Do You Pay Attention To Sodium and Sugar Intake?

I am dieting to reduce my blood pressure. I am about 20 lbs above my desired weight and find that when I do not regulate sodium (like today), my blood pressure is elevated. I recently gave a kidney to a friend and as such have been more aware of things that high blood pressure are BAD for.

So, yes. Not consuming too much sodium in your diet is probably a good thing. I am guessing that the older you get, the worse it probably is for you (I am 52).

I don't watch or regulate my sugar intake as much. I think that if you are not too sedentary, and it sounds like you are NOT, that you will burn through the extra energy from sugars pretty quick.

No and no.

Like everyone commented, I watch my sodium more than sugar (most of which comes from fruit). Sodium to me means excessive water retention and upward mobility on the scale. Regardless of how old you are, I think one should pay particular attention to sodium intake.

I was curious how you could end up with high sodium and few processed foods so I took a peek at your diary, and much of your sodium is coming from what would usually be considered processed foods (lunchmeat, crackers, packaged meals, fast food, pizza, etc).

I know there are a number of pretty vocal MFP advocates of "sodium does not matter", but I don't agree. To me high sodium is a clear sign that I am having too much processed/less nutritious food, and I struggle with keeping the number down.

Sugar I haven't even tackled yet, that is a mountain I am not ready to climb at this point.

Im not sure about the other responses, but I would say if you live an active life, neither of these should be a concern. Sugar is fuel, and sodium is the transport of that fuel. Though if you believe you are eating way too much of either, then it becomes a matter of if you've set your allotments correctly, matched against your exercise expenditure.

I have started to keep my sodium and sugar levels within the limits and have seen the scales heading south. I used to eat a lot of brown bread, fruits and nuts thinking they were healthy, well they are in the right portions! I found I was getting excess sugars from the hidden sugars in the brand of bread I was using and the tangerines were very high in sugars also. Excess sodium and carbs were coming from the amount of nuts I was eating for my weekend treats, the sodium caused water retention.

I try to...but thats just for myself...i try to stay away from as much processed stuff as possible...but i do eat it sometimes...now sugar is usually from fruits so i usually dont worry about it...but i try to keep the sodium down...but this is just what works for me

I struggle with the sodium and sugar... I'm trying to keep down my processed foods... I totally jacked it up today and had ramen noodles for lunch because they sounded good! LOL I struggle with sugar the most, I have a sweet tooth. I know if I eat too much sodium I retain water weight..

I don't worry about sugar because it's all from my fruit, but sodium I do watch - not because it's that terrible to go over every now and then but if I consistently have too much sodium for a week or so, I put on weight. My body will start chronically holding onto water weight.

Agreed! I have a much easier time with weight loss if I watch my sodium, so I keep it on there. Sugars, though... I don't know how people can stay under on sugar.

Nope.

I track potassium and fiber instead.

Sugar can make you fat and has no nutritional value so the less of that the better. So sugar, if your healthy, isn't bad. Salt on the other hand may be. Even if your healthy as a younger person it can have effects on you later in life so to me salt Is bad.

Yes and no I am aware of what the levels are but my daily exercise and eating dictates where I feel I should be more than the Diary . I am getting into running more and more and when it is hot I am soaked shirt shorts right down to the socks and I have a need for alot more sodium than MFP allows for If I burn 1200 calories on a 2 hour run it adjusts my macros for carbs protein fats etc but doesnt do a thing for sodium so I eat more salty foods at that time also take a few supplements to provide other minerals such as potassium and magnesium.
I drink alot more water when exercising and that flushes out sodium as well as the sweat does
As far as sugar alot of mine comes from fruits so I watch it but it doesnt really concern me if I am over

I pay attention to my sodium merely out of curiousity, especially a day or two before my weigh in since it does seem to effect my weight. I do keep in mind that it is only temporary though..

Some people absolutely do need to pay attention to sodium, and some people do not. It's something to try if you have high blood pressure, to see if limiting your salt intake helps.