When is too much salt...too much

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  • JewelLiz
    JewelLiz Posts: 15 Member
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    OK...so i found that the 2300 milligrams of required daily salt is equal to...you ready???? 1 TEASPOON of salt...so in that perspective, it isnt that much, just sounds like a lot when you put it in that perspective. Unless you are someone who is a salt junky...which I am not...
  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,416 Member
    edited November 2019
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    goldthistime wrote: »
    I'm interested in why they are reducing from 2300 to 1500. Is it just because our population is heavier now (ie more likely to have BP problems)?

    My BP is on the low side and I occasionally get dizzy for a few seconds when I stand up. From what I read, I should be trying to get more salt/sodium in my diet.

    Yeah, I also have orthostatic hypotension (Blood pressure drops when I change position - sitting to standing, mostly) and low blood pressure. One of my doctors was inquiring at one point about what was different between my diet in college when it was *not* a problem, and my new diet when it *was,* and the difference was "not living on ramen anymore."

    So, after a bit of giggling, the doctor advised me to eat a more salt, and have some ramen from time to time as I felt it was needed.

    When I camp, I usually have a few packs of ramen in my kit, for when the gatorade just isn't keeping up with my sweat output. When I stand up and sway a bit, my friends jokingly remind me to hit up the, "prescription ramen stash."
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    edited November 2019
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    I don't track sodium. I also don't have high BP and am not super active so I should be in the mid-range of sodium consumption. I DO try to eat reduced sodium and I have since college and a doctor recommended it to help manage PMS symptoms (now that I am post-menopausal I still do because I lost the taste for salty foods . . . except popcorn). Even though I don't track it, the info is still there in MFP and I check it occasionally. My days range from a little less than 1000 mg up to close to 3000 (average is about 1800) if I ate a lot of cheese or the aforementioned popcorn.

    My serum sodium ranges between 139 and 143 and is usually at 141 (normal range is 137-146) so my organs are doing their job filtering out excess while retaining the right amount.

    I find that I crave saltier foods when I am more active or it is really hot out. I am sure that is my body telling me to up the sodium a little so I can stay in balance.

    I found it easy to reduce sodium, mostly by not salting foods either while cooking or at the table. I flavor them with herbs and spices and even a steak or burger only needs some quality black pepper. Sandwich meat is usually reduced sodium or meat I cook and slice myself. I don't eat a lot of convenience foods like frozen dinners, but I also don't worry about the sodium content if I do because I don't add salt to other things. When I started eating lower sodium, there wasn't a lot of processed foods made reduced sodium (this WAS the mid 70's after all) but it was still easy.

    tl:dr Many do not have to worry about sodium but if you do, it is pretty easy to do and your taste buds adjust quickly.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    goldthistime wrote: »
    I'm interested in why they are reducing from 2300 to 1500. Is it just because our population is heavier now (ie more likely to have BP problems)?

    My BP is on the low side and I occasionally get dizzy for a few seconds when I stand up. From what I read, I should be trying to get more salt/sodium in my diet.

    Yes, when I was living at home with my health-conscious mother and presumably eating a lot less salt I had low BP and dizziness when I got up. Not an issue now that I am a salt-aholic.

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