Salt Archives - MyMedicPlus

From stress to insomnia: 6 Amazing health benefits of Epsom salt you should know

mymedicplus — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 05:02:49 +0000

Source – https://www.thehealthsite.com/

Epsom salt is an effective home remedy for many ailments, and it is good for the skin as well. Read on the benefits of Epsom salt.

Epsom salt or magnesium sulfate is made up of magnesium, oxygen and sulfur. It may look like regular salt, but it is more like a bath salt. It is a chemical structure which is often dissolved in the bath. Epsom salts have numerous benefits and are known to be a remedy for an array of problems. It contains several minerals and is very good for your health.

Combats Stress

Stress is one of the most prominent problems in the world right now. Keeping up with the daily hustle and bustle of life can increase your cortisol levels and lead to stress. Lack of magnesium can harm your ability to cope with stress. It is believed that taking Epsom salt bath could help to reduce stress and promote relaxation.

Induces Sleep

Inadequate stress levels can also disturb your sleeping patterns. Epsom salt baths help fight these issues by allowing your body to absorb enough magnesium through the skin. The relaxing effect of an Epsom salt bath might improve sleep quality. It may even help with problems such as insomnia.

Provides Muscle Relief

People who do not have enough magnesium in the body may also experience pain, muscle cramps and inflammation. Epsom salt bath may help someone with muscle pain. You might want to soak your feet in warm water mixed with Epsom salt if you experience leg pain.

Soothes The Skin

Do you have rough, dry skin? If yes, this remedy may help. It acts as an exfoliant which helps soften the skin and feet. All you have to do is rub a handful of Epsom salt into your skin and massage. However, it is better to consult a dermatologist to check for allergies before you include it in your skincare routine.

Treats Constipation

Epsom salt acts like a laxative that improves bowel movements and provides relief from constipation. The salt clears the body of the toxins and water out of your system. You should consult a professional doctor first for the amount you should consume to get relief from constipation.

Better Hair

Do you have frizzy and damaged hair? Epsom salt may help strengthen your hair and cleanse the scalp. You can mix it with your hair conditioner and apply it directly in your hair. Leave it for a few minutes and rinse. Don’t forget to do a patch test before you do it.

Side Effects

There are no side effects of taking Epsom salt bath. However, it can cause rashes or lead to other skin problems for people with sensitive skin. Avoid consuming it without the advice of a doctor. In case you experience any of the following symptoms after consuming it, seek medical help.

Dizziness
Stomachache
Blurry vision
Irregular heartbeat
Sore muscles
Lethargy
Breathing difficulties
Diarrhoea
Changes in bladder habits

Takeaway

Epsom salt can help soothe muscle pain, help with constipation and provide you with many other health benefits. However, there is limited evidence of the benefits of magnesium sulfate. So, make sure to avoid it in case you experience any unwanted symptoms.

The post From stress to insomnia: 6 Amazing health benefits of Epsom salt you should know appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Cutting salt likely to prevent future heart disease, even if you’re not at risk now

mymedicplus — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 06:29:26 +0000

Source: edition.cnn.com

What’s the leading cause of heart disease? High blood pressure, which is often triggered by high sodium (salt) intake in the food we eat. Hypertension is also the leading cause of stroke, heart failure and kidney disease.

Yet even if we never salted another dish again in our lives, we would likely still be eating too much sodium every day. That’s because it’s added to manufactured foods for flavor, texture and color as well as a preservative.

A new meta-analysis of 133 clinically randomized trials on lowering salt intake, published Monday in the British journal BMJ, found strong evidence about what would happen if the salt in the foods we eat was cut back. Not only did cutting dietary sodium reduce blood pressure in those with existing hypertension, it also reduced blood pressure in people who were not yet at risk.

The greater the reduction in salt intake, the greater the fall in blood pressure, the research found.

That’s huge in the world of prevention, said cardiologist Dr. Icilma Fergus from New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital, who was not involved in the research.

“The importance of this study is that it shows that the reduction in sodium results in blood pressure reduction widely across multiple populations, not just in populations who were initially deemed as salt sensitive, such as African Americans,” Fergus said.

That’s especially significant considering the revised guidelines from the American Heart Association, Fergus said. Hypertension used to be diagnosed when the top number (systolic) was 140 and the bottom number (diastolic) was 90. Now you’re considered hypertensive if your blood pressure is 130/80.

“At 130/90 you already begin to see changes in the vasculature (blood vessels) of the kidneys and some hardening of the arteries,” Fergus said. “So having blood pressure in the lower range is beneficial.”

An even bigger benefit for at-risk populations

In addition to the finding that reducing salt in food brings down blood pressure across populations, the research discovered an even larger fall in blood pressure for those highest at risk, such as the elderly, those with existing high blood pressure and African Americans.

In the United Kingdom, blacks are three to four times more likely to have high blood pressure and twice as likely to die from stroke, according to World Action on Salt, a UK advocacy group concerned with salt’s effects on health. The American Heart Association says that in the US, more than 40% of African American men and women have high blood pressure.

African Americans are also more likely to develop hypertension early in life, where prevention can make an impact.

The new meta-analysis was done by international researchers from the Queen Mary University of London, the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, and Action on Salt.

The same researchers recently published a review in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) that looked at 200 published studies about the impact of salt on the microbes in our gut, our immune system and small blood vessel damage that could lead to kidney problems and dementia.

