Anyone not counting sodium?
Replies
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My sodium is almost always over, but my BP is always good. Just checked it the other day as a matter of fact. Just opened up my diary today and people are saying I need to cut it down.0
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It's harder on your kidneys if you take in too much sodium, and to balance it out your body will retain water, which will raise your blood pressure.
There are affordable low-sodium foods you can buy, even canned and frozen. Frozen vegetables, frozen fruits are low sodium. You can make your own soup stock and freeze it.
Why wait for a sodium-related health problem to creep up instead of preventing it in the first place? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right? On that note, it's no more expensive to eat healthily than it is to eat poorly, although it depends on how you measure cost: http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib-economic-information-bulletin/eib96/report-summary.aspx#.UZroPb-XvzI
And even if healthy food is even minutely more expensive, you're balancing the cost. Think of it this way: buy cheap unhealthy food now, pay for the health detriments later; buy slightly more expensive food now, don't have negative health effects later from diet.
Food for thought?0 -
I was concerned about it, even though my mom's friend who is a nurse said that I shouldn't be - that in fact she considers 2300 mg sodium a day to be the *minimum* healthy adults should consume. I figured she must be wrong, but now I'm not so sure, especially since reading this article: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/study-questions-sharply-us-cut-salt-19176402#.UZO0YSvEpnd.0
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It's harder on your kidneys if you take in too much sodium, and to balance it out your body will retain water, which will raise your blood pressure.
There are affordable low-sodium foods you can buy, even canned and frozen. Frozen vegetables, frozen fruits are low sodium. You can make your own soup stock and freeze it.
Why wait for a sodium-related health problem to creep up instead of preventing it in the first place? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right? On that note, it's no more expensive to eat healthily than it is to eat poorly, although it depends on how you measure cost: http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib-economic-information-bulletin/eib96/report-summary.aspx#.UZroPb-XvzI
And even if healthy food is even minutely more expensive, you're balancing the cost. Think of it this way: buy cheap unhealthy food now, pay for the health detriments later; buy slightly more expensive food now, don't have negative health effects later from diet.
Food for thought?
I did not have a medical problem --didnt track suger or salt --now I do have a problem and both of these and they are a major contributer to the problems I have --Wished I'd paid more attention -now I have to take steps to control it-- a total life change--Then wait till your insurance picks up on the problem you may or may not have and try switching insurance companys0 -
It's harder on your kidneys if you take in too much sodium, and to balance it out your body will retain water, which will raise your blood pressure.
There are affordable low-sodium foods you can buy, even canned and frozen. Frozen vegetables, frozen fruits are low sodium. You can make your own soup stock and freeze it.
Why wait for a sodium-related health problem to creep up instead of preventing it in the first place? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right? On that note, it's no more expensive to eat healthily than it is to eat poorly, although it depends on how you measure cost: http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib-economic-information-bulletin/eib96/report-summary.aspx#.UZroPb-XvzI
And even if healthy food is even minutely more expensive, you're balancing the cost. Think of it this way: buy cheap unhealthy food now, pay for the health detriments later; buy slightly more expensive food now, don't have negative health effects later from diet.
Food for thought?
I did not have a medical problem --didnt track suger or salt --now I do have a problem and both of these and they are a major contributer to the problems I have --Wished I'd paid more attention -now I have to take steps to control it-- a total life change--Then wait till your insurance picks up on the problem you may or may not have and try switching insurance companys
I'm so sorry you are dealing with that. Unfortunately, the way our healthcare system is organized, the focus is on treatment/cure and not prevention, because that's how the insurance companies and pharmaceuticals make their money. And they run the show. But you are taking steps now to manage those health issues, and perhaps reverse them if possible. Go you!0 -
I am very sodium conscious. I try to stay under 1000mg a day. It's actually very easy once you get used to it. I make my own bread that has only 7mg per slice. I keep away from egg yolks and most processed foods.0
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I never (ever) count my sodium.
Recently went to korea for a month and my sodium content definitely went through the roof. Came back 8 pounds lighter and had to regain it. My cholesterol level also stayed the same, but never usually budges.0 -
I was concerned about it, even though my mom's friend who is a nurse said that I shouldn't be - that in fact she considers 2300 mg sodium a day to be the *minimum* healthy adults should consume. I figured she must be wrong, but now I'm not so sure, especially since reading this article: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/study-questions-sharply-us-cut-salt-19176402#.UZO0YSvEpnd.
Of course some sodium is necessary in the diet. It is the most common and most important cation in the human body and it's necessary for proper CNS function. But so are macronutrients such as fats, carbohydrates, proteins.... All in moderation. Which I realize is what is being debated in the article - how much is too little, how much is too much? However, the fact remains that we consume a gross amount of processed foods which inherently contain high amounts of sodium per serving. And are we truly paying attention to serving sizes? Obviously those of us on MFP are, but the general public for the most part has difficulty identifying a true "portion size" as specified on already hard-to-read nutrition labels.
