Is Sodium Really So Bad For You?

The latest findings say No.  Higher sodium intake is associated with lower blood pressure.  What you you've been told for years may in fact be incorrect.  The American Heart Association has been telling us for years to reduce sodium to prevent heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.  But new findings, from a study that is an offshoot of the famed Framingham Offspring Study, indicate that a higher intake of sodium may actually reduce blood pressure.  The Framingham study has been following participants for 16 years!

High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.  A new study has found that reducing sodium intake doesn't reduce blood pressure.  In fact, those in the study using 4,000 milligrams of salt a day had the lowest blood pressure.  That's almost double the recommended daily amount.  How could all these scientists be so wrong all these years?  I don't get it.  It's hard to know what to believe anymore.

Scientists feel that greater attention needs to be given to the hypothesis that people generally consume that amount of sodium they need.  In other words, they are biologically driven to keep their consumption within a certain range.  This makes perfect sense to me.  I just find it amazing that something we've been taught for years and based our diet on, is actually not true.  What are we going to be told next?  That sugar is good for us?