Is anyone else here VERY salt sensitive?

libbyviolet
libbyviolet Posts: 8
in Food and Nutrition
I have been having issues with sodium my whole life (bloating, puffiness, heaviness) and it is soooo hard to cut that craving for chips or whatever.
How do you guys help salt cravings??

Replies

  • hseipel12
    hseipel12 Posts: 26
    I had to cut down on salt in my diet for medical reasons. It is extremely challenging. About the best thing I've learned is to substute salt for spicy. Or if you cut down on salt in your diet everywhere else you can indulge in a chip or two here and there.
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
    I have to watch my sodium. Best thing to do is to add sodium to your MFP log and then notice which foods are nuking your budget. I found that using corn tortillas instead of bread helps a bit. I almost never use pre-packaged soups or soup mixes anymore, opting to make my soups from scratch. Also, adding lemon juice (or other sour things) to some recipes can reduce the need for salt. The suggestion to add spicy flavors is also a good one. Don't cut your salt intake too low. Your body does actually NEED a certain amount.
  • talasilaa
    talasilaa Posts: 2
    Hi,

    I empathize with you, I had a horrible time in my early twenties with salt and my health. It is a lifestyle change which will benefit you in the long run and which is very hard to make. Be patient with yourself and keep trying
    I am very salt sensitive, the best strategies to cut salt out are
    - not buying processed food or reducing the purchase of anything that comes in a can or box like canned good, boxed cereals, frozen meals
    - cooking more simple meals at home - ex microwaving sweet potato and steaming veggies
    - avoid chinese, japanese and fast food
    - I eat my most fav fruit when I have a craving or cook low sodium version of what I am craving
    - frying chips at home takes so much less salt than buying potato chips
    - going to farmers market and purchasing few whole meals and groceries
    - eating out 1 to 2 times a week and eating at places that take pride in providing a balanced meal and source the ingredients locally
    - look at it one meal at a time and start with fruits for breakfast or ending with fruit for dinner

    Hope the above helps
  • libbyviolet
    libbyviolet Posts: 8
    thank you all so much! very good ideas i will all start to do! immediately!
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    you have to eat at least 500mg of sodium a day unless you live in a hot climate then it is more.

    how much are you currently having that causes you to swell up like this?
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member
    I'm fine until I eat processed food. Domino's pizza makes me gain 2lb overnight, just due to the high salt content! I drink lots of water and it's gone by the next day but it's not good I'm sure!
  • ixchelkeshet
    ixchelkeshet Posts: 36 Member
    This is an old thread. There must not be many of us. I am salt-sensitive. I hold water so easily. It used to just be my legs. But now I awaken with a swollen face if I have too much salt. I have multiple food sensitivities, so eating dairy substitutes, for example, can put me in fluid retention mode. While generally trying to avoid it, I hadn't yet thought of the question asked here by gigglesinthesun, "How much salt are you eating that is too much?" That is such a great question. I have been assuming that simply having any processed foods is too much. That may be true, but by asking the question of "How much is too much so that I retain fluid overnight," I will be able to find out. The wisdom of logging works for answering other questions, such as "How much sugar is too much so that I get overly hungry?" So, logging against an outcome will help identify what the salt ingestion cutpoint is as well. Thank you gigglesinthesun!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    ixchelkeshet wrote: »
    This is an old thread. There must not be many of us. I am salt-sensitive. I hold water so easily. It used to just be my legs. But now I awaken with a swollen face if I have too much salt. I have multiple food sensitivities, so eating dairy substitutes, for example, can put me in fluid retention mode. While generally trying to avoid it, I hadn't yet thought of the question asked here by gigglesinthesun, "How much salt are you eating that is too much?" That is such a great question. I have been assuming that simply having any processed foods is too much. That may be true, but by asking the question of "How much is too much so that I retain fluid overnight," I will be able to find out. The wisdom of logging works for answering other questions, such as "How much sugar is too much so that I get overly hungry?" So, logging against an outcome will help identify what the salt ingestion cutpoint is as well. Thank you gigglesinthesun!

    Another question to consider is how many carbs are you eating? Carbs store water which store electrolytes (sodium is one of those). The more carbs you consume, the more water you will retain. There is also a consideration of magnesium and potassium as they balance effects of sodium (something ultra processed foods have very little of). It might be worth experimenting with reducing carbs to see if sodium has just as big as an impact. I know when i am following a Keto diet, i can consume and do consume 5000mg+ of sodium to help maintain electrolyte balance and it has never impacted my weight or made me feel puffy. This isn't the same as when i follow high carb diets.

  • Justin_7272
    Justin_7272 Posts: 341 Member
    NuSalt

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