A no-salt diet would be a poor diet, just as a no-fat diet would be a poor diet, and a no-carb diet. I think the meat of the article is stated here:
"The average American consumes more than 3,400 mg of sodium a day, equivalent to 1 ½ teaspoons. Current U.S. dietary guidelines say most people should limit that to 2,300 mg a day, while certain people — those older than 50, African-Americans, and people with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease — should aim for just 1,500 mg."
In those over 50, African-Americans, people with hypertension (and family history of hypertension), diabetes (and family history of diabetes) and/or chronic kidney disease, kidney function is diminished. High sodium intake has damaging effects on the kidneys, which in the aforementioned populations are already damaged or at high risk for damage. Do all people need to limit salt intake to 1500 mg per day? No. But at-risk populations should. The rest of us should be fine below 2300mg, but above 1500mg.0 -
This may be a dumb question, but I always do my best to stay under sodium intake. So much that I'm starting to obsess/stress about it. I've always had good BP, even when I was pregnant. So, should I be so worried about the sodium? Don't worry, not wanting to go over by 3,000mg daily or anything like that. Just don't want to be so blah about the red negative on my diary. I also of course know about the whole processed thing, but my family is on a tight budget and the only produce we have to choose from is Wal-Mart where we live. Let me tell ya, that's not always the best place to have to rely on fresh fruits and veggies... :ohwell:
Once in a while it happens. Don't worry too much about going over sodium. This is your life, after all! Sometimes you eat out, have social times and parties, etc.
My nutritionist taught me that if a person doesn't have heart disease or high blood pressure, then your body can excrete excess sodium if you eat enough potassium. So I have my potassium column right next to sodium in my diary and I try to always eat more potassium than sodium. Especially on a day when I have high sodium I amp up the potassium and I have never had water weight or bloating. In fact just last week at the doctor I had my best blood pressure reading all year!
For me, sodium is one way of keeping myself on track about eating clean. When my sodium gets too high I check my diary and sure enough: processed foods and restaurant foods.... Which is fine once in a while, but I keep an eye on my sodium as one way of keeping an eye on the quality of my daily diet.0 -
For me, sodium is one way of keeping myself on track about eating clean. When my sodium gets too high I check my diary and sure enough: processed foods and restaurant foods.... Which is fine once in a while, but I keep an eye on my sodium as one way of keeping an eye on the quality of my daily diet.
^^^^ Exactly. Once in awhile, fine. I've worked in quite a few restaurants. The better -and honest- chefs will tell you that chefs who overly salt their food are compensating for a lack of quality of the ingredients and their lack of skill in the kitchen.0 -
I didn't for a whole year because I wanted to concentrate on learning how to eat less without the stress of all the extra stuff. But hypertension runs in my family so it's something I need to cut back on. (I'm a sodium and MSG addict .__.) Recently started tracking it.0
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I don't. I'm young, healthy, and have exceptionally low blood pressure. Actually, there are more people that are not sensitive to salt than those that are. But there are no simple tests to tell whether or not you're sensitive, so health professionals just recommend that everyone cuts back.0
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I have to keep track of mine. If I don't, I don't lose. I have other friends who don't track it, and would be way over if they did track it (soups, lunchmeats) and they still lose like nobody's business. Guess it's different for everyone. I have become to obsess about it, but I consider it a good thing. I've come to love no salt ketchup, and a lot of lower salt varieties including lunchmeats and tuna. But if it bothers you try to not track it for a week or two and see how it goes, you may be one of the lucky ones that it doesn't have to be monitored so badly like mine is XD
Also price match at walmart! I always price match my veggies there. Especially the green beans. I used to shop at like 3 different stores, now walmart is pretty much all I shop at. Even with canned veggies washing them can eliminate some of the sodium and there are salt free varieties in canned food that you can salt afterward to your liking
But I strongly suggest the price matching 0 -
My mom and I didn't pay particular attention to the sodium levels in our foods and we make everything home made and rarely ate out.; we thought we did it all pretty healthy. We don't have any issues in our family history but then she went into flash pulmonary edema Her sodium levels were elevated and her potassium was incredibly low. It is just as important to watch your sodium as calories, fatty foods and sugar. Because her sodium levels were so high she was retaining so much fluid that is was causing stress on her heart and lungs. I went and checked and my levels are fine, but I am still aware and I manage and keep a safe balanced in take of sodium.
You don't have to be anal about it, but at least keep track of what your eating. It should come along with eating healthy, but for those of you who say you go over, due be careful. If you notice a sudden sluggish feeling or excessive water weight gain get checked out.0 -
I feel if you don't normally eat high sodium foods, don't have a condition that mandates you watch your sodium intake, AND aren't in the habit of adding table salt to food, there is no need to track it. I track sugar instead, but that's always been my Achilles Heel.
Well..I posted this before seeing Mego's post. Obviously, it is an important thing to keep reading labels before you buy or consume things. For MFP purposes, I just don't track it, because I don't normally eat things that are high in sodium. Although, *HINT* if MFP would allow us to have an extra tracking category, then I would track it as well.0 -
yes im always under my sodium by like 1000 + not sure if that's a good thing or not though??0
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I only have MFPshowing my calories, carbs, fat and protein. My main goal at the moment is to up my protein though as I was eating less than 20g per day. Maybe once I've tackled eating more protein I will take a look at my sodium though0
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