A study published online in the New England Journal of Medicine found cutting back on salt as little as half a teaspoon a day could prevent 92,000 deaths and nearly 100,00 heart attacks in the United States every year. As a nation addicted to processed and prepared food, it is not surprising that salt consumption has risen by 50 percent since the 1970s. Coincidentally, the rates of obesity, heart attacks, high blood pressure, strokes, and kidney disease have also risen.
A certain amount of sodium is essential for good health. Sodium helps carry nutrients into the cells, distributes water throughout the body, maintains healthy blood pressure levels, and stimulates the adrenal glands. It also plays a role in nerve communication and muscle contraction, including the heart muscle. Hydrochloric acid, a fluid needed for proper digestion, also depends on the availability of sodium for production.
