The Connection Between High Sodium Intake and Stroke Risk

Did you know that a diet high in sodium is one of the top risk factors for chronic diseases like stroke, heart disease, and kidney disease? Too much sodium raises blood pressure. High blood pressure weakens and tightens your blood vessels, thereby putting you at risk of having a stroke. The body needs a small amount of sodium to function well. The sodium in the body is responsible for carrying nerve impulses, contracting and relaxing muscles, and maintaining proper water and mineral balance in the body.

There is a connection between high sodium intake and stroke risk. Sodium intake is mostly through sodium in our diet, in the form of table salt, which can be one of the contributing factors to stroke if taken in excess. However, other processed foods like bread, sandwiches, hotdogs, and snacks may also contain a high sodium level. Stroke results when a part of the brain does not get blood supply; thus, the brain tissues don’t have access to oxygen and nutrients, and the brain cells begin to die; this then results in stroke.

Keep reading to find out more about how high sodium intake is a risk factor for stroke and how it can be prevented.

Causes of Stroke

Many risk factors cause stroke, such as

High blood pressure: when blood pressure reads higher than 120/80mmHg, it is already becoming unhealthy and putting the person at risk.
Smoking: if you are the type that smokes a lot, you increase your chances of having a stroke. For nonsmokers, if you are always around smokers, especially when they are smoking, it is also detrimental to your health and puts you at risk of getting a stroke.
High cholesterol: unhealthy diets and eating food high in cholesterol and fats can result in a stroke.
Diabetes: excess blood sugar can also put you at risk of having a stroke.
Cardiovascular disease: these are diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels. Anyone who has suffered a heart disease has a chance of getting a stroke.
Age: as you become older, there is a tendency to have a stroke if you do not adequately take good care of your health.
Family history: if there is a history of stroke in the family, your chances of getting a stroke are high, so you have to take proper regular care of your health to prevent it.

Sodium intake and stroke

However, our primary focus is on sodium as a risk factor for stroke. How exactly does sodium cause stroke? Some people constantly consume more than twice the recommended amount of sodium, putting them at risk of having high blood pressure, which consequently increases the chances of stroke. High blood pressure is when there is increased tension in the arteries, which transports blood from the heart to the rest of the body. There are symptoms to look out for in high blood pressure, which are:

Shortness of breath
Nausea
Blurred vision
Pulsation in the head or neck
Dizziness
Headache

According to the World Health Organization, the recommended amount of salt to consume per day is 5 grams, about one teaspoon. The more you consume high amounts of salt, the higher the chances of having high blood pressure, and when your blood pressure is far above 120/80 mmHg, which is the standard/normal blood pressure, it may easily get out of control and lead to stroke.

Sodium Intake level and Your Health

The kidney is meant to regulate the balance of sodium and water in the body to keep you healthy. When there is excess sodium in the body, for instance, after taking a high salt diet, the kidneys have to do more work to maintain a balance, consequently leading to reduced kidney function. Therefore the body holds more water to dilute the excess sodium in your body instead of the normal removal of water from the body. As sodium increases, the blood pressure increases, and then blood vessels become tightened and narrow, resulting in high blood pressure and consequently leading to stroke.

Problems caused by stroke

Different complications can occur due to a stroke. These complications can either be temporal or permanent, depending on the part of the brain affected. They include:

Paralysis: individual suffering from stroke becomes paralyzed on one side of the body or sometimes both sides. The person feels numb on that part and will not move that part of the body.
Pain or numbness: anyone suffering from a stroke might feel pain or a tingling sensation on the part of the body that gets paralyzed due to stroke.
Memory loss and difficulty in thinking: people who suffer strokes usually lose their memory. In contrast, others find it difficult to reason, understand things, and make judgments, known as cognitive disorders.
Speech problem and difficulty in swallowing: an individual who suffers from stroke finds it difficult to speak or read or even write. They also find it hard to swallow or chew food.
Other Cognitive disorders

Prevention

By now, you already know that reduced dietary salt intake will reduce the chances of high blood pressure and consequently minimize your chances of having a stroke. You can avoid having a stroke by seeking and following professional medical advice and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet. If you have had a stroke before, these measures might help in preventing a recurrence. Meanwhile, the same preventive measures for heart disease are the ones for stroke. The essential things you can do to reduce stroke risks are:

Monitor your blood pressure: you have to regularly check your blood pressure and try to maintain normal blood pressure in order to reduce your chances of getting a stroke.
Reduce the amount of cholesterol in your diet: instead of consuming food high in fat, you should replace it with a low fat/cholesterol diet.
Quit smoking: you have to stop smoking completely to reduce your risk of getting a stroke.
Minimize your intake of alcohol: high consumption of alcohol puts you at risk of having a stroke.
Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight can heighten your blood pressure and cause a stroke.
Keep your blood sugar level in check: in case of diabetes, you should keep your blood sugar level in the normal and healthy range.
Regularly exercising: regular exercise can improve your health, reduce your weight if you are overweight, and reduce stress. It can also save you from developing a stroke.

Treatment

The treatment for heart disease is the same for stroke. There are medications used to treat stroke. Some of them include:

Anticoagulants: these are drugs that help to reduce blood clotting.
Antiplatelet drugs: these are drugs that prevent the blood platelets from clumping and prevent clot formation.

Summary

You might have had different misconceptions about salt like:

Consume more salt when the weather is hot: this is not true; however, you should drink a lot of water.
Sea salt is natural and can be taken in excess amounts. Note that the fact that sea salt is natural does not make it better than manufactured salt. However, Irrespective of the source of salt, it is the sodium in the salt that is bad for the health when taken in excess.
Salt added when cooking is the only source of salt consumed. This is not totally true even though salt added to the food while cooking can be a primary source for dietary salt; other food sources like snacks and processed foods may also contain high salt(sodium) amounts.
Only older people should be concerned about how much salt they consume: Contrary to this myth, everyone should reduce their salt (sodium) intake, as anyone can suffer high blood pressure or stroke irrespective of age, just that there is a higher tendency in older people.

Foods that contain plenty of salt are salty, but sometimes some other things may be mixed with the food, which will mask the salty taste even though the salt content of the food is high. Therefore, always ensure you check food labels to know the sodium or salt quantity.

Please reduce salt intake in your diet by maintaining a minimal dietary salt intake and a healthy lifestyle. There are ways you can minimize your salt intake. You might find it hard at first if you are a high dietary salt taker, but you will soon get used to taking a minimal amount of dietary salt, which is good for your heart, kidney, and body as a whole. Ways to reduce salt (sodium) consumption are:

Add little or no salt when you are preparing your meals.
Do not have table salt on your dining table. Adding extra salt after a meal has been prepared is not healthy.
Reduce the number of salty snacks or processed foods you consume.
Always check food labels and choose the ones with low sodium levels.

Your health is vital, and you should always monitor and take care of your health properly. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, consume food low in sodium, and avoid making your meals with too much salt. It is important to seek medical help if you notice any early signs of stroke or recurrence. If you notice any stroke-related symptoms, don’t hesitate to book an appointment with us today.