Many truck drivers admit to eating poorly and consuming large amounts of sodium. This blog should make it clear to drivers that it only takes a small amount of salt (1 teaspoon) to exceed the daily allowance for most of us, just by adding salt at the table or choosing foods with high salt content to begin with. Approximately 80 million people living in the United States have high blood pressure and two thirds are overweight and obese. It is no wonder that with additional poor lifestyle choices like smoking, lack of exercise and consumption of high caffeine soft drinks, many will have high blood pressure. In the case of truck drivers, this not only affects their health, but limits the duration of their medical certification, requiring more frequent examinations and higher out of pocket expenses.
Drivers, read this informative post and take your wellbeing, as well as your future into your own hands! Remember, none of us are perfect. I speak to you not only as a medical practitioner but also as a person living with hypertension for more than 15 years, and just doing my damn best too.
By Phoebe Chi, MD, MPH
Do you enjoy salty snacks? Or find yourself reaching for the salt shaker at the dinner table?
If you do, you are not alone.
In general, people in the U.S. eat much more sodium (salt) than they should. But why is it important to watch the amount of sodium you eat? It is because the more sodium you consume, the higher your blood pressure becomes. Some conditions, such as certain heart and kidney problems, cause the body to hold onto sodium, which causes extra fluid to build up in the body. This extra fluid forces the heart to work harder. Therefore, if you live with chronic conditions, it is especially important to control the amount of sodium you eat.
So how much sodium should you be consuming in a day? While for most people it is recommended to not go over 2,300 milligrams (mg) of…
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