Nutrition Issue Evaluation

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Nutrition Issue Evaluation (Sodium and Hypertension) In the following pages I intend to explore the connection between high blood pressure and excessive sodium intake. We will also examine what factors have led to the excessive intakes of sodium commonly found in the average Canadian diet, the risks associated with unchecked high blood pressure, and suggestions as to what can be done to minimize this risk. High blood pressure, clinically named hypertension, occurs when the blood that is in the body, is exerting more pressure on the vessels than is normally expected. What does this have to do with nutrition, and more specifically sodium intake? Through numerous studies it has been established that there is a link between elevated…show more content…
There has been clear connection made that elevated use of sodium is linked to hypertension, thru the mechanisms discussed above. It is clear that sodium, although a vital nutrient in small amounts, is overused in the average Canadian diet, due in large part to the widespread use of convenience foods, including packaged, frozen, fast foods; and because the suppliers of these foods use large amounts of sodium to preserve the food, and improve the flavor to make it more appealing. This dependence that the average Canadian has on convenience food is driven by the hectic nature of today’s lifestyles, the preference of spending money over time when it comes to food, and the lack of education about how to make better choices, and how to once again prioritize the gathering and preparing of food. Food is such a huge part of life, it is really ironic that people seem to put so little care into their diet, when it is the number one factor between poor health and good health. Works Cited Bill Jeffery and Natalee Cappello, Salty to a fault: varied sodium levels show lowering salt in processed foods is feasible. Centre for Science in the Public Interest, 2009 (Saint-Lazare, Quebec : Gibson Library Connections, 2009). Piche, Leonard, Frances Sizer, Eleanor Whitney. Nutrition: Concepts and Controversy. Nelson Education. 2012 http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/sodium/art-20045479 Accessed April 26,
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