June newsletter 2024
Did you know this about salt?
In this issue...
Welcome to winter, and to another edition of your Stroke Foundation newsletter! This month, you’ll learn about salt: the connection between salt & stroke, how mandatory food standards could save lives, and easy steps you can take to reduce your own salt consumption.
Salt & stroke
Eating too much salt causes high blood pressure, which is a leading cause of stroke. Excess salt consumption can also lead to heart disease, kidney disease, and some cancers. Your body does need sodium to function, but most New Zealanders are consuming 70% more salt than the recommended amount (about one teaspoon a day).
Salt is hiding in our food
Most of the salt we eat isn't from the salt shaker at the dinner table - it's hiding in the everyday packaged foods we buy. The Stroke Foundation is calling for mandatory standards for the food industry to reduce salt content in processed food. This will help save thousands of New Zealand lives lost or impacted by strokes each year.
How sodium benchmarks would make a difference
If NZ introduced World Health Organisation sodium benchmarks and all packaged supermarkets products met them:
- 2500 health years would be gained within 10 years
- $108m health system savings within 10 years
- 1.6x higher health benefits for Māori
Your Challenge: Make one change to reduce your salt consumption
A low salt diet helps keep you safe from stroke. When you're at the supermarket, compare labels on packaged food: a low salt option will have less than 120mg of sodium per 100g of food. Even just one swap to a lower sodium option can make a big difference in your salt consumption.
Here are some other ways you can reduce your salt intake:
- replace packaged foods with homemade recipes
- use herbs, spices and other seasonings instead of salt when cooking
- choose wholegrain breads and cereals, brown rice and wholemeal pasta
- add a piece of fruit to your morning or afternoon tea
- avoid processed meats and try to add more meat-free meals to your week
- choose the low salt option if there is one available on the supermarket shelf
Stroke Champions
Lucy ran the Hawkes Bay Marathon and raised over $3000 🙌
Lucy Clapcott
"It was tough, but not as tough as it is for stroke patients to go through what they go through daily. Thinking of my dad and his “bad arm” as we call it, kept me going. A run is easy in comparison to what he has to go through everyday.
Really lucky to have had so much support from amazing people and to have raised $3000 for the Stroke Foundation - I hope it can help in some way."
Wal Eivers' story
Wal has a very special reason for raising money for the Stroke Foundation in the Rotorua Half Marathon.
"Stroke is something that I've personally experienced."
Wal was only 35 years old when he experienced a stroke. A runner throughout his life, he had always kept fit and healthy. In 2018, he was training for a marathon, but four days before the event, he found himself unable to speak.
Beanie Up
Beanie Up is in full swing! So far we've sold over 300 beanies and generous Kiwis have donated 50 beanies to people in need - raising almost $8000 so far 🙌🙌 All the proceeds from beanies sold go towards supporting stroke services in Aotearoa, which includes providing free pulse and blood pressure checks to the public, promotion of the F.A.S.T. message, training communities on stroke, telehealth support for people affected by stroke, and advocating for improved services and care for stroke survivors.
Thank you to these awesome people for supporting Beanie Up this year: @iamsoph, @meganleefitness, @jjfeeneynz, @ivankazon, @natpicking, and @daniellagibson ❤
Noho ora mai, stay well
Jo Lambert
Chief Executive Officer | The Stroke Foundation of New Zealand