The crowd favourite chisa-nyama (braai) with its non-stop sprinkling of salt including on the already over-spiced sausages may just be your quick way to hypertension, a chronic ailment.
This was said by the Joburg City Council in partnership with the World Health Organisation, against the ‘sprinkle, sprinkle little salt habit’ on global Salt Awareness Week which is commemorated from 4 to 10 March. “The City is encouraging behaviour change on the excessive consumption of salt while the World Health Organisation suggests that the growth of the processed food industry has impacted the amount of salt in diets worldwide and that this plays a role in the spread of hypertension,” a statement on the commemoration read.
In it (statement) also, the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa (HSFSA) said hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. “So as you regularly munch away the snacks which contain large amounts of salt or sprinkling salt over your food without even tasting it, your blood pressure also rises steadily.”
The salt is made up of two minerals – sodium and chloride – and the sodium is the part linked to high blood pressure. “One tablespoon of salt has 2 000mg of sodium. “Think about how much salt you then, use when cooking food daily. This in addition to the shock you will get on the amount of salt you eat through packaged foods which by law, should be labelled to indicate content and amounts of sugar, fats and sodium contained.”
The statement stated that the law promulgated in 2016 by the National Department of Health also applies to basic foods like bread, cereals, soup, instant noodles, savoury snacks, potato crisps, margarine and butter. “The onus is on the consumer to change eating habits and maintain a healthy balanced diet.”
As a countermeasure, the City urged for the consumption of more vegetables and fruit, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, bananas, oranges and grapefruit which contain high levels of potassium, a mineral that reduces the effects of sodium and controls blood pressure.
According to HSFSA, of three South Africans with hypertension, half of them are unaware of it. “Regular checkups at the City’s clinics or a
personal doctor is recommended together with spreading awareness among family members over dinner.”
This will help to control and reduce high blood pressure which can result in coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, peripheral vascular disease, vision loss, chronic kidney disease and dementia.
Salient facts on hypertension:
- Normal blood pressure should be 120 over 80 mm of mercury (mmHg) and hypertension is when the pressure is higher than 130 over 80 mmHg
- Acute causes of high blood pressure include stress, kidney diseases and other underlying conditions
- Lifestyle changes are the best way to address high blood pressure.
Related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/alex-news/119827/full-fat-dairy-products-meat-good/
