6664mg of sodium

Cynsonya

I'm fairly new here. 3 weeks in. I started at 331 pounds and am now at 317. MFP tells me to stay at 2020 calories a day to lose 2 pounds a week. I usually consume around 1700ish.

I love salty, spicy, sour foods. Olives, peppers, pickles, etc. I've been staying away from fast food for the most part except for Subway. I only add salt to eggs and cottage cheese. Pink Himilayian Sea Salt. Which I haven't even logged.

My problem appears to be sodium. Or is it a really a big problem? MFP says to stay under 2300mg but my average is usually closer to 4000mg. I went through my journal and my highest day was 6664mg! That seems staggeringly high. I can only imagine what it was before I began watching calories and stopped eating $15-$20 in fast food every day. Probably 10,000 mg!

The last year or two my bp has been higher than my usual number. Not to the point that my doctor has suggested medicine though. I attributed it to the weight I had packed on. I've always eaten a high salt diet and never seen my bp affected.

So I guess my question is, are these amounts of sodium safe???

Panda_brat

Did your doctor make any suggestions? usually the FDA suggested amount is about 2000 MG a day. going over once in a while is no big deal. I was on medication for blood pressure, but since loosing weight I have been taken off the medication. But I also try to eat less salt just to play in safe. I do not know what an unsafe amount is on a daily basis. I eat plenty of spicy food that is not salty. Your taste buds do adjust to low salt after time. Eating out will drive up your salt intake. I like the taste of my home cooked food anyways, so unless I am on vacation or once in a while when I am in a mad rush, I prepare my own food. My suggestion, is talk to your doctor, but beyond thta, I would cut back on sodium intake.

Cynsonya

I usually only go to the doctor once a year to refill my inhaler prescription. He didn't say anything the last two times about the bp. Like I said it wasn't REALLY high. Just a bit. But high for me nonetheless. I'll bring it up in September when I go back. Until then I'll just try to stop eating olives, Subway, soup, and hot cauliflower

Panda_brat wrote: »

Did your doctor make any suggestions? usually the FDA suggested amount is about 2000 MG a day. going over once in a while is no big deal. I was on medication for blood pressure, but since loosing weight I have been taken off the medication. But I also try to eat less salt just to play in safe. I do not know what an unsafe amount is on a daily basis. I eat plenty of spicy food that is not salty. Your taste buds do adjust to low salt after time. Eating out will drive up your salt intake. I like the taste of my home cooked food anyways, so unless I am on vacation or once in a while when I am in a mad rush, I prepare my own food. My suggestion, is talk to your doctor, but beyond thta, I would cut back on sodium intake.

sheermomentum

There is some thinking in a portion of the medical community that 2300 mg is unnecessarily low for healthy people with no heart disease or high blood pressure. Its not an opinion that's really caught on yet in the mainstream. However, even if a higher number eventually becomes a new recommendation, 6664 is still up there. Losing weight is great for controlling blood pressure. So is reducing water retention, which should happen if you lower that sodium a bit. Is it safe? Well, the potential health problems that come from high blood pressure creep up over years, not overnight. So if its edging up now, and it keeps edging up for the next 5 or 10 years, that's when you'll have a problem. Put it this way: would it be very difficult for you to try to bring that sodium number down somewhat, and just keep an eye on it? You might even see a little bump in weight loss initially from some of the water.

chastity0921

2300 mg/d is the recommended from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. If you are AA, have high blood pressure, are older than 51, or have DM/Chronic Kidney, the recommended is 1500 mg/d. I would try to limit the sodium to at least 2300 mg/d. Honestly, hypertension puts you at risk for kidney problems in the future, and the high sodium intake is probably pretty tough to filter out. If your blood pressure is high, you are getting tiny tears in your blood vessels that makes it easier for plaques to form, so it is important to keep it under control. Talk to your doctor or RD, of course.

Eat fresh/frozen veggies instead of canned
Limit fast food intake
Drink plenty of water
Eat foods that contain potassium
Choose herbs or Mrs. Dash instead of salt
Choose low sodium broths/soups
Add cayenne or pepper for spice
Use vinegar or lime to add a salty flavor without the salt

You can also look up the DASH diet to help with some ideas. Hope this helps.

Cynsonya

sheermomentum wrote: »

Put it this way: would it be very difficult for you to try to bring that sodium number down somewhat, and just keep an eye on it? You might even see a little bump in weight loss initially from some of the water.

I'd rather have salt than calories, lol. But you're right of course. Better safe than sorry. Now I have another goal!

