Salt is one of the most popular spice flavorings. No wonder that almost every dishes menu contains salt in it. The salt itself is a mineral consisting of sodium chloride (40 percent and 60 percent sodium chloride). Salt is important for the body, but that does not mean the salt should be consumed in excess.
Why does the body need salt
Ions, sodium chloride is needed by the body in small amounts, to adjust the water content in it. Sodium is not only needed to help maintain body fluid balance dala, but also to assist in the transmission of nerve impulses to the brain. In addition, sodium, also plays a role in the contraction and relaxation of our muscles. Because sodium can draw fluids such as magnet, excessive salt intake will lead to retention (detention) in the body of excess water.
Dangers of excessive salt
The use of too much salt can increase the amount of sodium in the body and this can give a serious effect on health. Although salt is used to treat problems such as disease or dysautonomia, the autonomic nervous system damage, but if excessive can cause some health problems such as those below:
1. High blood pressure (hypertension)
High salt intake is known to increase blood pressure, which is known to cause several serious diseases just as heart disease, parlysis, and receipt. This fact has been proved by the INTERSALT study involving more than 10,000 people in 52 study centers, although the effect (disease) is different from one person to another.
2. cardiovascular disease
Researchers working in a large study conducted in 2007 found that patients with high-normal blood pressure significantly benefit by reducing their salt intake, and therefore their risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease decreased by 25 percent to 10 to 15 years. Their likelihood of dying from cardiovascular disease was also down by 20 percent.
3. Stroke
Those who consume less salt is less prone to suffering a stroke. In fact, studies say, to reduce one gram of salt intake can reduce their risk of stroke by one-sixth. If reduced to two grams, the risk decreases to one-third, and if the reduced three-gram, the chances of stroke was reduced by half.
4. Left ventricular hypertrophy and swelling hantung
Some people do not have hypertension despite the high amounts of salt mengasup. However, medical records show, these people have left ventricular hypertrophy or enlargement of muscle tissue that makes the walls of the heart's main pumping chamber which can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
5. fluid retention
Determining the amount of sodium in the body fluid levels in your body if you consume too much salt, the kidneys have trouble eliminating excess salt and your body will retain fluid, which sometimes causes swelling around the heart. Doctors recommend reducing salt intake as a treatment for swelling.
6. Digestive system:
High salt intake can affect the digestive system in three ways:
• ulcers (sores) of the stomach and duodenum: According to the American Society for Microbiology Conference, salt interacts with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) and cause ulcers (sores) in the stomach and duodenum. Therefore, restricting salt intake is a good thing to prevent the formation of ulcers caused by consuming too much salt.
• Cancer: Cancer of the stomach and gastric cancer associated with high sodium in the body. Evidence for this is found in Japan, where salt consumption is relatively high among the people.
• Reduced Pepsin: Pepsin is a digestive enzyme, and excess salt intake lowers the amount of pepsin in the body. This can affect the digestive system, increasing the level of acidity and cause diarrhea. For example, when you add salt to the curd, this causes the fermentation to form acids in the stomach, and ultimately can affect digestion.
7. Hair Problems
Eating too much salt can cause problems such as hair graying and loss.
8. Increased secretion of bile
When we eat foods that contain high salt, to increase bile secretion, which can increase the density of the blood thus lowering vitality. It can also cause a dry mouth and bleeding. Doctors advised to reduce salt intake to those who have problems with the skin.
9. Osteoporosis
Excess salt prevents the absorption of calcium in the body, so that DAPT leads to osteoporosis. In a study done on postmenopausal women found that women consuming high amounts of salt more to lose more bone mineral than those who do not - consume too much salt.
10. Death
Consumption salt with a high dose in a short time can be fatal. If a person consumes one gram of salt per kilogram of body weight, this can cause the person to lose his life.
Salt intake needs someone different. Recommended for mengasup as much as 1,500 mg of sodium to 2,300 mg per day, depending on the age or health conditions that are owned (such as diabetes, high blood pressure or chronic kidney disease).
World Health Organization (WHO) recommends sodium intake per person is as much as a teaspoon, or about 2.323 mg of sodium or 5 grams of salt each day.
