Salt and High Blood Pressure

It's been common knowledge for a long time that salt increases blood pressure. However, there is more to it. Specifically, sodium intake is normally something that indicates a poor diet. This could include a diet full of fast foods, TV dinners, and processed, canned foods.

Of course fresh foods are better for you, but it's not often as simple as that, and many Americans eat a lot of fast food because it's fast, not because it's healthy.

When salt enters your blood, it attracts water from surrounding cells, making the blood thicker. The more salt that's in your blood, the harder your kidney has to work to remove the salt. Eventually, the kidney can't remove all of the salt, and it takes a toll on the heart, which has to pump harder to move heavier, thicker blood through it. That's how it works in what I like to call 'normal people' terms.