od pressure, for example, can be lowered significantly in some people bysimply limiting the intake of sodium. Common table salt, or sodium, causesthe blood to retain fluids. This swells the volume of blood that must bepumped throughout the body and, accordingly, adds to the workload of theheart. Salt also seems to encourage the smooth muscles in the smallestarteries to constrict, which increases the resistance to flow. Unfortunately, salt is a staple of the modern diet, and an ingredient in mostprocessed foods. That means that most of us probably consume way toomuch. What's more, when sugar is added to salt, as it very often is, the threatis compounded. Researchers have found that symptoms of high bloodpressure are significantly worsened in test animals fed a diet that is high inboth salt and sugar. They concluded that the synergistic effect of thiscommon dietary duo is disquieting at the very least. So, limit your sodium intake as much as possible. Avoid salty snacks andmake a deliberate change from seemingly convenient, prepackaged and fastfoods to their more natural counterparts. When you come to the frozen andcanned food sections in your local grocery store, put on mental blinders andquicken your pace. Then head straight for the fresh produce . . . and lingerthere. Avoid fats as much as possible, especially those that are highly saturated, likecoconut oil. Better choices are avocado, almond, canola and peanut oils. Thebest choice is high-grade olive oil. Also, cut down on your intake of meatsand other substances that contain animal fats, while you concentrate onincluding more fish, whole grains and beans in your diet.Whole milk, because it contains animal fat, is a potentially heavycontributor of dietary cholesterol. Consider substituting Natures Sunshine delicious-tasting, dairy-free,cholesterol-free and lactose-free . It is also naturally low in calories andsodium. It's white like milk and is made from tofu, which means it's easie...
