preserve food and the FDA classifies salt as "Generally Recognised as Safe" even though the CDC recently said almost 70% of all Americans, including everyone over 40 years of age, should cut their salt intake by nearly 2/3 to 1500 mg.

Medical treatments like angioplasty do nothing to reduce the risk of dying from CVD but cutting salt and returning BP to normal can cut the risk of CVD by at least 70 to 80% if you have HTN. Clearly HTN and salt toxicity are not something that only a small percentage of Americans need concern themselves with.

Updates:

• includes CDC guideline for 1500 mg for 69% of Americans (this is also proposed in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans)

Take the Test

Thank you for posting this.  I'm a salt addict - carbs too - but I've taken to enjoying them in combination.  Pretzels are a major trigger food for me.  I'm going to print this out and keep it as a reminder!

Laura