We’ve all heard that too much sodium can be bad for us, but why? If you aren’t already aware, there are some rather significant health problems that can arise out of eating too much salt. Here we take a look at the effects that sodium may have on your health.

1. It causes you to retain water. Too much salt consumed has a very difficult time moving through the body, because salt attracts and holds water. As the body can’t process this excessive amount of sodium, it shows itself as water retention. This often shows up in the ankles or wrists, but may present itself anywhere throughout the body. If left untreated, this can become a rather serious health problem.

2. It contributes to high blood pressure. As your body holds onto the extra sodium and this shows up as water retention, this often leads to high blood pressure. This is why there is such a correlation between too much sodium in the diet and high blood pressure levels. It’s not to say that if you eat too much sodium you will have high blood pressure, but it can certainly contribute to the likelihood and the severity.

3. It can make your heart work harder. The increased blood volume that occurs when too much salt is attracted to and holds onto water means that your heart works harder. If you are eating too much sodium and you are retaining water, this all means that you have a higher blood volume. Essentially this results in your heart working harder than it should.

4. Excessive levels can lead to major health problems. Will you automatically develop health problems if you eat too much sodium? Not necessarily, but the possibility is definitely there. You are far more likely to develop high blood pressure, and from there it can get much worse. If the body is unable to process sodium properly, this can lead to cardiovascular disease or other related health problems. It’s not worth taking the chance!

5. Too much of it can cause your kidneys to slow or not function properly. As the kidneys are responsible for regulating the sodium in your system, they can be quite challenged if you consume too much of it. The kidneys are responsible for holding onto and moving along the sodium that you eat. So if you consume too much, over time this can result in your kidneys slowing or not functioning properly.

6. It contributes to weight gain, even if it’s temporary. We’ve all heard of “water weight” and in those who consume too much sodium, this can become extreme. Many people who consume too much sodium tend to have a very difficult time losing weight, so it’s important to keep an eye on this before the pounds really pack on and don’t go away.

7. Too much of it is often part of an unhealthy and inappropriate diet. You might be surprised at the sources of sodium in your diet. This runs deeper than just table salt, and oftentimes sodium comes in the form of unhealthy choices such as fast food or processed food. This all contributes to the likelihood of unhealthy eating and eventually obesity.

Though you may not readily recognize it, sodium can cause some rather significant health issues. If you want to do your part to avoid the onset of any of these, be aware of the sodium that you use and what it can do to you over time.

Mary Frederick blogs about how to choose among BSN to MSN online degrees.