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For decades we have been led to believe that the greatest enemies of our blood vessels are fats and cholesterol. Red meat, eggs, butter or fatty foods became symbols of risk, while “light” products and low-fat diets were supposed to be the path to a healthy heart.
Yet the exact opposite happened. Despite diets and the billions spent on supposedly healthier foods, the number of heart attacks and strokes is not falling, but rather increasing. This led experts to a fundamental question: what if we have been fighting the wrong enemy all along?
A surgeon’s experience that changed the perspective on blood vessels
An interesting testimony was provided by experienced surgeon Mihail Andrejevič, who during his practice saw the vessels of thousands of people – young and old, athletes and non-athletes, meat-eaters and vegetarians. Although their lifestyles differed significantly, the damage to their vessels often followed the same pattern.
It wasn’t about fats. It wasn’t even about meat. The common denominator was excessive salt intake.
The great illusion called cholesterol
For many years it was claimed that cholesterol directly clogs the vessels. Newer findings, however, show a different view. Cholesterol in the body behaves more like a protective “patch”. If tiny micro-tears appear in the vessel wall, the body begins to cover them with cholesterol to prevent the vessel from rupturing and bleeding.
So the real question is: what causes these micro-tears?
The hidden enemy: salt as a silent destroyer of blood vessels
The answer is surprisingly simple – an excess of salt. The human body needs approximately 2–3 grams of salt per day, but the average person consumes 12–15 grams of salt, that is four to five times the recommended amount.
The biggest problem is that most of the salt we consume does not come from the salt shaker, but from hidden sources in common foods.
How salt damages blood vessels step by step
- salt retains water in the body and increases blood volume,
- the heart must work harder and blood pressure rises,
- the vessels overstretch and micro-tears form,
- the body covers these tears with cholesterol,
- clots gradually develop, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Therefore cholesterol is not the primary cause, but a consequence. The trigger of the whole process is excess salt.
The invisible problem: hidden salt in foods
Many people claim that they hardly use salt. Yet they consume enormous amounts of salt daily from industrially processed foods.
- bread: up to 800 mg of sodium per 100 g,
- cheeses: up to 1,200 mg,
- processed meats: around 1,500 mg,
- soy sauce: one tablespoon covers almost the entire daily allowance,
- ketchups, canned goods, chips and ready-made sauces contain extreme amounts of salt.
What research says
A long-term study in Seoul followed more than 15,000 people over 10 years. It showed that people with high salt intake had a 46% higher risk of stroke.
At the same time it was found that people with low salt intake maintained flexible vessels into old age, while in others the vessels aged 8–12 years faster.
A simple system to protect blood vessels
- remove the salt shaker from the table and reduce salt gradually,
- drink enough water (approx. 30–35 ml per kg of body weight per day),
- regular exercise, at least a short walk every hour,
- increase potassium intake (potatoes, tomatoes, vegetables, bananas),
- season food with herbs, lemon, garlic or spices.
Conclusion
For years we fought fats and cholesterol, but the real problem was left aside. Excess salt is often what subtly but systematically damages our blood vessels.
Cutting down on salt does not mean starving or giving up flavor. It means returning to a more natural diet – and it can be one of the most important steps toward a long and healthy life.
