April is National Hypertension Month. In recognition of this, we have decided to highlight this week for you, some of the startling facts and figures concerning heart health and hypertension.

Excessive sodium has now been directly linked to hypertension, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Since estimates suggest that Americans consume two or three times the recommended sodium amounts, this creates a very large and real concern over our sodium intake.

Here are some facts about hypertension and high blood pressure:

• More than 50 million Americans have high blood pressure, which equals about one in every four adults, and that number is increasing as we get older.
• Fifty percent of people over 60 develop hypertension.
• Studies show that significantly decreasing your sodium intake can not only lower blood pressure, but can also prevent hypertension.
• If a person develops hypertension, their risk for heart attacks and strokes, kidney and other organ problems also increase greatly.
• Less than 15% of the salt and sodium we consume actually comes from the saltshaker.
• Normally, the more salt you consume, the more you end up craving it.

As of right now, the recommended dosage of sodium per day is about 2,400mg, or about 1 teaspoon of salt. However, the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine is currently recommending lowering that to only 1,500mg of sodium, and even less for older people.

This information and much more can be found in the book: “Pocket Guide to Lower Sodium Foods.” One of our many heart health items in our catalog and at www.ncescatalog.com.  Item #4023