Online CPR Certification Blog

Nowadays, individuals who are health conscious and enlightened know too well that besides heart disease being preventable, it can also be treated effectively except when it has advanced to untreatable stages. It is of paramount importance that one modifies his or her lifestyle accordingly, which should involve eliminating fried and processed foods, reduction of stress, ceasing to smoke and engaging in adequate physical activities. These cases play a crucial rile in promoting heart health and can dramatically lower the risk of one suffering from the disease in future.

Salt is bad for your heart health

Consuming salt excessively especially from those synthetic salt products is a factor that can greatly lead to accelerated cases of early heart diseases. In a recent research, it was reported that millions of people across the globe have been dying as a result of consuming sodium which larges comes from taking processed foods in disproportionate amounts. It is so unfortunate that a vast majority of people eat these foods most of the time without knowing that they are getting themselves into a death throw.

In a report by scientists from Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, it is no longer a secret that consuming salt in large amounts has been responsible for more than 2.3 million deaths resulting from strokes, heart attacks and other cardiovascular complications in 2010 across the globe. This represents about 15% of all the deaths resulting from these causes.

Sodium increases blood pressure which causes stroke and heart attack&lt

In the findings of their research, the researchers found that excess sodium in the diet leads to increased blood pressure, which increases incidences of stroke and heart attack dramatically. These findings were presented by the researchers to American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions. According to Dr. Dariush Mozzaffarian, the lead author of the research, initiating global and national public health measures like programs aimed at reducing sodium intake could go a long way towards saving millions of lives. When conducting the study, scientists analyzed data obtained from 247 surveys of sodium intake among adults which were sorted out based on region, gender and age in 50 countries for a period of more than 20 years.

The researchers found that about one million deaths that occurred during their period of study resulted from excessive consumption of sodium. This represented 40% of the deaths recorded and 40% were in women and 60 percent in men. Nutrition experts advise that people should always obtain their added salt from natural salts that contain numerous minerals, which enhance cellular metabolism. People also need to eliminate their consumption of refined and canned foods as this will help minimize many heart attack related deaths.