How to Counteract Too Much Salt Intake

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, Americans consume an average of 4,000 mg of sodium per day. This is more than recommended by the 2010 dietary guidelines set forth by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. They recommend a daily salt consumption of no more than 2,300 mg for healthy adults and 1,500 mg for African Americans, people over the age of 51, or those with high blood pressure, kidney disease or diabetes. If you've consumed an excess of sodium, there are various things you can do to combat the negative side effects.

Instructions

• 1

  Drink more water. Drinking water makes you urinate more frequently which helps flush excess sodium from your system.

• 2

  Eat foods rich in potassium because potassium helps your body maintain a healthy sodium balance. Consume foods, such as bananas, avocados, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, salmon, cantaloupes, orange juice, spinach and papaya.

• 3

  Sweat more. Perform cardiovascular exercise that increases your heart rate and makes you perspire. Excess sodium is excreted when you sweat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you get 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise on five days of the week. They also recommend you perform strength training exercises on two days of the week to get important health benefits. Train at moderate intensity where you can still talk but increase your heart rate.

• 4

  Relax in a sauna for up to 30 minutes. The sauna raises your body temperature and makes you sweat. It detoxifies your body by getting rid of sodium and toxins such as alcohol and tobacco.