Next time you say, “Pass the salt,” you may want to take a pass on it altogether. About five million Canadians have been diagnosed with hypertension, or high blood pressure, and one of its leading causes is the intake of dietary sodium, better known as salt.

It is estimated that more than 90% of Canadians develop high blood pressure if they live an average life of about 80 years, says Dr. Norm Campbell, a medical doctor and professor at the University of Calgary and member of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta.

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. Two numbers are used to measure it: the first, systolic pressure, refers to the pressure when the heart beats; the second, diastolic, is the pressure measured when the heart is at rest between beats. Hypertension exists when the blood pressure is equal to or greater than 140/90 millimetres of mercury (mmHg).

“High blood pressure is really a silent killer,” Campbell says. “It provides no warning signs and is a leading risk of death.”

But some people who suffer from hypertension would have normal blood pressure if they had a normal amount of sodium in their diets. “Thirty per cent of Canadians have high blood pressure because of excessive sodium intake,” Campbell says. “A lot has to do with the environment in which we live and the lifestyles we choose. Unhealthy eating, accumulation of body weight, lack of physical activity, excessive alcohol consumption and stress are all major factors that lead to hypertension.”

Salt, which is made up of chloride and sodium ions, is necessary for the survival of all living creatures, including humans. Everyone needs sodium for his or her body to function properly. It plays a role in maintaining blood pressure, a proper fluid balance and helping your nervous system work well. But Canadians are consuming far too much sodium, about 3,100 milligrams a day, says Cara Rosenbloom, a registered dietitian with Toronto-based Words to Eat By and a member of Dietitians of Canada.

“The adequate amount to promote good health is 1,500 mg a day, and we should not exceed 2,300 mg a day,” says Rosenbloom. “Although the body needs some sodium to function, too much may lead to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for stroke, heart disease and kidney disease.”

Cutting the average salt intake by half can eliminate hypertension in one million Canadians and save the health-care system $430 million a year. But just throwing out your table salt won’t be enough. Only 6% of your dietary sodium intake comes from the salt shaker, while 77% comes from packaged and fast-food items and restaurant foods.

Because sodium is often used to enhance flavour and as a preservative, it is found in many food products, including canned soups, bouillons, pickles, frozen and ready-to-eat meals, cheeses, condiments, processed meats, crackers, chips and pretzels.

Although it may take some adjusting, you can easily reduce your daily sodium intake by following these steps:

> Eat Fresh Foods. One of the best ways to reduce your sodium intake is by eating fresh fruits, vegetables and meats, and limiting the amount of condiments and sauces.

“Prepare more fresh, unprocessed foods at home so you can control the amount of added salt,” Rosenbloom says. “Although you may use a sprinkle of table salt, it is much less than you’d get from a fast food, restaurant or frozen meal.”

> Read Food Labels. Choose foods with less sodium. Check the mg-per-day sodium dosage on the label, as well as the percentage of daily value.

“You can buy food that has the ‘low sodium’ or ‘reduced in sodium’ label right on the front of the package,” Campbell says.

> Set Up A Meal Plan. The optimal plan is the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet.

This healthy eating plan, which was developed by the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, follows heart-healthy guidelines to limit saturated fats and cholesterol. The diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. It is rich in potassium, magnesium and calcium, as well as protein and fibre.

> Use Alternatives To Salt. Products such as Mrs. Dash are sodium free, says Campbell. Many spices that are free of salt, such as curry or garlic powder, can add flavour, as can lemon or orange rinds.

@page_break@Alternatives do not include sea salt, which contains the same amount of sodium as table salt.

Many salt substitute products contain high levels of potassium. While potassium can be helpful to people with hypertension, it is best to get potassium from foods such as fruits, vegetables and bran. Potassium-based salt substitutes are generally safe to use in moderation but you should speak to your doctor before using them. IE