Whats all the fuss about sodium?

I know that if I have too much sodium, my ankles swell quickly. A few years ago I had an issue where my entire legs swelled up. The doctor told me my sodium was too high and my potassium was low. Since then I have limited my salt intake (use no salt butter, try to limit processed foods, etc.).

I know there are some other medical reasons to limit sodium as well, but I can't recall.

Sodium: Essential in small amounts
Your body needs some sodium to function properly. Sodium:

Helps maintain the right balance of fluids in your body
Helps transmit nerve impulses
Influences the contraction and relaxation of muscles
Your kidneys regulate the amount of sodium kept in your body. When sodium levels are low, your kidneys conserve sodium. When levels are high, they excrete the excess amount in urine.

If your kidneys can't eliminate enough sodium, the sodium starts to accumulate in your blood. Because sodium attracts and holds water, your blood volume increases. Increased blood volume, in turn, makes your heart work harder to move more blood through your blood vessels, increasing pressure in your arteries. Certain diseases such as congestive heart failure, cirrhosis and chronic kidney disease can lead to an inability to regulate sodium.

Some people are more sensitive to the effects of sodium than are others. People who are sodium sensitive retain sodium more easily, leading to excess fluid retention and increased blood pressure. If you're in that group, extra sodium in your diet increases your chance of developing high blood pressure, a condition that can lead to cardiovascular and kidney diseases.

How much sodium do you need?
Various organizations, including the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, have published recommendations on daily sodium limits. Most recommend not exceeding the range of 1,500 and 2,400 milligrams (mg) a day for healthy adults. Keep in mind that the lower your sodium, the more beneficial effect on blood pressure.

If you are older than 50, are black or have a health condition such as high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease or diabetes, you may be more sensitive to the blood pressure raising effects of sodium. As a result, aim for a sodium limit at the low end of the range recommended for healthy adults. Talk to your doctor about the sodium limit that's best for you.

Your taste for salt is acquired, so it's reversible. To unlearn this salty savoring, decrease your use of salt gradually and your taste buds will adjust. Most people find that after a few weeks of cutting salt, they no longer miss it. Start by using no more than 1/4 teaspoon (1 milliliter) of added salt daily, and then gradually reduce to no salt add-ons. As you use less salt, your preference for it lessens, allowing you to enjoy the taste of food itself.

©1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER).

Google is your friend. and or do a search on MFP, definately has been talked about already.

Yes you should monitor sodium and you will find out that ALL KINDS of processed foods have alot of sodium in them.
Too much sodium is no good, here is a quick copy/paste from a website.

Americans consume a diet with a salt content up to 10 times that recommended for optimal health. This excess intake results in high rates of cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease that do not occur in cultures with lower sodium intakes. Although the effects of excess sodium on population health have been demonstrated across study designs, proposals to reduce sodium content in commercially available foods continue to be met with opposition despite findings that reducing the content of salt in many foods does not reduce palatability.

i don't care enough to reduce my sodium, but one thing to keep in mind is that sodium can interfere with potassium levels, and potassium levels are apparently essential to losing weight and/or maintaining a healthy weight. this problem is different from water rentention, which is obviously temporary.