Is anybody here on a low sodium diet?

[Cogito]

A few months ago I went to the Doc because I was retaining fluids. Swollen legs, etc. He said I need to go on a low salt diet. I've never been on any kind of diet in my life, so I figured if I just quit putting salt on the food I eat, and cut out chips, and other obvious salty foods, I would probably be OK. Wrong, that had virtually no effect on the problem. So I need to get serious about this if it is going to work. (He's got me taking Lasix to get the water out). Also, I've put on about an extra hundred pounds of weight in the past 10 years from a lousy diet that I need to get rid of also.

I know canned foods, processed foods, deli meats, and fast food are sinkholes for salt, so I am avoiding them. But what I need to know, and would appreciate any suggestions from anyone who has gone through this, is what is the best way to go about this? What can I eat on a daily basis that is nutritious and doesn't require a long prep time? I have a feeling I may be eating something that is salty, but I don't realize it. Where can I get a good guide showing salt content of common foods? Where do you find low salt food products?

 

[Gary Allan]

The nutritional information panel on all packaged/process foods lists the sodium content in mg. That would be my guide. Many seniors run into this problem since they're also on low fat diets. Fat is flavor and the tendency of producers is to crank up the sodium (which can be in the form of MSG) to make the food appealing.

Veggies are going to be eaten raw if low prep time is your mandate. The leafy stuff is pretty bland without some (typically) sodium rich dressing on it.

..but I don't think you included some mandate of "enjoyable" in the mix there. If you can handle the grass clippings and tree bark stuff that our fine shepherds say is healthy, you should manage well.

 

[JHZR2]

I never salt my foods, but recently I started tracking roughly what I eat in an iphone app. I am over my sodium quota every single day, it is really easy to do.

 

[Boomer]

Watch out for drinking soft water (water that has gone through a conventional water softener). Many years ago I taught with a fellow who had your problems. His doctor put him on a low sodium diet which he and his wife rigorously followed yet he still had issues. Turns out there was enough sodium in their softened water to give him fits.

Also, even "low sodium" soups, etc at the store still have overly high amounts of sodium. Avoid restaurant meals and Chinese food. Cheese can have a lot of sodium as well. Oatmeal with skim milk for breakfast, a salad with some vinegar and olive oil for lunch and salmon, a baked potato and a fresh veg for dinner would be a good example of a low sodium day. I am a diebeic and have had a quad bypass so I know what it is to follow a rigorous diet...have been doing it for five years now.

 

[StevieC]

I was on a low sodium diet for a while... The easiest way I found to cut it out was to prepare everything using non-processed foods.

I also cut out soft-drinks and juice which can be high in sodium in some cases.

Also your plate should contain half of vegetables that are largely dark-leafy-greens, 1 quarter starch like brown rice or potatoes, and 1 quarter protein like chicken or steak.

Eat at least 3 fruits per day.

Drink only water if possible and coffee is ok for your problem.

Try to lay down throughout the day to help drain some of the water to the kidney area where it can help you excrete it.

Also have your Magnesium, Calcium, Iron and Manganese levels checked as being off in one of these can cause excess water retention. (Talk to your doctor about a Waterpill or Calcium Channel Blocker in the meantime to help you excrete the water)

 

[CivicFan]

Avoiding processed foods in supermarkets or fast food items is probably the key.

 

[Cory]

We kicked the can vegetables and have gone to the frozen/steamer type. They may cost more but we also seems to get more than one meal out of them. Less ground beef has been substituted with ground turkey. I've eaten more rice since going low-sodium that I had previously in my lifetime. We enjoy mixing the white with the brown. Sweet potatoes have been another thing that we've added with this diet change.

Best of luck.

 

[PandaBear]

The cafeteria at work is on a low sodium diet because of insurance premium, I think. The food is tasteless.

 

[Cogito]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
The cafeteria at work is on a low sodium diet because of insurance premium, I think. The food is tasteless.

If that's all that bothers you, just dump some salt on the food. It's easy to add, not easy to remove.

 

[Gary Allan]

Yeah, some health issues leave you no choice. Thankfully, I'm not in your shoes...yet (all in due time). I don't add any salt to anything with the exception of otherwise unprocessed beef, but my body sure can tell when I've gotten a good dose of it. If I eat some pizza that's loaded with the meat toppings (happens about once a month) ....within 20 minutes I've got a thirst coming on that's not quickly quenched. A good half gallon of fluid gets chugged in short order.

 

[John_Corey]

Hi Cogito,

Foods that reduce the amount of water the body retains are:

melons
cucumbers
strawberries
asparagus
pineapple
pears
tomatoes

It is important to be physically active if your body retains excess water. Swimming would be a very good choice. You also must drink at least 2.4 quarts fluid, water is best, every day day. While ridding your body of excess fluid, be aware that you are also losing important minerals. You probably will need to replace potassium, magnesium, etc. You should ask your doctor to suggest an appropriate mineral supplement.

