Many people love to add a pinch extra salt to the dish. Extra salt in the diet can be unhealthy for the body. Salt is a mineral which is important for the proper functioning of the body but too much of salt can be dangerous.
Excessive salt consumption can lead to heart diseases as it affects blood pressure. So, how to know that you are consuming excessive salt in your diet? Here are 4 signs to know if your salt intake is more than required.
4 signs to know if your salt intake is high:
Increased blood pressure: Excess salt intake increases the amount of sodium in the blood. This imbalance makes it difficult for the kidneys to remove excess water from the body. The strain on blood vessels and excess water in the body increases blood pressure. Blood pressure can lead to heart diseases and brain or kidney failure if not controlled.
Thirst: When there is too much salt in the body, the body needs water to dilute the salt content in the blood. Generally body cells release stored water to dilute salt from the blood. These cells need water to function and this is why you feel more thirsty after eating salt.
Bloating: Lack of water in the body due to excessive salt leads to bloating. If you face problem in passing out, drink lots of water.
Burning urination: The kidneys help dilute the salt by slowing down urine production and conserving water. You might feel a burning sensation after urinating. This is mainly due to water scarcity which leads to burning urination.
If you face these signs, reduce the intake of salt and go for a blood test for confirmation. Drink lots of water everyday and exclude processed food which are salty. Have fresh vegetables and fruits.