The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) was an agreement between Russia and the U.S. that ran from 1979 to 1985. It was an attempt to freeze the number of strategic ballistic missile launchers — but it blew up when Russia invaded Afghanistan.

Recent talks about the risks of salt (that's sodium chloride) don't seem to be making the world a safer place either.

According to a new World Health Organization report, in the next seven years more than 7 million people worldwide could die because of excessive salt consumption, which increases the risk for everything from cardiovascular and kidney disease to immune conditions and stomach cancer.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says countries need to adopt mandatory policies that address how food is formulated, enforce front-of-package labeling, and limit sodium in foods and meals, especially those served in hospitals, schools, workplaces, and nursing homes.

Only nine countries — Brazil, Chile, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and Uruguay — currently enforce at least two of the four steps the WHO recommends.

In this country, the Food and Drug Administration suggests daily salt intake be reduced from the average 3,400 mg down to 2,300 mg for people ages 14 and older. But "suggestions" aren't enough to reduce Americans’ risk of death from excess salt intake.

It’s up to you to avoid packaged foods with added salt  — that includes chips and salted nuts; smoked, cured, salted, or canned meat, including bacon, cold cuts, ham, frankfurters, and sausage; burritos and pizza; canned ravioli and chili; and beans with added salt.