Sodium

louspeachy
louspeachy Posts: 9 Member
edited November 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I bought some high protein low cal soup and thought it was the answer to a prayer. I LOVE soup, even if it is mostly broth and to be honest, I prefer it to a big steak. The problem is SODIUM. After 3 days of eating it, my feet and ankles swelled horribly. As I have gotten older, it continues to be a problem and is getting worse. On top of that, my scale registered my first gain of about 2 pounds even though I could tell in other ways that I was still losing weight. I know it is water weight but it still bothers me. Till I get rid of the water weight my scale is off limits.

Anyone else have a problem with sodium?

Replies

  • amy_kee
    amy_kee Posts: 694 Member
    Soups DO have a ton of sodium in them. I have to watch salt for my heart health. Salt really messes with my mother. She swells like you do and it is not good on her kidneys and blood pressure. Maybe since you love soup, you could make your soup at home and not add any salt to it. Bok choy is good in soup too. :-)
  • Sandcastles61
    Sandcastles61 Posts: 506 Member
    I am with Amy on this one..... My worst was 6 pounds in a day from sodium. I make my own soups in the crock pot so I can control the sodium, use a lot of Mrs Dash no salt spices. It stinks but I feel much better when I stay under 1750 sodium a day.
  • junestarrr
    junestarrr Posts: 52 Member
    I think there are a lot of soups out there that are "reduced sodium". Maybe you can keep a eye out for those. :) I feel ya, I love soup and salty things, too.
  • Robertus
    Robertus Posts: 558 Member
    louspeachy wrote: »
    I bought some high protein low cal soup and thought it was the answer to a prayer. I LOVE soup, even if it is mostly broth and to be honest, I prefer it to a big steak. The problem is SODIUM. After 3 days of eating it, my feet and ankles swelled horribly. As I have gotten older, it continues to be a problem and is getting worse. On top of that, my scale registered my first gain of about 2 pounds even though I could tell in other ways that I was still losing weight. I know it is water weight but it still bothers me. Till I get rid of the water weight my scale is off limits.

    Anyone else have a problem with sodium?
    Do you have high blood pressure? If not, don't sweat it. If you do have high blood pressure, do you exercise? Sweating is a great way to deal with sodium in your diet.

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Yes, I struggled (and mostly failed) with sodium for a long, long time. Looooong time.

    It was just so hard to cut out! I finally started making things I'd never made before, like my own cottage cheese. I couldn't manage any other way.

    I was raised on a high-sodium diet. I'd never known anything else. My taste buds had to adapt and so did my habits.

    It took me about two years of struggling (and mostly failing) to really get it under control on a daily, regular basis.

  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    I don't even track sodium, because I have no medical conditions that require me to do so. I probably go over every day. I don't even know.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Soup would have no flavor if they didn't "sodium" them up. Drink lots of water to offset it.
  • Bshmerlie
    Bshmerlie Posts: 1,026 Member
    High sodium has only started affecting me as I've gotten older. When I was younger I never knew what people were talking about how it made them retain water and swell. Now here I am at 45 watching my sodium intake for those very reasons. Life is ironic isn't it? :) If I go way over on sodium it makes me retain water for two to three days. I actually gain a pound or two and then it just falls back off in two days.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Since sodium is causing you problems, you probably should avoid packaged soups. Exercise helps with sodium problems, but I kinda think that what it does is it causes us to sweat out so much sodium that we need more of it.
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,630 Member
    I have problems with sodium. I stopped with the soups. I try to balance it with potassium. Easy to do when you increase fruits and vegetables.
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