Tips and Hints

julieworley376

For those on low sodium

I have found the only diet cola that is sodium free is Dietrite Zero.

I cook with Mrs. Dash flavorings instead of salt now but would love other ideas.

I find the sodium content part of the food diary here invaluable.

Sodium is in everything! I think I spend more time looking at labels for sodium now than I do fat or calories, sodium and sugar are what grab my attention. Even lunch meats are hard to buy now.

shredded wheat is an awesome breakfast food and I used to HATE it.

Sandyslosenit

A few tips I use :
Drink plunty of water spread out over the day
eat every 3 to 4 hours
Get in plenty of fiber
When I feel famished, but I just ate! I drink a cup of hot tea. There is such a large verity, it would take a lifetime to try them all.
Get plenty of rest.
Calcium 80-100% everyday!!! Protect those bones.
Blessings :flowerforyou:

julieworley376

Sandy.. as a die hard Indian tea drinking Brit I am just getting turned on to all those different flavored hot teas and you are right, they are very satisfying and comforting, to me they feel like a treat but 0 calories!

KarenZen

Julie, do you watch sodium mainly for fluid retention? I'm curious because I also take lasix (water pill) and although sodium affects my fluid, puffiness, and edema, I've found that carbs do more. If I have been eating carbs, even good ones like whole grain bread and pasta, and then de-carb for a few days (staying under 20 grams--so something like phase one of the south beach diet)--I dump 10-12 pounds of water weight within four days. If I stay low carb, it stays off. I have no idea why my body does this, maybe gluten sensitivity? I need to research.

julieworley376

Yes I do Karen. I have always had a tendency to swell up and I think I do that with sugar too, although it has been said that sodium is in the sugar products and it is actually that causing the problem. I started to get alarmed when I realized my left side was worse than my right and I was feeling tight to the top of my thighs. It soon became obvious that I had fluid in my lungs and also in my face. My Doctor sent me for a heart ultrasound and it showed a stretched left ventricle which they believe was caused by undiagnosed sleep apnea. Apparently something called the ejection fraction is good and so are my bloods which lead them to believe I don't have heart failure. I suspect I do have the beginnings of it. At any rate the cure they gave me was lose weight and exercise. The Doctor said it was possible that the stretched ventricle is making the fluid issue a bit worse because my heart is not pumping as efficiently as it could.. same answer.. furosemide for as long as I need to have it and diet and exercise to reduce the load on my system.

It really scared me.

Perhaps that is why I am on this mission to help others.

I do love carbs Karen so I will try cutting those and see if that also helps me.