Consuming too much salt leads to increase in fluid level in body and raises the blood pressure. High blood pressure predisposes us to heart disease. This additional pressure injures arteries that transport blood and blocks them with fatty deposits.  Too much salt intake doubles the risk of stomach cancer and aggravates symptoms of asthma.

Eating too much salt leads to calcium excretion in the urine which in turns increases the risk of osteoporosis. Women should eat less as it causes water retention in the body a week before menstruation. Body retains water to dilute sodium concentration to a healthier level. As are result, urination is reduced and the body becomes bloated.

Follow Low Salt Guide

• Go through nutritional information on labels carefully and select low-salt options.
• Put less salt while cooking and completely avoid adding extra salt to food later.
• Replace salty snacks like potato wafers with fruits and vegetables.
• Limit usage of salty foods like cheese, ready to eat meals and processed foods.
• Limit intake of cooking sauces and seasonings like soya, chilli, salad dressings and mustard sauce.

Ways To Reverse The Salt Effect

• Keep a gap of 4-6 hours at least between salty meals.
• Drink 4-6 glasses of water (during the gap) or 2 glasses of coconut water or a glass of tomato juice (unsalted). This will help eliminate extra sodium from your body.
• Walk briskly for 30 minutes. This will eliminate sodium through your sweat.
• For your next meal simply eat a salad consisting of diced cucumber, tomatoes, ½ an apple, grated carrots and ½ a pomegranate. Do not add any salt to this salad.
• Try to reduce the use of salt gradually. It takes 2-3 weeks for your taste buds to adjust to eating less salt after which you will learn to enjoy food with less salt.
• Consume potassium-rich fruits and vegetables as they minimize harmful effects of sodium.