10 Causes of Hypertension

You may already be making a conscious effort to eat a diet that supports healthy blood pressure, but added salt is something that can dampen these efforts. Too much sodium causes your body to hold on to more water, increasing the volume in your bloodstream, making your heart work harder, and increasing the pressure on blood vessels—all of which can lead to hypertension. Watch out for added sodium that may be hiding in pre-made or packaged foods and be sure to go light on the salt in your own cooking. Find out more about common cooking mistakes that can derail your healthy eating efforts in this alive.com article.