Why High Sodium Is So Harmful:

Sodium is filtered and reabsorbed in the kidneys, a process that consumes kidney function units (nephrons).

Elderly people already experience a natural decline in nephron quantity and function.

The combination of age-related decline + high sodium becomes a dangerous burden.

Pickled foods also often contain:

Nitrites

Benzo[a]pyrene

Artificial preservatives and dyes (used in certain regions)

These compounds require liver and kidney metabolism and can lead to chronic toxicity when consumed regularly.

Rural Kidney Failure Cases and Pickled Foods

According to research, a high rate of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among elderly rural populations is linked to:

Frequent consumption of pickles, salted eggs, and cured fish/shrimp.

This trend appears regardless of socioeconomic status, indicating that dietary habits, not wealth, are to blame.