Humans have five different types of taste receptors which allow us to taste flavors. Sodium is a mineral that can be found in many different types of food and is also what gives food a salty taste. According to the American Heart Association, people should generally consume about 1,500 mg of sodium every day. At our senior living community, our team of chefs comes together to create meals that are low in sodium and healthy for residents. Read on to find out more about why seniors should stick to a low sodium diet.
Lowers Blood Pressure and Reduces Risk of Heart Attack for Senior Living
Generally, certain types of food have lots of sodium. This includes fast food, snack foods, frozen meals, packaged or convenience food, and more. The downside about these kinds of food is that they can increase blood pressure and also the risk of suffering a heart attack. When you choose to stick to a low sodium diet, the total amount of fluid in your blood decreases, and this in turn lowers your blood pressure. With lower blood pressure, the potential damage and pressure to the heart are relieved, which leads to a lower risk of a heart attack.
Lowers LDL Cholesterol for Senior Living
LDL cholesterol is the bad cholesterol in the bloodstream of a person. One of the contributing factors to metabolic syndrome is high blood pressure. Eating foods that are low in sodium can help to reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in the bloodstream.
Protects Your Vision for Senior Living
A low sodium diet can also help to protect your eyes. When people have high blood pressure in the eye vessels, it can result in torn or broken blood vessels. Ultimately, this can even lead to vision loss.
Lowers Risk of Heart Failure, Stroke and Kidney Damage for Senior Living
if your arteries are congested due to a poor diet, it means that the heart will need to pump harder to move the blood along the blood vessels. When the heart is overworked, it can result in heart failure. Furthermore, a high sodium diet can lead to narrow and weakened blood vessels in the kidney, and this can lead to kidney failure. The risk of stroke also increases with a high sodium diet as there is a decreased blood flow to the brain.
Lowers Risk of Dementia and Improves Memory for Senior Living
The health of the brain determines a lot of things, including the ability to build memories and think. When high blood pressure affects the blood flow to the brain, your ability to think and remember can be hindered as well. A low sodium diet can help lower the risk of dementia in the long run due to slowed blood flow to the brain.
If you are thinking of moving to a senior living community, look no further than TerraBella Salisbury. Our team does our best to take care of every aspect of living here, including providing delicious and nutritious meals that are low in sodium for residents to enjoy. Feel free to contact us to find out more about our senior living community today!
