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May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month, so it’s a fine time to discuss a factor that you can control when it comes to managing your blood pressure: the amount of salt in your diet.

The correlation between maintaining a low-salt diet and lowering blood pressure is well known, but a recent study, published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, conducted a much more detailed analysis of this link.

We already knew that eating low-salt foods was better for your blood pressure and overall cardiovascular health than eating high-salt foods, but our knowledge of the relationship didn’t go much deeper than that.

The new research analyzed 85 studies that followed participants for up to three years, and it found that any reduction in sodium lowers blood pressure. Rather than revealing this evidence in a low-salt diet versus a high-salt diet, the study showed this relationship to be evident across a spectrum of daily sodium levels with no detectable bottom to the benefit.

Too much sodium can cause the body to retain water, which increases the volume of blood in the system, making the heart work harder to regulate blood blow and often stressing and stiffening the blood vessels. Ultimately, a person in this state can be at higher risk for heart attack or stroke.

The good news is, starting the process of reducing the salt in your diet is easy, and in combination with a more active lifestyle, weight loss, and movement away from harmful habits, like smoking or excessive alcohol consumption, it can put you on a path to better heart health and overall wellness.

Start by taking the saltshaker off your dining-room table. That accounts for about 15 percent of the work you need to do to reduce your sodium. Don’t add salt to your food after you’ve prepared it, and try to be sparing with the salt when you’re cooking.

When you’re at the grocery store, make healthy choices. Stay away from processed foods that come in boxes, bags, cans and bottles, and avoid the deli counter. Shop the perimeters of the store, opting for fresh produce, lean meats and fish.

When you must buy food in containers, read the labels, and do brand comparisons. Try to consume less than 200 mg of sodium per serving or less than 2,400 mg per day (roughly a teaspoon). These portions are based on the Food and Drug Administration’s recommended daily allowance of sodium. The average person eats between 4,000 and 6,000 mg of salt per day, which is far too much.

Eating at a restaurant can be challenging, but there are some simple guidelines to follow when dining out as well. Choose grilled, baked or broiled foods rather than fried fare. Order sauces on the side and dip or add sparingly. When choosing sides, opt for the baked potato or sweet potato with condiments on the side, and pick applesauce over coleslaw.

Making healthier eating choices, getting regular exercise, losing weight, quitting smoking, and moderating your alcohol and caffeine consumption will help you maintain a healthier blood pressure,and in some cases, can lead to a reduction or elimination of medication.

Dr. Alfred Casale, a cardiothoracic surgeon, is chief medical officer for surgical services for Geisinger and chair of the Geisinger Heart Institute. Readers may write to him via [email protected].