Eating salt does not raise blood pressure in most of us, but it will for some people. A study in the Journal of Hypertension showed that salt-sensitive people can be detected by finding increased amounts of protein in their urine.

Evidently those who develop high blood pressure when they take in extra salt have kidneys that permit protein, called albumin, to pass through them. The old theory was that when you take in extra salt, it causes your body to hold extra water, expands blood volume and raises blood pressure, but most studies shows that low-salt diets do not lower high blood pressure.

If you have high blood pressure, you can ask your doctor to check the amount of protein in a 24-hour urine collection. If you are salt-sensitive, you can avoid adding extra salt to your cooking and food, but you don't need to seek out and eat only foods that are very low in salt. Severe salt restriction is not safe; it can raise blood pressure and blood cholesterol. Salt deficiency causes your kidneys and adrenal glands to produce large amounts of the hormones, renin and aldosterone, which raise blood pressure.

On the other hand, a high-vegetable diet (the DASH diet), exercise, weight reduction and alcohol restriction lower high blood pressure significantly. Adding blood pressure medicines to this regimen lowers high blood pressure even more. Changing your lifestyle is far more effective in reducing high blood pressure than just taking drugs. Most doctors will recommend salt restriction.

For the diet I recommend to lower blood pressure see http://www.drmirkin.com/heart/8614.html

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

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