If you’ve been feeling more stress lately, it may not be because of your hectic schedule. It could be due to the salty food you’re eating. According to the research, eating a lot of salty food can raise levels of stress hormones in the body. So, if you’re looking for ways to reduce your stress levels, cutting back on processed foods and eating more whole foods is a good start.
Most people in the United States consume too much salt. The recommended salt intake for adults is less than six grams a day, but most people regularly eat nine. This can contribute to higher blood pressure, increasing the risk of stroke, heart attack, and vascular dementia.
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Previous research has shown the effects of salt on the heart and circulatory system. However, little is known about its impact on a person’s behavior. This is what led researchers from the University of Edinburgh to look into more effects of salt intake.
For the study, researchers used mice who ordinarily have a low-salt diet and gave them high-salt food to consume. This was to reflect the typical high-salt diet of humans. Not only did resting stress hormone levels increase, but the mice’s hormone response to environmental stress was also double that of normal mice.
The salt consumed increases the activity of genes that produce the proteins in the brain, which control how the body responds to stress.
“We are what we eat, and understanding how high-salt food changes our mental health is important to improving well-being. We know that eating too much salt damages our heart, blood vessels and kidneys. This study now tells us that high salt in our food also changes the way our brain handles stress,” said Renal Physiology Professor Matthew Bailey.
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Although these findings are just the beginning, further studies are already underway to understand if a high-salt intake could lead to behavioral changes such as anxiety and aggression.
Salt Intake And Brain Function
As this study suggests, salt can affect hormones, leading to stress in our daily lives. This added stress can take a toll on the brain, affecting concentration, memory, and overall cognitive function.
The Smart Pill can help counteract these effects through nine ingredients that help support, nourish, and maximize brain health and cognitive function. These include ginkgo biloba, huperzine A, bacopa extract, rosemary extract, and a B vitamin complex. This unique formula helps boost circulation, fight free radicals, and help to promote clear thinking.
Sarah began her interest in nutritional healing at an early age. After going through health problems and becoming frustrated with the conventional ways doctors wanted to treat her illness (which were not working), she took it upon herself to find alternative treatments. This led her to revolutionize her own diet to help her get healthier and tackle her health problems. She began treating her illness by living a more balanced lifestyle through healthy food choices, exercise and other alternative medicine such as meditation. This total positive lifestyle change led her to earn a diploma in Nutritional Therapy from Health Sciences Academy in London, England. Today, Sarah enjoys helping others by teaching healthy lifestyle changes through her personal consultations and with her regular contributions to the Doctors Health Press. Also, passionate about following her dreams in life, Sarah moved to France and lived in Paris for over 5 years where she earned a certification in beadwork and embroidery from Lesage (an atelier owned by Chanel). She then went on to be a familiar face sitting front row and reporting from Paris Fashion Week. Sarah continues to practice some of the cultural ways of life she learned while in Europe. They enjoy their food, and take the time to relax and enjoy many of life’s little moments. These are life lessons she is glad to have brought back home with her.
