How to lower sodium in diet

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AverageVillageBoy
AverageVillageBoy Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
MFP is telling me I should be aiming for 2300mg but I'm currently hitting 2600mg, does this matter? I'm not sure how I can actually lower it without affecting my macros. I don't add salt to any of my food yet I'm still at 2600mg. Any bad effects I should be wary of if I stay at 2600mg per day?

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  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    AverageVillageBoy wrote: »
    MFP is telling me I should be aiming for 2300mg but I'm currently hitting 2600mg, does this matter? I'm not sure how I can actually lower it without affecting my macros. I don't add salt to any of my food yet I'm still at 2600mg. Any bad effects I should be wary of if I stay at 2600mg per day?

    I wouldn't worry about an extra 300 mg unless your doctor says you need to.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
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    There are a few medical conditions that need lower sodium. If your doctor hasn't told you anything, 2600 is actually better than most people. 2300 is the recommendation by the American heart association.
  • annacole94
    annacole94 Posts: 997 Member
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    As for how to lower it: cook. I rarely go over on sodium and if I do, I either made a dish heavy in soya sauce, or I ate pre-made or restaurant food.
  • kassierodriguez1
    kassierodriguez1 Posts: 357 Member
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    If you really want to lower it then just eat a lot of Whole Foods. Nothing processed. I struggle getting my sodium high enough. I tend to be under 1,000. So I have to up it most days.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
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    kassierodriguez1 wrote: »
    If you really want to lower it then just eat a lot of Whole Foods. Nothing processed. I struggle getting my sodium high enough. I tend to be under 1,000. So I have to up it most days.

    500-700 is minimum. You are fine unless your doctor wants you eating more.
  • kassierodriguez1
    kassierodriguez1 Posts: 357 Member
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    I started to notice I needed more. I was getting dizzy. The sort of dizzy where everything would go black and I would have to stop what I was doing to make sure I wouldn't faint. I brought my sodium up and it hasn't happened since. So I'm pretty sure it was too little sodium for me.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
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    kassierodriguez1 wrote: »
    I started to notice I needed more. I was getting dizzy. The sort of dizzy where everything would go black and I would have to stop what I was doing to make sure I wouldn't faint. I brought my sodium up and it hasn't happened since. So I'm pretty sure it was too little sodium for me.

    Good.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,682 Member
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    When my husband was having issues with Meuniere's, he was told to lower his sodium. I found it really hard because everything at all processed contains it: soup, canned tomatoes, canned beans, frozen foods, baked goods, sauces, etc. Restaurant meals are notorious for their high sodium content. We were able to cut back, by limiting meals out and reading a lot of labels. In the end, it didn't make a difference so we went back to eating 'normally', but I do pay more attention to sodium and try to restrict it wherever possible.
  • slowbubblecar
    slowbubblecar Posts: 91 Member
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    Just drink a lot of water. I don't really care about my sodium levels, but I drink a lot of water too. I wouldn't be worried at all being a few hundred mg over-even if it was every day.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,027 Member
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    kassierodriguez1 wrote: »
    I started to notice I needed more. I was getting dizzy. The sort of dizzy where everything would go black and I would have to stop what I was doing to make sure I wouldn't faint. I brought my sodium up and it hasn't happened since. So I'm pretty sure it was too little sodium for me.

    Yup ... me too.

    I eat a lot of fruit, veg, yogurt, grains, chicken etc. There's a bit of sodium in some of those things, but some days it just wasn't enough. I started salting my veggies.

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