Sodium or table salt is a necessary part of our diet. It is essential in the performance of bodily functions. However, most Americans take more than the recommended daily allowance of 2,300 mg per day. No thanks to our fast food lifestyles and dependence on processed boxed dinners. Everything is tailored for convenience, not necessarily for health.

When you take in too much sodium, you upset the delicate water-salt balance in your body. This results to increased incidence of high blood pressure, heart and kidney diseases as the body strives to cope with the increased amounts of salt in your system. This unhealthy way of consuming food is detrimental to individual and societal health and steps must be taken to educate everyone to watch their salt intake. With a low sodium diet, many medical conditions are prevented and billions of dollars are saved on medical expenses.

The benefits of a low sodium diet are numerous and adults would do well to observe these in their daily food intake.

1. A low-sodium diet is beneficial for weight loss. When you constantly munch on those sodium-laden chips, you're actually pushing your body to retain water. Fluid retention causes you to bloat and thus gain weight. This is evident in the bloated feeling that you get and the obvious edema in your legs and feet. Cutting back on the sodium content in your foods helps you slim down.

2. A low-salt diet reduces your blood pressure levels and your risk of developing heart disease.

3. When you're already hypertensive and are on maintenance medication, a low-sodium diet makes your medicines work better. Diuretics are especially affected by salt-intake so you should take extra care in talking to your physician about what salt limitations you should have.

4. A low-sodium diet reduces your chances of suffering from stroke.

5. It reduces your risk of developing osteoporosis.

The benefits of a low sodium diet transcend the personal. One of the most common reasons for work absenteeism and hospitalization is heart-related sickness. As a result, productivity suffers and the medical costs go sky-high, not only for the individual but for the government as well. A nation that is composed of sickly individuals, of people who can't work productively because of their preexisting heart conditions can't expect to grow a thriving and prosperous economy.

Only little changes are necessary to promote heart health. Reduce your intake of processed foods. Chips, fast food and boxed meals are common offenders. The levels of sodium found in these food stuffs are just way overboard.

Instead of digging your own grave with these processed meals, eat more fruits and vegetables. Use other herbs for taste when cooking. A few incremental changes will go a long way towards getting your taste buds used to the taste of food without salt. If your diet consists of these, you will begin to crave for foods without that salty taste.

Don't let your health suffer. Experience the immense benefits of a low sodium diet today. Your heart will thank you for it.