“The totality of evidence in the JACC review and this latest BMJ research shows that reducing our salt intake will be immensely beneficial,” said lead author Feng He, a researcher at Queen Mary University of London.

“Salt reduction efforts should be reinforced in the UK and worldwide to save millions of people suffering and dying unnecessarily from strokes and heart disease each year.”

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Salt-sensitive hypertension: 5 ways to control high blood pressure

mymedicplus — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 09:34:53 +0000

Source: timesnownews.com

New Delhi: Heart diseases are one of the leading causes of death, all around the world. One heart condition is linked with almost all fatal heart diseases and disorders like attacks, stroke, failure, etc, and that is high blood pressure. High BP or hypertension can be caused due to a variety of reasons, some of which include a diet high in salt, high-cholesterol diet, and unhealthy lifestyle.
Salt-sensitive hypertension is linked with a diet high in salt. According to a new report, immune cells in the kidneys shoot out free radicals, when one suffers from salt-sensitive hypertension. This can lead to an increase in blood pressure and may also damage the kidneys.

These reactive chemicals, also called reactive oxygen species or ROS are a byproduct of our body’s use of oxygen that our immune system uses to eliminate or kill harmful foreign bodies. At high levels, they can lead to various diseases from hypertension to cancer.

More physical activity and exercise

Studies have shown that exercise and more physical activity is healthy for the heart. When you exercise, your heart rate goes up temporarily. When this happens regularly, your heart becomes stronger and is able to pump blood with less effort. This can help in keeping your blood pressure under control.

Work towards losing weight

Obesity or BMI in an unhealthy range can increase the risk of various diseases, including heart conditions like high blood pressure. Try to lose weight, and fall in a healthy BMI range for your age and height. This will not only help you bring your blood pressure down but will also reduce the risk of other diseases like type 2 diabetes and kidney diseases. A healthy diet and more physical activity are key to losing weight – and both of those can also help to make your heart healthier.

Reduced intake of refined carbs, added sugar

Consuming foods which do not contain refined carbs and added sugar can help to make your heart healthier. According to research, the risk of high blood pressure reduced significantly by a low-carb diet, as compared to a low-fat diet. A low-carb diet can also help you lose weight by the process of ketosis, and also because the consumption of protein and fibre will help to keep you fuller for longer.

Reduce sodium intake, increase consumption of potassium

For salt-sensitive hypertension, it is extremely important that you reduce your intake of sodium. The consumption of the DASH diet can help in reducing your intake of salt, and therefore, intake of sodium.

Increasing the consumption of potassium can help reduce the effects of salt in your body, especially when you are salt-sensitive. However, excess consumption of potassium can be harmful to people with kidney problems.

A healthier lifestyle

Making healthy lifestyle choices like increasing mindfulness by meditation, reducing stress, quitting smoking, and eating a healthy diet in general, which avoids the intake of processed foods can help to keep your body healthy overall, and keep your blood pressure under control.

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Salt and stress tied to risk of hypertension

mymedicplus — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 06:12:51 +0000

Source: forbesindia.com

Stress is a normal psychological and physical response to the day-to-day demands of life. Human body reacts to stress by releasing hormones that increase the blood pressure by increasing your heartbeat and narrowing down your blood vessels, make the brain more alert, cause rapid breathing and tightening of the muscles. Acute stress, the short-term stress goes away quickly, and helps you manage a dangerous or exciting situation. However, chronic stress lasts for a longer period of time, may be weeks or months and makes the body stay alert, even in the absence of an acute cause. Over time, it builds up and exerts an adverse impact on health, and leads to problems associated with blood pressure, heart, immunity, mental health, etc.

Reacting to stress in unhealthy ways such as smoking, overeating or eating unhealthy food, drinking too much of alcohol, and social isolation can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure. Though long-term high blood pressure is associated with heart, blood vessels and kidney problems, frequent temporary spikes in blood pressure can harm your health in a similar way as long-term hypertension. It has been established that relieving stress can lower your blood pressure. In today’s fast-paced world it is important to master stress management as it can be a life-saver. It would help to develop healthy behavior changes that would positively impact your blood pressure and overall health.

Indians have been estimated to consume almost double the recommended intake of salt as evident from a study conducted by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI). The estimated average salt consumption among Indians is approximately 11 grams per day which is almost double the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended upper intake limit of 5 grams per day. This predisposes Indians to a high risk of developing various cardiovascular disorders including hypertension or high blood pressure. Different kinds of chutneys, pickles, papads and snacks are innate to different states of India.

However, the high amount of salt used for preparation and seasoning of these food items is a matter of concern. Though low sodium salts such as rock salt, pink salt and black salt were native to India, and make a healthy option however, the gradual shift from these native forms to the modern refined table salt has added an unhealthy factor to the diet. The refined table salt is stripped of all the minerals is thus under-nutritious with the only benefit of Iodine that is added during its processing. Owing to its high sodium content, the table salt on intake expands the extracellular fluid volume and increases cardiac output. A high sodium intake also stresses the kidney by excreting more water and less toxic waste.

Substantial clinical evidence demonstrates positive effect of salt intake on the blood pressure. Opting for low salt and low sodium food options, limiting intake of canned and processed foods can help in significantly lowering down the sodium intake. Considering the health benefits to delay or prevent the incidence of hypertension in normotensive people, as well as positive impact on blood pressure lowering in hypertensive people, the efforts to restrict the salt intake is worthwhile and we should strive to achieve it.

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