Salt, Part II

I think everyone who knows me knows I like salt on food.
A LOT of salt!
So when KRAFT foods announced yesterday it was cutting their salt induction in food by 10 % over the next two years, I was actually happy. Do't get me wrong: I'm NOT giving up salt. My blood pressure routinely is 90/60 and my ankles never swell.
But it is beleived that Americans as a whole consume too much salt. And overuse of sodium has been linked to diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, kidney disease and as a precursor to heart disease in general.
In a study published by The Standord University Center for Health Policy, it is estimated that reducing salt by 10 % can eliminate approx. 500,000 heart attacts and year in addition to over 500,00 strokes between the ages of 40 and 85.
Imagine the savings, not only in actual lives, but in Health care costs as well.
I'm sure most of us know someone who has hypertension, or diabetes. Their doctors routinely tell them to eliminate table salt to control their diseases. But even people who don't add any extra salt to their food are still in danger of taking in too much sodium.
It's in everything as a preservative, food addtitive, seasoner, and it's even in contact lens solutions.
I've said this before but it bears restating: be a label detective.
Read the labels, table of ingredients, and nutritional facts on all food items you buy that aren't in their natural states. Obviously some foods contain more salt than others just natually. Bacon and pork products come to mind. But all processed foods have salt in them as well, either as a seasoning, preservative, or additive. READ the labels. The US Dietary Guidelines recommend that the general population consumme no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium ( or 1 teaspoon of table salt) Just as an example, Progesso Light and Healthy Soup has 680 mg of sodium, 1/4 of what you need in a day. If you add some salt to it for taste ( and beleive me, needs it!) you're probably already at the max for the day.
Next time you are in the produce aisle of the market, get a gander at the sodium in a package of OScar Meyer bologne, or any deli ham that's processed.
You may switch to peanut butter and jelly for your lunchs from then on!
In all seriousness, watch the salt. You may not have a problem now, but you never know what the future may bring, and YES, I'm listening to my own advice.