Bloomberg News  reports, “Almost all US citizens, including children, exceed the dietary guidelines for salt, putting them at risk for hypertension and heart disease, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
The National Journal (Subscription Publication) reports that approximately “half the population should limit salt to very low levels – 1,500 milligrams a day or less. But virtually none of those who should limit salt are doing so, the CDC said in” its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Eating less sodium can help lower some people’s blood pressure. It can also help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Sodium (salt) is something we need in our diets, but as indicated in this new report, most of us eat too much of it. Furthermore, much of the sodium we eat comes from salt we add to our food at the table or that food companies add to their foods. So, avoid adding salt to foods at the table and use these 5 tips (from WebMD) to reduce your salt intake:

• Take stock of the sources of salt in your diet, such as restaurant meals, salt-based condiments, and convenience foods. Some of these are really loaded with salt.
• Read the labels when shopping. Look for lower sodium in cereals, crackers, pasta sauces, canned vegetables, or any foods with low-salt options.
• If you think your meals are high in sodium, balance them by adding high-potassium foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Ask about salt added to food, especially at restaurants. Most restaurant chefs will omit salt when requested.
• If you need to salt while cooking, add the salt at the end; you will need to add much less. The longer the food cooks, the more the salty flavor is muted and at the end, the final taste is on the top layer.