photo by 30 Year Challenge

by Anthony Adragna

Scientists published a new study that claims daily physical exercise can help decrease the negative impact of a high-salt diet on blood pressure.  The consensus in the medical community is that people who eat diets high in sodium tend to have elevated blood pressure.

Dr. Jiang He was the co-head of the project at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans. The study found that people who exercise more will minimize the impact of a high sodium diet because their blood pressure will not rise as dramatically. The study relied on participants from a rural area in China.

“It’s a little bit of a surprise,” Dr. Jiang told the US News & World Report. “But this is the first study to look at this particular association between physical activity and salt sensitivity and blood pressure. But after thinking it over it makes sense, because we already know that physical activity will reduce blood pressure.”

High blood pressure is the number one cause of strokes among Americans. The American Heart Association recommends consuming less than 1,500 milligrams of salt a day. Scientists acknowledge that the study will need to be repeated for an American population, but believe the results will be similar. Of course, limiting one’s daily intake of salt just makes sense from a health standpoint.

Photo by 30 Year Challenge