Eating a lot of salt or sodium causes the body to retain water, increasing blood pressure, putting more pressure on the heart and kidneys, causing heart failure.
Nurse Tran Thu Cuc, Department of Cardiovascular Resuscitation, Central Military Hospital 108, said heart failure can be caused by many different causes such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, and myocarditis. Problems such as diabetes and kidney disease can put increased pressure on the heart, causing heart failure.
One of the factors that affect heart failure is the amount of sodium or salt in the diet. This is especially important because sodium can increase symptoms of heart failure. When we eat a lot of salt or sodium, our body retains water, which increases blood pressure, putting more pressure on the heart and kidneys.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting daily sodium intake to between 1,500-2,300 milligrams (mg). Sodium is naturally present in many foods, including seafood, poultry, red meat, dairy products, and plant-based products. The largest source of sodium is salt, which is added to many homemade dishes and most processed foods.
A low-sodium diet is important in the management of heart failure. To do so, you must build a balanced menu, change eating habits and know how to prepare foods to reduce sodium. It takes about 6 to 8 weeks for the body to adapt to a low-salt diet.
Limit your intake of processed and prepackaged foods, seasoned noodles and rice, salad dressings and condiments, cookies and other snacks. When buying processed or prepackaged foods, read nutrition labels and choose low-sodium products.
Limit the amount of salt added to homemade dishes. Replace sodium-rich salty dressings and sauces with sour dressings such as lemon juice, fruit vinegar or coconut milk. Sour sauce softens the spicy taste of food, increasing appetite without using a lot of salt.
Eat a variety of foods, including high-fiber foods like vegetables, beans, whole grains, and fresh fruit. Fiber helps food move along the digestive tract, controls blood sugar and reduces blood cholesterol. The body needs 25-35 g of fiber per day.
Limit drinks containing stimulants because they can affect heart rate and make heart failure worse.