ClubSilencio

High sodium with too little potassium can lead to health problems eventually.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21747015

The RDI for potassium is 4700mg while sodium is 2000mg. Some of the latest medical research even suggest leaning toward a 3:1 ratio (potassium:sodium) for optimal health.

Cynsonya

chastity0921 wrote: »

2300 mg/d is the recommended from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. If you are AA, have high blood pressure, are older than 51, or have DM/Chronic Kidney, the recommended is 1500 mg/d. I would try to limit the sodium to at least 2300 mg/d. Honestly, hypertension puts you at risk for kidney problems in the future, and the high sodium intake is probably pretty tough to filter out. If your blood pressure is high, you are getting tiny tears in your blood vessels that makes it easier for plaques to form, so it is important to keep it under control. Talk to your doctor or RD, of course.

Eat fresh/frozen veggies instead of canned
Limit fast food intake
Drink plenty of water
Eat foods that contain potassium
Choose herbs or Mrs. Dash instead of salt
Choose low sodium broths/soups
Add cayenne or pepper for spice
Use vinegar or lime to add a salty flavor without the salt

You can also look up the DASH diet to help with some ideas. Hope this helps.

Thank you, it does help!

Cynsonya

ClubSilencio wrote: »

High sodium with too little potassium can lead to health problems eventually.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21747015

The RDI for potassium is 4700mg while sodium is 2000mg. Some of the latest medical research even suggest leaning toward a 3:1 ratio (potassium:sodium) for optimal health.

I'm having some trouble getting my potassium up too. I've only hit that goal once in 3 weeks. I even added a supplement and I'm still nowhere close.

MelaniaTrump

Too much sodium can also interfere with your bones absorbing calcium, besides increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/medical-dangers-much-sodium-3662.html

Cynsonya

JanetYellen wrote: »

Too much sodium can also interfere with your bones absorbing calcium, besides increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/medical-dangers-much-sodium-3662.html

Ughhhhh, ok I'm convinced. I'm going to read these links and cut back

Noreenmarie1234

I eat about 6000-10,000 a day. In asian cultures the average is like 10,000-15,000 and they are quite healthy compared to americans.

Cynsonya

JanetYellen wrote: »

Too much sodium can also interfere with your bones absorbing calcium, besides increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/medical-dangers-much-sodium-3662.html

Now I'm scared, lol. Should I get a water pill tonight to get rid of some water? Or just move forward tomorrow with a lower sodium intake?

Cynsonya

Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »

I eat about 6000-10,000 a day. In asian cultures the average is like 10,000-15,000 and they are quite healthy compared to americans.

Well that DOES make me feel a bit better!

chastity0921

Cynsonya wrote: »

ClubSilencio wrote: »

High sodium with too little potassium can lead to health problems eventually.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21747015

The RDI for potassium is 4700mg while sodium is 2000mg. Some of the latest medical research even suggest leaning toward a 3:1 ratio (potassium:sodium) for optimal health.

I'm having some trouble getting my potassium up too. I've only hit that goal once in 3 weeks. I even added a supplement and I'm still nowhere close.

Fruits and veggies, baby. Most nutrients are absorbed better when eating them. Maybe a morning smoothie with spinach, bananas, yogurt/milk?

Also, almonds, potatoes/sweet potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans, low-fat dairy products.

Cynsonya

[/quote]Fruits and veggies, baby. Most nutrients are absorbed better when eating them. Maybe a morning smoothie with spinach, bananas, yogurt/milk?

Also, almonds, potatoes/sweet potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans, low-fat dairy products. [/quote]

I am working on that. But I like my almonds salty

veggiecanner

my doctor recomended 1,500 mg a day;

lavrn03

A lot of great advice here..... Much I agree with!!
Overall try your best every day. Educate yourself of what you are eating. Make a list of things you love and make healthier alternatives.
Don't deprive yourself your salt but limit it to an indulging meal....BUT be prepared for the water retention... It's evil!!
Like said earlier your taste buds will change. And when you allow yourself foods you enjoy a few times a week, it lowers your overall cravings for "bad" foods.
You can friend me if you want. I've been at it for 18 months and lost about 60lbs.

Psychgrrl

No water pills--nothing drastic like that. Now that you have some more information, use it moving forward. Potassium supplements are small in dosage for a reason, the concentration in supplements affects the body (heart) differently than the potassium coming from food (from my parents' cardiologists).

Here are some potassium rich foods you might want to think about incorporating:
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/high-potassium-foods-topic-overview

Cynsonya

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate all your answers

Cynsonya

lavrn03 wrote: »

You can friend me if you want. I've been at it for 18 months and lost about 60lbs.

I don't know how! Lol