Meditations on Healthy Living

Deuteronomy 29: 22-23: Then your children and the generations to come and the foreigners that pass by from distant lands shall see the devastation of the land and the diseases the Lord will have sent upon it. They will see that the whole land is alkali and salt, a burned over wasteland, unsown, without crops, without a shred of vegetation---just like Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, destroyed by the Lord in his anger. [Living Bible translation]

“re”-a prefix, occurring originally words from Latin, used with the meaning “again” or “again and again or meaning “back” or “backward” to indicate or backward motion.

BIBLICAL COMMENTS

The book of Deuteronomy derives its name from “deuteros” meaning second and “nomos” meaning law. “Deuteronomy” means “second law,” because the book is Moses’ proclamation of GOD’s divine law to the people a second time. The book repeats the recitation of the civil and moral law. It is also a rededication of the people to GOD through the renewal of the covenant between GOD and the people of Israel. It is the repeating of the law and the people’s vows to GOD.

Moses knew that some things were so important they needed to be repeated again and again. Moses also knew that sometimes it is important to just stop and look back---for re-examination, reaffirmation, for reflection and to ensure the people were still following GOD’s law.

SALT GUIDELINES

The average American consumes about 3,400 mg of sodium of salt per day, which is much too high. The Dietary Guidelines For Americans 2015-2020 recommendations for sodium (in milligrams) intake are age and sex based. Here are the recommended amounts based on age and sex:

 

SEX AGE	Child 1-3	Female 4-8	Male 4-8	Female 9-13	Male 9-13	Female 14-18	Male 14-18	Female 19-30	Male 19-30
UP*	1500	1900	1900	2200	2200	2300	2300	2300	2300

 

*UP - This amount represents the Tolerable “Upper Intake Level” of daily salt recommended.

Female 31-50	Male 31-50	Female 51+	Male 51+
2300	2300	2300	2300

See: https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/appendix-7/#table-a7-1.
In other words, children and young adults younger than 14 should not be consume the same level of salt as adults.

A single teaspoon of salt, which is a combination of sodium and chloride, has 2,325 milligrams of sodium, much more than the daily amount of sodium recommended.

In addition, some people have bodies that are more sensitive to salt intake than others. Because salt can cause your body to attract and retain water, this can cause your blood volume to increase and your heart to work faster. There have been a number of studies showing there is a high salt sensitivity in African Americans and that women tend to be more sensitive to salt than men. According one group of researchers:

The finding of salt sensitivity is so prevalent that it is considered to be a "hallmark" of black hypertension, as salt sensitivity is found in 73% of all African American hypertensive patients.

See, “Salt Sensitivity and Hypertension in African Americans: Implications for Cardiovascular Disease, by Rosalind M. Peters, MSN, RN, John M. Flack, MD, MPH,http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/407741_3.

No matter what the Guidelines recommend, if you have any of a medical condition, you should always follow your physician’s dietary recommendations because your particular circumstances and conditions may require that you restrict your intake of salt even more.

BE A SAVY SHOPPER:

In order to be aware that you are ingesting salt, it is important to recognize the list of ingredients on a package that includes salt or sodium-containing compounds. According to MayoClinic.com if you see a package that mentions any of the following, you are looking at a salt or sodium product:

-Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
-Baking soda
-Baking power
-Disodium phosphate
-Sodium alginate
-Sodium nitrate or nitrite

KNOW YOUR LABELS:

MayoClinic.com also suggests being aware of “sodium-related” terminology: For example here is what the following mean:

Sodium-free or salt-free—means that every serving in this product contains less than 5 mg of sodium;
Very low sodium – means every serving contains 35 mg of sodium or less;
Low sodium – means every serving contains 140 mg of sodium or less;
Reduced or Less Sodium- means every product contains at least 25% less sodium than the regular version (You should check the label to see the actual amount of sodium is in the product per serving.);
Lite or light in sodium – means the sodium content has been reduced by at least 50% from the regular version. (You should check the label to see the actual amount of sodium is in the product per serving.);
Unsalted or no salt added- means no salt is added during the processing of a food that normally contains salt. However some foods with this label may still be high in sodium because some of the ingredients may be high in sodium

MayoClinic warns that some food labels with “reduce sodium” or “light in sodium” may still contain a lot of salt. So, watch out! MayoClinic suggests that we all try to avoid products with more than 200 mg of sodium per serving.

According to mayo.clinic.com, some of the main sources of sodium in a typical American diet include:

1. Processed and prepared foods—The vast majority of sodium comes from this course (e.g., bread, prepared dinners like pasta, meat, egg dishes, pizza, cold cuts, bacon, cheese, soups and fast foods);
2. Natural sources—Some foods naturally contain sodium. These include all vegetables and dairy products such as milk, meat and shellfish. While most natural foods do not contain an abundance of sodium, eating them does add to your overall intake.

See, “Sodium, How to tame your salt habit now,” www.mayoclinic.com.

HOW TO REDUCE SALT INTAKE

Some of the ways Mayo Clinic recommends that Americans reduce their salt intake include:

•  Eating more fresh foods. Most fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium. Buy fresh instead of frozen. Make your own soups from scratch.
• Opt for low-sodium products. If you do buy processed foods, choose those that are labeled “low sodium.”
• Remove salt from recipes whenever possible. Use cookbooks that focus on lowering risks of high blood pressure and heart disease to help guide you in preparing meals.
•  Limit use of sodium-laden condiments. Soy sauce, salad dressings, sauces, dips, ketchup, mustard and relish all contain sodium.
• Use herbs, spices and other flavorings to enhance foods. Use fresh or dried herbs, spices, zest from citrus fruit, and fruit juices to jazz up your meals. And remember sea salt has the same amount of sodium as table salt.
• Use salt substitutes wisely. Some salt substitutes or light salts contain a mixture of table salt and other compounds. To achieve the same familiar salty taste, often people use too much of the substitutes and get too much sodium. Also many salt substitutes contain potassium chloride. Too much potassium can harmful if you have kidney problems, or you are taking medications for congestive heart failure or high blood pressure.

See, www.MayoClinic.com. Again, if you have questions or concerns, consult your personal physician.

SOME THINGS ARE WORTH REPEATING AGAIN

The Dietary Guidelines For Americans recommends that ALL Americans should reduce their use of salt. In other words, we all need to monitor the salt we eat. We all need to use less salt.

Today, re-examine your use of salt. Today, also re-examine your spiritual commitment to GOD.

Pray for greater physical and spiritual health. And, BE BLESSED!