You have probably heard that salt can exacerbate health issues and that it’s a good idea to limit the amount of salt and sodium that you take in on a daily basis in order to help improve your health. While there is truth to this, it doesn’t look at the big picture.
Realistically speaking though, current research indicates that most people don’t ingest a large amount of salt on a daily basis. The dietary recommendation is between 3,500 and 4,500 mg per day. The average person is on the low side of this range, with about 3,700 mg ingested per day. This recommended range is new, but it takes things like cancer prevention, disease, and death from all causes into account. The previous recommended range was much lower, coming in at 1,500 to 2,300 mg. However, this lower range applies more to those that already suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension).
These different ranges may be confusing, but it’s important to remember that different people have different needs. Working with a doctor that knows your background will help you to figure out what the right way to approach this is.
Salt is necessary for our diets, and everyone needs a certain amount in order to maintain good levels of health. And while it’s true that reduction in salt can help to lower blood pressure for those that suffer from hypertension, if salt levels become too low in other populations, things like cholesterol and blood sugar levels can be negatively impacted.
In summary, although salt reduction can be helpful for some people, it has the potential to be harmful to others.
Really, this is something that you should discuss with your doctor before you ever make any changes to your diet. Excessive salt levels can be harmful for some, but not for everyone. It’s good to approach dietary concerns with a medical professional guiding you, and even then it should be done on a case by case basis. Different people have different health needs. Just like every other aspect of health, there’s no one clear strategy that is going to help every person.
This is why we believe in in-home care. When someone is able to get the one on one help that in-home care provides, individual needs and goals can be more accurately pursued. In-home care gives a senior citizen all of the benefits of senior care, but because it is offered in the home, it also gives them all of the benefits of living at home. Again, this won’t be the perfect solution for everyone, but it will be ideal for a lot of people.
If you’re thinking about care for an older loved one, I encourage you to give us a call. One of our professional caregivers can help you get started by answering your questions. We offer free consultations designed to act as an introduction to the world of senior care. Wherever you are in your search, one of our caregivers will be happy to get you pointed in the right direction.
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