In my many travels to numerous areas of the world, it’s come to my attention that high blood pressure is not just a Western problem; it’s rising in many other parts of the world. Curious as to why it’s happening, I did a little research and came up with some interesting facts.
For one thing, the population of the entire world is getting older and fatter, contributing in part to the increase in blood pressure problems. In some countries in Western Europe, the rate of hypertension is even higher than in the US.
In Germany, for instance, 55% of the adult population has high blood pressures issues. Spain is not much better with 45% of their adults dealing with hypertension. England, Italy, and Sweden follow close behind at 38%.
Experts estimate approximately 1 billion people around the world have high blood pressure. That number is expected to swell by another half billion in the next 15-20 years. One of the best known reasons for high blood pressure is taking in too much salt.
While the obvious solution seems to be putting down the saltshaker, it’s not quite as easy as that. Why? Because of the hidden sodium lurking in so many of the foods we eat. Almost all processed foods have some amount of sodium, and some have astronomically high amounts.
Before I reveal some of the sodium amounts in foods, it’s important to know the normal requirements for sodium. We do need a certain amount every day, generally about 2400 milligrams (mg). Requirements in the UK are even less, about 1600 mg per day.
Sodium performs some important functions in the body, not the least of which is the regulation of blood volume and blood pressure. It also assists in nerve impulse transmission and regulates the acid/base balance (the pH) of the body.
Unfortunately, the average sodium intake here in the US is between 4,000 and 5,000 mg every day. It’s little wonder then, that 1 in 3 American adults has high blood pressure. Even if you watch your salt intake, you still get an enormous amount of sodium in the foods you eat.
I’ve listed below some foods that are frequently eaten by millions of Americans. Take note of their sodium content and it’s easy to see how people are taking in far more than 2400 mg. each and every day.
1. Burger King double cheeseburger – 1170 mg sodium
McDonald’s regular cheeseburger – 830 mg
2. Burger King large fries – 940 mg
McDonald’s large fries – 350 mg
3. Pizza Hut medium pizza, 1slice pepperoni lover’s – 760 mg
Dominos, 14 inch hand tossed pepperoni pizza, 1 slice – 723 mg
4. Doritos, 1 ounce (12 chips) – 220 mg
5. Wheat Thins, 1 ounce (16 crackers) – 260 mg
6. Dunkin Donuts Banana Nut Muffin – 540 mg
7. McDonald’s Fish Filet Sandwich, no tartar sauce – 520 mg
8. Jack in the Box sourdough grilled chicken club – 1,220 mg
9. Church’s Chicken breast, 1 piece – 760 mg
10. Chick-Fil-A chicken and cheese biscuit – 1,430 mg
Can you see how quickly the sodium content adds up? And this doesn’t even touch on the frozen dinners and canned vegetables from the grocery store. And let’s face it…when was the last time you ate only 12 Doritos?
Start paying attention to how much sodium you’re actually taking in. Read labels, and be prepared to be stunned. If you’re not already dealing with high blood pressure, chances are you’re not far from becoming one of the statistics.
If you’re already trying to get spiraling blood pressure under control, you don’t have to resort to blood pressure medication. The program I developed only requires a few simple exercises done each day.
They can be performed in the span of a few minutes and will provide significant results in lowering your blood pressure to normal limits.
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