What to do when I KNOW I'm getting too much sodium...

romanaXOX

So I have a few foods (like my salsa and hot sauce) that I eat a ton of but I know they are super high in sodium. I'm currently looking for some lower sodium ones but in the mean time I was wondering.... on occasions where you know you're eating a ton of sodium is there a way to combat this?? Drinking a ton of water I know eventually flushes it out but then I'm stuck with water bloat.

Does exercising and sweating it out work??

lynleeg88

I do not have the answer for you. But I would also like to know a smart low calorie snack for when the cravings do get high. I think popcorn is a good one?

Warning though, I just discovered last night my 5 calories pickles I ate, hiiiiigh in sodium! Three put you at 1,200! I am so disappointed.

romanaXOX

omg!!! I LOVE pickles... even the low in sodium ones are a pretty brutal kick in the pants so I had to lay off those too ....

I've tried raw cucumber that I make like a little dip of plain low fat yoghurt and dill. but that's a lot more work than opening a pickle jar lol

lebbyloses

I just drink a lot of water and don't worry about it. I don't have high blood pressure, and I've read that only a small subset of those who do are actually sensitive to sodium (most people don't seem affected by it). If you are sodium-sensitive, ignore this, but otherwise just drink water and avoid processed foods where you can.

Btw, homemade salsa is amazingly better tasting if you have time to make it, and it's lower in sodium. So if you do want an alternative, you could just make it.

Huffdogg

The only thing that's important about sodium is that it is balanced with potassium. So honestly it doesn't matter if you have high sodium if you also have high potassium. Unfortunately, for some stupid reason, Potassium isn't a required food label item, so it's hit and miss whether or not foods will list it. Usually only the ones that can "show off" high potassium levels. But Spinach, bananas, and pretty much all meats have good amounts in them.

lynn_glenmont

Exercise is great, but I wouldn't rely on it as a method of regulating sodium (not likely to have a huge effect with a "normal" amount of exercise, or, if you go at it really aggressively, there's the potential to overdo and leave yourself with too little sodium, which could send you to the emergency room). Just do your normal exercising and drink adequate amounts of water or other non-alcoholic drinks (b/c alcohol is dehydrating, exacerbating the sodium imbalance), eat some potassium-rich foods, and don't stress about it too much if you don't have a medical reason for reducing your sodium. (If you're only worried about it because of "bloating," realize that this is not a finite problem -- barring some real medical issue, your body is only going to retain so much extra water; it won't keep adding extra water pounds week after week, month after month, although you might see the same water weight cycle on and off over that period.) Making your own salsa is a good idea -- it will probably taste better, anyway.

lynn1982

Drink water with lemon. And lots of it.

GGDaddy

Two things to do, best in tandem:

1) lots of water, like you said

2) don't worry about it, unless a medical reason to be concerned. The extra water weight will be there for 2,3 maybe 4,5 days, but then it will be as if it had never happened.

257_Lag

Remind yourself that it's just a temporary gain. Drink lots of water and hunt down foods high in potassium. I just had a week's vacation with super high sodium and I feel like a blimp but in a few days I will feel better and will have actually lost a little during the week off.

Stripeness

I just drink a lot of water and don't worry about it. I don't have high blood pressure, and I've read that only a small subset of those who do are actually sensitive to sodium (most people don't seem affected by it). If you are sodium-sensitive, ignore this, but otherwise just drink water and avoid processed foods where you can.

Btw, homemade salsa is amazingly better tasting if you have time to make it, and it's lower in sodium. So if you do want an alternative, you could just make it.

+1 on all counts!

(& I'm a big fan of YMMV - if you have water retention issues, by all means see if this helps. My diary's open, so you can see I take in quite a bit of sodium, yet don't seem to have the "sodium bloat" people talk about. Not saying it's not real, just that we really are all different. Good luck!)

DatMurse

your body auto regulates sodium over a few days. dont worry and drink adequate water

loubidy

HOMEMADE!!!

There is a lot of extra salt is shop bought compared to what you'd add if you made it at home like a massive difference!

laurelobrien

most young people really have to try hard to have 'too much sodium'. though i guess like you said, you're unhappy and feeling bloated...

1. drink lots of water
2. find low sodium substitutes
3. work up a sweat
4. consume more potassium

personally i'm a proponent of consuming lots of sodium, but if you also eat moderate or high carb then yeah you're gonna get some uncomfortable bloating.

romanaXOX

Thanks so much for the input.... I'm definitely down for making my own home made salsa - I think I might just have to bite the bullet and do that.

Anyone know what effect the potassium has exactly and why?? I like knowing how things work lol

romanaXOX

Also fortunately (maybe) I have pretty low blood pressure usually ..... but I honestly feel huge puffiness and I can see a dramatic affect on my tummy line if I over do it with the sodium... It's sort of a hard balance I'm trying to find...

Huffdogg

Thanks so much for the input.... I'm definitely down for making my own home made salsa - I think I might just have to bite the bullet and do that.

Anyone know what effect the potassium has exactly and why?? I like knowing how things work lol

http://www.livestrong.com/article/507014-the-relationship-between-potassium-and-sodium/

Basically they need one another.