This week’s Wellness Wednesday is about salt and its impact on your long-term health.
Do you know how much salt you consume each day? While some carefully count calories or watch sugar intake, sodium often flies under the radar. Yet this silent ingredient might be a threat to your long-term health.
In the U.S. and on Guam, many people are consuming far too much salt, and it’s not just coming from the salt shaker.
Salty Fact #1: Sodium and salt have no calories
Sodium is not a macronutrient and doesn’t add calories to your meals, which makes it easy to ignore on nutrition labels.
But the sodium in salt has earned its bad reputation for good reason.
Sodium is a key ingredient in table salt that serves as both a flavor enhancer and preservative. You’ll find it liberally used in most canned and frozen foods.
While the salt shaker on your table might seem like the obvious culprit, processed foods and restaurant meals typically contain high amounts of sodium even if they don’t taste salty.
Salty Fact #2: High sodium intake puts you at risk for heart disease
The relationship between sodium and your health is well-documented and concerning. Its biggest impact is on your heart.
When too much sodium circulates in your bloodstream, it draws water into your blood vessels, increasing blood volume. This forces your heart to pump harder and increases pressure on vessel walls.
This is what we know as high blood pressure. This condition damages your cardiovascular system over time, can cause hardening of the blood vessels and thickening of the heart muscle.
This can potentially increase further risk for dementia and kidney disease.
Salty Fact #3: The average American consumes about 3,400 milligrams of sodium daily
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adults should consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium daily, about one teaspoon of salt.
Less salt is good for your health, especially your heart and brain.
There are many practical ways to reduce sodium in your eating pattern, starting with awareness.
Check Nutrition Facts labels when shopping. If a product’s sodium percent daily value is 20% or more per serving, it’s high in sodium.
Research restaurant menus online before dining out to identify lower-sodium options.
Consider tracking your sodium intake for a few days to understand your current consumption.
One excellent approach to reducing sodium is adopting the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, DASH, eating plan, which has proven highly effective for heart health.
Salty Fact #4: The DASH Diet is named the best diet for high blood pressure in 2025
The DASH eating plan offers a structured yet flexible approach to heart-healthy eating.
This plan emphasizes whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts while limiting fats, red meats, and sweets. It’s naturally high in potassium, calcium, magnesium, protein, and fiber. All nutrients that support overall health and specifically heart function.
Multiple studies show that people following DASH can lower their blood pressure within weeks, without changing sodium intake.
When participants also reduced sodium consumption from 3,450 mg to 2,300 mg or less daily, they saw even greater improvements.
Those with high blood pressure who adopted a low-sodium DASH diet experienced the most significant benefits.
What makes DASH particularly appealing is that no foods are completely off-limits. The plan is higher in fruits, vegetables, grains, and low-fat dairy than most typical American diets, but you can start slowly and find foods that appeal to you.
Save on food costs by purchasing fruits and vegetables from local farmers while improving your health.
Your heart health is a lifelong journey, not a temporary fix. By making sustainable changes to reduce sodium intake using approaches like DASH, you’re investing in your long-term wellbeing.
Your future self — and your heart — will thank you!