Sodium is an important element that helps regulate fluid levels in the body. And while it is possible to not get enough salt in your diet, the vast majority of Americans actually consume way more than they need. One negative effect of too much salt? High blood pressure. “Substantial studies and evidence have linked sodium intake with hypertension,” says Amin Yehya, MD, advanced heart failure cardiologist at Piedmont Heart Institute and author and editor of the textbook, Heart Failure: What a Non-Heart Failure Specialist Needs to Know. Too much sodium causes the body to hold onto water to balance it out, leading to increased blood volume and pressure on the circulatory system. Here are 23 foods that help lower high blood pressure.
15 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Cut Back on Salt
