Plz Help "Sodium"

mmonica

I'm really confused with Sodium! What is it? What does it do to your body? Does it affect your weight if you have to much of it?
Thanks in advance!

Edestiny7

Check out the American Heart Association webpage on sodium. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4708
They recommend everyone limit their sodium (salt) consumption to 1500 mg. a day. That is what I have my goal set to.

NutritionDivaRD

Sodium helps regulate blood volume and aids in nerve impulse conduction and muscle contraction control. Therefore isolated incidences of excessive sodium intake results in edema (fluid retention) which puts stress on the cardiovascular system. Typically the kidneys compensate by excreting the resulting excess fluid. However, persistent excessive consumption greatly increases the risk of hypertension. Doctors and dietitians usually recommend no more than 2400 mg of sodium per day for the general population. I think MFP puts the maximum at 2500 mg per day.

You should be particularly vigilant about watching your sodium intake if there is a history of heart disease or renal disease in your family. I have worked with individuals on hemodialysis before. It is eye-opening for sure and makes one want to be particularly careful about sodium intake. It is not something to take lightly.

Prepackaged and processed foods have a high sodium content (sodium is a preservative) as well as canned foods. Try eat foods you have prepared yourself and eat lots of fruits and veggies. You can't avoid sodium, but you CAN keep your intake under control.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

P.S. Definitely check out the website for the American Heart Association....great advice!

therobinator

I'm really confused with Sodium! What is it? What does it do to your body? Does it affect your weight if you have to much of it?
Thanks in advance!

Sodium is salt. It's pretty much in everything, but most especially and terribly in prepackaged foods. You do need to have some sodium for your body to function properly (most people will get plenty just by the foods they eat - without adding any table salt at all), but too much can cause vascular problems, as well as water weight gain. Hope that helps!

mmonica

Thank YOu all! :bigsmile:

Happyoceangirl

Check out the American Heart Association webpage on sodium. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4708
They recommend everyone limit their sodium (salt) consumption to 1500 mg. a day. That is what I have my goal set to.

First, thank you to the original poster for this thread... it seems it may be time for me to open my eyes to the sodium issue.

And thank you for this article. The sodium equivalents:

1/4 teaspoon salt = 600 mg sodium

1/2 teaspoon salt = 1,200 mg sodium

3/4 teaspoon salt = 1,800 mg sodium

1 teaspoon salt = 2,300 mg sodium

1 teaspoon baking soda= 1,000 mg sodium

This is pretty mind blowing if the daily recommended limit is 1500 mg.... (Most Americans eat an average of 3436 mg a day, according to the article). Wow.

gnrshelton

After my father had his bypass surgery they recommended no more then 2000mg of salt. I basically go by that and don't add salt to anything. There is enough in your everyday food.