Cheers,
-J

Originally Posted By: Cogito
A few months ago I went to the Doc because I was retaining fluids. Swollen legs, etc. He said I need to go on a low salt diet. I've never been on any kind of diet in my life, so I figured if I just quit putting salt on the food I eat, and cut out chips, and other obvious salty foods, I would probably be OK. Wrong, that had virtually no effect on the problem. So I need to get serious about this if it is going to work. (He's got me taking Lasix to get the water out). Also, I've put on about an extra hundred pounds of weight in the past 10 years from a lousy diet that I need to get rid of also.

I know canned foods, processed foods, deli meats, and fast food are sinkholes for salt, so I am avoiding them. But what I need to know, and would appreciate any suggestions from anyone who has gone through this, is what is the best way to go about this? What can I eat on a daily basis that is nutritious and doesn't require a long prep time? I have a feeling I may be eating something that is salty, but I don't realize it. Where can I get a good guide showing salt content of common foods? Where do you find low salt food products?

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
I was on a low sodium diet for a while... The easiest way I found to cut it out was to prepare everything using non-processed foods.




That is pretty much the only way to go. ANYTHING processed will be loaded with salt. Same with any kind of fast food - even healthy things like ahem, the Quizznos veggie sub.

If you don't add any salt to any foods and still eat a diet with processed foods, you'll be over 2,000 mg of salt by 3 in the afternoon. It's sickening how much salt some foods have.

 

[John_Corey]

Panda Bear,

You should not confuse salty with tasteful or spicy. I often find food to be "spiced" with only salt and pepper. I find almost all prepared foods to be too salty and tasteless due to a lack of spices.

Salt desensitizes people very quickly, and they require more salt "for taste." Getting used to adding salt sparingly, and not to everyting out of habit, can be difficult for people, as I have noticed in family members.

There are foods that can work well as a salt substitute. For example, celery makes and excellent replacement for salt that can be added not only to salads, but many dishes.

Cheers,
-J

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
The cafeteria at work is on a low sodium diet because of insurance premium, I think. The food is tasteless.

 

[Mr Nice]

2 bananas and water for breakfast
2 bananas and water for lunch
then I eat a normal dinner

I stopped drinking soda and energy drinks. Only water, natural juices and an occasional tea.

 

[PandaBear]

I know, I can just add some salt to the cafeteria food. Just that I think they overdo it and don't put any salt at all in any of the stuff they make now, and adding it later doesn't taste the same as adding it in marination or while cooking.

It was a sudden removal, now I'm used to it so it doesn't bother me too much.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Originally Posted By: StevieC
I was on a low sodium diet for a while... The easiest way I found to cut it out was to prepare everything using non-processed foods.




That is pretty much the only way to go. ANYTHING processed will be loaded with salt. Same with any kind of fast food - even healthy things like ahem, the Quizznos veggie sub.

If you don't add any salt to any foods and still eat a diet with processed foods, you'll be over 2,000 mg of salt by 3 in the afternoon. It's sickening how much salt some foods have.


Our food is of the highest quality for a "Sub" but I never said it was healthy... I will tell you though it's healthier than Subway and others which use all kinds of different chemicals in their products and different salt derivatives where we use fat, natural flavorings and sodium.

I don't eat there more than once every couple of weeks and I will usually have a small of something. I usually pack a lunch with Rice/Beans or Rapini/Potatoes as those are my favourite dishes.

Our industry (Not Quiznos) has a hidden saying kept from the public.

"Salt & Fat sells, healthy food is for people with psychological and health problems and that is a small market."

 

[Cogito]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
Our food is of the highest quality for a "Sub" but I never said it was healthy... I will tell you though it's healthier than Subway and others which use all kinds of different chemicals in their products and different salt derivatives where we use fat, natural flavorings and sodium.

Sodium? That's salt.

 

[Cogito]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette

2 bananas and water for breakfast
2 bananas and water for lunch
then I eat a normal dinner

I stopped drinking soda and energy drinks. Only water, natural juices and an occasional tea.

Are you serious? Is this your own diet, or what? How long have you been doing this? Are you relgious about it, i.e., every single day?

 

[Mr Nice]

For that past 2 years I've been eating bananas and stopped going out for breakfast/lunch. I have food allergies so I really can't eat fast food or food with artificial flavoring/coloring/preservatives/citric acid.

 

[Al]

Best thing to do other than avoid processed foods is lots of fruits. The reason that fruits are good??? HIGH POTASSIUM. The more potassium you gobble the more it reduces the amount of sodium in your body. The best?? Watermelon, cantaloupes. I also try to minimum the amounts of sugars in the fruits. Bananas are good but they have lots of sugars in them. 1% Milk and low sugar yogurts are good. But again Fruits, fruits, fruits.

You can drop your systolic number 20 points easily and the lower number at least 10. More if you want.