Going Over My Sodium Limit

JBG1987

Hello Everyone,

I am having a hard time staying under my sodium limit for the day and it seems to be a few specific foods that I have always been told are "healthy." String cheese, cottage cheese (really cheese of any kind) and bread seem to be my biggest issue. It seems like every time I make a sandwich with cottage cheese on the side my sodium in in the red zone already.

1.) Is 2500mg considered "low sodium" or is that the standard? I have no idea how I was staying anywhere near that before I started being much more conscious of my intake.

2.) Also, if my diet is higher than my recommended limit what kind of repercussions am I going to face? Heart disease? Dehydration? Water retention? Difficulty losing weight?

3.) If my main focus is to lose weight, is going over my daily sodium allowance ok for now?

4.) Is it just the "diet" food that is so salty?

My diary is public if anyone cares to take a peek. The high sodium in my foods makes it really difficult to eat all of my calories for the day because it seems like just a few items make my sodium skyrocket.

tweakz20

This is my third time responding to a "sodium" thread today... Popular topic today..

1.) 1500 mg is the recommended daily limit of sodium by the American Heart Association. Try not going higher.

2.) Hypertension from fluid retention that can result in stroke, heart disease, and kidney problems. Normal blood pressure is 120/80. Get your blood pressure checked, if it's high (above 140 systolic), you really need to cut back or you may need to start going on high blood pressure medications.

3.) Issue with sodium is health concerns, not really weight. You'll retain some water with high sodium but that's not the main concern.

4.) Processed and restaurant food is high in sodium. "Diet" food is a label put on that isn't always correct. Look at Diet Coke, people on a real healthy diet shouldn't be anywhere near that stuff.

JBG1987

Hey thanks for the response.

I just recently went to the doctor, blood pressure is fine and no pop at all for me. We rarely eat out, maybe once a month.

1500 seems so, so low. Most of the veggies I eat are so low in calories, I find myself trying to find other things more calorie dense just to meet my limit, or at least get close each day. Even whole wheat pasta...I like to have it the night before a run, but again super high in sodium.

I'm finding anything labeled "Low Fat" or "Fat Free" means lots and lots of sodium. So I guess I just take my pick...

TheArmadillo

you're eating a lot of processed foods
processed foods = high sodium

also tuna even in water tends to have quite a lot of salt - tuna in olive or sunflower oil is better (you can drain the oil off).

try replacing some of your wheat based foods (which have sodium added - often quite a lot) with other carbs that are unprocessed such as potatoes or sweet potatoes, or brown rice.

rather than buying a tomato sauce with lots of added salt, you can quick and easily make one (you can bulk make and freeze for quick meals) with tinned tomatoes or passata (sieved tomatoes) wtih onion/garlic/olive oil and then whichever herbs/spices you prefer.

snack bars/cakes/jellies - all the treat stuff has a lot of sodium in as well. Replace with homemade versions or even fresh fruit/veg/boiled eggs.

each item may not look like much sodium on its own but it quickly adds up.

JBG1987

try replacing some of your wheat based foods (which have sodium added - often quite a lot) with other carbs that are unprocessed such as potatoes or sweet potatoes, or brown rice.

snack bars/cakes/jellies - all the treat stuff has a lot of sodium in as well. Replace with homemade versions or even fresh fruit/veg/boiled eggs.

Hard boiled eggs and brown rice are a good idea...I'll do that this week.

I have always been told that potatoes are terrible for you though. My uncle is diabetic and his doctor told him that is the last thing he should ever eat because it turns into pure sure and makes his blood sugar go crazy. Whether that is better or worse than something processed with lots of salt...no idea...