Really low sodium

boniekatie
boniekatie Posts: 147
edited September 22 in Food and Nutrition
My doctor put me on an 600mg sodium diet. I have been doing this for about a week and a half and it has already lowered my blood pressure, which was the goal, but now she tells me I have to stay on it for a long time. This is going to be really hard for me. Any suggestions to help would be greatly appreciated.

Replies

  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    Found this on the internet...

    Fruits and Vegetables
    You can enjoy unlimited amounts of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, but you do need to check the packaging on frozen ones to be sure no salt or sodium has been added. You can also look for canned fruits and vegetables without any added salt. Not only will you be limiting your sodium intake, but you'll also be eating natural, vitamin-rich foods that can boost your health and energy level.

    Popcorn
    A favorite snack, air-popped popcorn is another no-sodium food that you can enjoy without worry. Eat it without added salt, of course.

    Unsalted Protein Sources
    Many unsalted nuts and seeds have no or very little sodium. In particular, walnuts and pecans have no sodium. Almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts and pistachios are other great choices.

    Sweets
    You might be happy to know that most chocolate has no or little sodium. Semi-sweet is best, but read the labels on chocolate chips or chocolate bars and you'll likely discover some sweet choices.

    Herbs and Spices
    Just because you're cutting out salt doesn't mean you have to sacrifice flavor. The following herbs and spices have no or negligible sodium: allspice, anise seed, basil, bay leaf, caraway seed, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, parsley, black and white pepper, rosemary, saffron, sage, tarragon and thyme.

    Rice
    Rice without added soy sauce is another good option for anyone on a low-sodium diet. Brown rice, in particular, is a healthy choice.


    Read more: List of No Sodium Foods | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_5902968_list-sodium-foods.html#ixzz12BMfafeY
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
  • sarahleelee
    sarahleelee Posts: 79 Member
    Stay away from any/all processed and canned foods! Fruits and vegetables have little or no sodium, and fresh, lean meats and fishes are on the lower end as well. For flavoring your food, the Mrs. Dash line of seasonings and marinades are AMAZING, super-tasty and completely sodium free! I use them on everything from veggies to chicken, egg whites and fish. Essentially, you just have to eat really clean, but it's possible to make really great-tasting food with no salt!

    I watch my sodium intake as have a hypersensitivity to sodium and my eyes, fingers and toes swell if I don't keep it in check. I've found that the MFP caloric tally is extremely helpful for watching it (if you don't already have it set, you can change your diary to include sodium).
  • cbirdso
    cbirdso Posts: 465 Member
    I have been on a low sodium 'diet' for the past 30 years. What I found helpful was that EVERYTHING I bought to eat at home had to be 'no salt or MSG added' AND I never used salt in anything I cooked. My family and guests were welcome to add however much they wanted at the table, but I served it without salt.

    I used to get a lot of rude comments by people who didn't know me very well when they saw I didn't add salt or mentioned I bought sodium free tomato paste, potato chips, peanut butter, chicken broth, etc, but I have gotten used to it and just say if something made you sick, you wouldn't eat it either.

    There used to be more products out there that were sodium free, like some Campbell's soups, but now I find I usually have to go to the health food section to find low or no sodium foods. As a result, I am more likely to make my own soups and casseroles. Also, it has gotten harder to find non-salty foods in chain restaurants, but Seattle has a lot of healthy cuisine places where they don't add an over abundance of salt in everything.

    I track salt in my food diary here and I usually don't have a problem keeping it really low.
  • nicolina823
    nicolina823 Posts: 450 Member
    Check out the 6 week body makeover recipe site from Michael Thurmond. There is also a cook book for it. Its a lot of protein meals and very very low sodium. Everything that they call for is less than 35mg of sodium. You could easily make them to suit your low sodium diet.

    I love the site and have made is recipies for years!
  • cbirdso
    cbirdso Posts: 465 Member
    I just glanced back at my food diary and I usually am not a low as 600mg so you do have your work cut out for you. Funnily enough, the days I had the most sodium were when I ate swiss chard, chicken, cantalope, beets (and beet greens), celery, and shrimp. I checked on the internet and yes, these are all naturally high in sodium.
    Here is the website: http://www.dietbites.com/sodium-in-foods/index.html
  • Thanks all of you for your comments. I have been doing mostly frozen or fresh vegies and chicken. I will check out those recipie sites. I was thrilled to find out that Larabars are low sodium. I do track my sodium on my MFP food diary now, I never did before, but I have found some of the entries have the sodium content off. Thanks again.
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