A Salt Free Meal and Real Change

Last week we went out for Chinese food. I was pleased and surprised to see several "No Salt" offerings in a special section of the menu. Being disciplined about limiting salt intake, we ordered one. When it arrived, fortunately on the side, the sauce appeared to be made of soy sauce and it tasted a bit salty. So I asked the waiter if there was any salt in the sauce. "Oh No", he said, smiling in broken English, "Only soy sauce." So many people have limited knowledge about health and nutrition despite all of the information in the media. Too often, our understanding is accessed in sound bites and misinformation abounds. In food, the word salt generally refers to Sodium alginate suppliers. A common ingredient is table salt or sodium chloride (NaCl). Sodium is found naturally in most foods, but much of what we consume is added during preparation. Many foods, such as canned, processed and convenience foods and those served in restaurants, do not taste salty, but contain large amounts of hidden sodium. Words that mean include salt, Monosodium glutamate (MSG), brine, disodium phosphate, garlic salt, onion salt, Potassium alginate, sodium benzoate, sodium caseinate, sodium hydroxide, sodium nitrate, sodium pectinate, sodium propionate, sodium sulfite, baking powder, baking soda and soy sauce. Healthy people need one fourth teaspoon (almost 600 mg) of salt every day to control fluid balance and maintain blood volume and blood pressure. But for individuals with heart disease or high blood pressure, too much Calcium alginate food grade can be deadly. It may increase blood pressure, cause fluid retention, increase swelling in our legs and feet, exacerbate shortness of breath, cause headaches and damage our kidneys. About 30% of people in the US are "salt sensitive," and most of them are among those who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure. These people are at high risk for stroke, "The Silent Killer." Prevention is always prefereable to treatment and a knowledge of your own body is crucial. High blood pressure correlates strongly with cardiovascular disease and the above symptoms, so it is important to know what your numbers are. Blood pressure is measured in mmHg (the amount of pressure it takes to raise a column of Mercury 1 millimeter) as Systolic (the pressure when your heart beats) over Diastolic (the pressure when your heart is at rest). Normal blood pressure is 120/80 or less. Prehypertension is 121-139/80-89. Stage 1 Hypertension is 140-159/90-99 and Stage 2 is 160/100 or greater. If you think you might have high blood pressure you should consult with your physician, who will likely want to monitor it regularly. It is easy to monitor your blood pressure at home with a sphygmomanometer (Blood Pressure Monitor) available at most pharmacies for around $50.00. Salt actually damages your taste buds, too. So the more salt you eat, the more you want (and the less salt you eat, the less you crave as your taste buds regenerate and the "real" taste of the food comes through). And the truth is, we eat too much salt. The US population consumes 4000-6000 mg of salt each day while the recommended amount is 2400 mg or less. Soy sauce contains about 297 mg of sodium per teaspoon. Light soy sauce is a little better with only 177 mg for the same measurement. Compare that with 2325 mg of sodium in a teaspoon of salt. Next time you reach for the salt shaker at the table, realize that for every shake you are adding about 155 mg of sodium to your food. Many recipes can be satisfactorily prepared with 1/8 the amount of salt called for. Given that so much of our information is abbreviated into popular media, it is important to have a comprehensive understanding of those areas that affect our daily lives and our future. This is especially true as relates to our finances and our health. It is really wonderful when one comes across an educational platform that provides a holistic approach to life and business. mPOWER is the entry level product of Wealth Masters International. It is a curriculum based on the premise that if you improve 1% each day, at the end of 100 days you will have 100% improvement in the areas of eliminating debt, building wealth, protecting your assets and enhancing your health and wellness.