"So, even independent of any effects on blood pressure, salt hurts our arteries, and that harm begins within minutes of it going into our mouth, for our major arteries, and even our itty bitty blood vessels."

"Whereas potassium, concentrated in fruits and vegetables, softens the cells that line our arteries, and increases the release of nitric oxide that allows our arteries to relax, sodium in our blood stiffens the cells lining our arteries within minutes, and reduces nitric oxide release. The more salt, the less nitric oxide is produced. One salty meal, and not only does our blood pressure go up, but our arteries literally stiffen."