Are you as healthy and active as you should be? If you’re looking to improve your health, start the diet that your body is crying out for! The diet the Mediterraneans have known for hundreds of years. [Read More]
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About the Book
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Salt or Sodium Intake The Connection Between Sodium and Potassium Blood Pressure The Epic Study
EPIC Study - University of Cambridge EPIC-Norfolk: Key Findings on Hypertension Causes
High blood pressure or hypertension increases risk of stroke and heart attack. High sodium, or salt intake has been associated with increased risk of high blood pressure but it is not clear whether changing salt intake within the usual range that is realistic in the general community is likely to have an influence on blood pressure.
In EPIC-Norfolk, men and women who consumed the least salt, (about 5 grams daily), in every day life had lower average blood pressure and were at half the risk of having hypertension (high blood pressure) compared with those who consumed the most amount of salt, (about 10 grams daily).
Even within the usual range of salt intake in the community, small and easily achievable reductions in salt intake, e.g. by less than a teaspoon daily, (about 5 grams), may halve a person's chances of getting high blood pressure. In contrast, high dietary intake of potassium, found in plant foods such as fruit and vegetables appears to protect against high blood pressure.
Khaw KT et al. Blood pressure and urinary sodium in men and women: the Norfolk Cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC-Norfolk). Am J Clin Nutr 2004;80:1397-403.
Scientific studies have associated the Mediterranean diet with a lower incidence of heart disease and strokes. To learn the ins-and-outs of the Authentic Mediterranean Diet and the Mediterranean Cuisine, check out my book; I wrote it explicitly to help you apply these Mediterranean principles into your life and those of your loved ones.
