Healthy eating tip 10: Watch your salt intake
Sodium is another ingredient that is
frequently added to food to improve taste, even though your body needs less
than one gram of sodium a day (about half a teaspoon of table salt). Eating too
much salt can cause high blood pressure and lead to an increased risk of
stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, memory loss, and erectile dysfunction.
It may also worsen symptoms of bipolar disorder.
- Use herbs and spices such
as garlic, curry powder, cayenne or black pepper to improve the flavor of
meals instead of salt.
- Be careful when eating out. Most restaurant and fast food meals are loaded with
sodium. Some offer lower-sodium choices or you can ask for your meal to be
made without salt.
- Buy unsalted nuts and add a little of your own salt
until your taste buds are accustomed to eating them salt-free.
