High sodium diet

Rawr619
Rawr619 Posts: 82 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have a weird cardiac condition and I needed to increase my salt intake. My doctor recommended Gatorade or pedialyte, but my stomach can't handle it (I only ever drink water). Any recommendations to increase salt intake while still eating healthy or any home recipes for electrolyte drinks?

Thanks!

Replies

  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    edited May 2016
    Lots of foods are high in sodium. You can do it. Just eat healthy and add salt to everything you cook.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Ham, bacon, hot dogs, caviar, salted nuts, any canned meat/ vegetables/soup.
    Most cheese has lots of salt as well. Even peanut butter has salt.
  • 143tobe
    143tobe Posts: 620 Member
    One of my favorite snacks is homemade popcorn, that way I can measure exactly how much and which types of fats I want to make it with. Add as much salt as you need.
  • skinnyforhi
    skinnyforhi Posts: 340 Member
    Hmmm I'd ask your doctor whether it needs to come from those drinks due to the electrolyte balance in them. If your doctor approves soy sauce as a way to increase your sodium intake, you can cook brown rice noodles, vegetables, lean protein, and then whip together a sauce with soy sauce in it (like a pad thai sauce). There's a ton of Asian recipes you could make using soy sauce, in fact.
  • Rawr619
    Rawr619 Posts: 82 Member
    It doesn't have to come with the extra electrolytes, it's just he increase in sodium my heart needs. Soy sauce is a very good idea! Thank you!
  • skinnyforhi
    skinnyforhi Posts: 340 Member
    Rawr619 wrote: »
    It doesn't have to come with the extra electrolytes, it's just he increase in sodium my heart needs. Soy sauce is a very good idea! Thank you!

    Ah, this seems counterintuitive on a fitness site, but you would probably do well incorporating some packaged foods into your diet, like canned soups (that are not marked "low sodium" of course.) I notice when I eat packaged foods my sodium is always much higher than days when I eat "whole foods" or make everything myself. Best of luck to you!
  • dlkfox
    dlkfox Posts: 463 Member
    Soup, especially canned soups, are really high in sodium. Any vegetable or beans that are canned will be higher in sodium than frozen. Cheeses and deli meats have higher sodium. Spinach has a very little naturally occurring sodium. Low fat salad dressings will either have high sodium or high sugar, so take a look at labels.

    Now this one isn't really recommended but just for information's sake: pop tarts. So.much.salt.
  • Panda_Poptarts
    Panda_Poptarts Posts: 971 Member
    You could try sipping warm chicken broth.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited May 2016
    Eat a slice of pizza - about 900 mg of sodium.
    You don't ever eat processed foods or fast food?
    I have heard of this before, but it was a person with an eating disorder that only ate like 4 things.
  • dlkfox
    dlkfox Posts: 463 Member
    Salsa not homemade. Major sodium load.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    Just go ahead and make most recipes and add extra salt. At low to moderate amounts, salt doesn't make things taste salty, it amplifies the flavors already in the food. It's why so much processed food has it. Nothing says you can't add salt to everything you make. Could also add MSG to basically any savory dish for some extra flavor and extra sodium.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    I would eat ramen noodles all day, but that's me.
  • MichelleLea122
    MichelleLea122 Posts: 332 Member
    Bone broth is normally recommended as a pretty healthy way to increase sodium intake.
  • hebcy
    hebcy Posts: 4 Member
    I have something similar and the cardiologist said to just add a can of soup to my daily lunch routine. If you go with a Progresso Light it's typically under 300 calories and very filling. Also I have 2 slices of turkey bacon in the morning along with fruit and a protein muffin for an easy breakfast. :) Good luck!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    edited May 2016
    Do you have something like POTS? My wife does. For electrolyte balance, we use a few things: NUUN tablets, Emergen-C, and Nutriforce Balanced Hydration.

    She also adds salt to almost all foods, eat a lot of bacon, ham, luncheon meats, sausages, hot dogs, etc..
  • Rawr619
    Rawr619 Posts: 82 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    Do you have something like POTS? My wife does. For electrolyte balance, we use a few things: NUUN tablets, Emergen-C, and Nutriforce Balanced Hydration.

    She also adds salt to almost all foods, eat a lot of bacon, ham, luncheon meats, sausages, hot dogs, etc..

    I have neurocardiogenic syncope, it is similar to POTS. What are NUUN tablets?? It is just so frustrating because I usually eat pretty healthy (with occasional junk food thrown in there) but I just don't enjoy the taste of added salt to food. I like pizza and frozen food, but it's not healthy at all - I usually have those as a treat, not a staple in my diet.
  • Rawr619
    Rawr619 Posts: 82 Member
    JanetYellen wrote: »
    Eat a slice of pizza - about 900 mg of sodium.
    You don't ever eat processed foods or fast food?
    I have heard of this before, but it was a person with an eating disorder that only ate like 4 things.

    No eating disorder here, I eat a very wide variety of foods. I do eat processed foods, not fast food though (I find fast food just really unappealing).
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    Rawr619 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    Do you have something like POTS? My wife does. For electrolyte balance, we use a few things: NUUN tablets, Emergen-C, and Nutriforce Balanced Hydration.

    She also adds salt to almost all foods, eat a lot of bacon, ham, luncheon meats, sausages, hot dogs, etc..

    I have neurocardiogenic syncope, it is similar to POTS. What are NUUN tablets?? It is just so frustrating because I usually eat pretty healthy (with occasional junk food thrown in there) but I just don't enjoy the taste of added salt to food. I like pizza and frozen food, but it's not healthy at all - I usually have those as a treat, not a staple in my diet.

    They are tablets you put in water. Low calorie.

    http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/nuun-active-lemon-lime-8-tube-s/wl-1069#.VzXLoEZc7N4

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