Sodium question

wilted6orchid
wilted6orchid Posts: 423 Member
edited September 22 in Food and Nutrition
I have been on this site for quite some time, and I know ya'll will help if you can so I'll shoot. I've been looking through my food journal and I usually consume about 500-1000 (I guess) mg of sodium a day. I know you don't want your sodium too high because of high blood pressure, but while working out and sweating...is there a low that we should worry about? How much sodium is too little??

Replies

  • silveryflutterby
    silveryflutterby Posts: 335
    I can't answer your question, but how on earth do you stay under 1000 mg a day? You must share your secret with me! ;) Sodium is where I have my main problems. I'm always over and usually by about 500-1000. The only way I come in under is if I am under 1200 on my calories, which doesn't work...even if you are a little low it'll be WAY easier to add a little sodium in than to take it out! lol.
  • BigGail
    BigGail Posts: 465 Member
    Found this

    http://www.annecollins.com/sodium-rda-diet.htm

    Your sodium sounds fine, however, if you're worried, go see the doc.

    Good luck x
  • wilted6orchid
    wilted6orchid Posts: 423 Member
    I don't know. We eat mostly unprocessed foods. I'm a stay-at-home mom so most everything I cook is from scratch. I try not to add salt, or seasoning with salt until after I'm done cooking. I use Mrs. Dash while cooking, or fresh herbs or straight up spices like paprika. If I want to add salt I do it at the table, just one or two shakes with the shaker. If I'm making Puerto Rican food, and I'm using my favorite seasoning Adobo (which has salt in it) I add it in the very last seconds before setting the meat on the plate. I get more of the flavor that way, also...just my opinion it keeps the meat more moist.
  • omid990
    omid990 Posts: 785 Member
    too little sodium can definitely be a problem. it an electrolyte and its needed in our bodies for ion balance and is used by every cell in our body for every physiological process.

    the minimum amount a person should have in their diet varies so i would talk to a doctor about the exact amount. 1000 should definitely be ok. 500 is on the low end but i don't think its dangerous as long as you don't go much lower.
  • wilted6orchid
    wilted6orchid Posts: 423 Member
    Thanks Big Gail,
    Note: Sodium Deficiency
    Sodium deficiency is not common but can occur during heavy/prolonged exercise, due to loss in sweat and in high temperatures. Signs of sodium deficiency include: cramps, weakness, fatigue, nausea and thirst.

    I have yet to find a site that shows what the low numbers are...
  • gethealthyincali
    gethealthyincali Posts: 12
    If you start to feel weak or sick you can have your doc check your sodium level. I used to keep mine that low with no problems; however, I'm salt/sodium sensitive so I know I have a problem with it.

    Silverflutterby, if you need to keep yours really low, here's a guy that publishes lots of really low sodium recipes, even has a recipe for making your own low sodium soy sauce! His name is **** Logue - it's free - here's a link to a word doc of the last recipes I got from him (not sure if we're allowed to put other url's in here - if it gets blanked out send me a message and I'll send to you directly).

    This week's recipes:
    - Seafood Stew
    - Soft Breadsticks
    - Leftover Cranberry Muffins
    - Impossible Pizza Pie
    - Caramel Apple Dessert
    - Braised Pork Chops And Cabbage
    - Italian Veggie Noodles

    online in Microsoft Word format at
    http://www.lowsodiumcooking.com/free/Recipes121710.doc

    I also use www.allrecipes.com to try to find recipes by putting in sodium as a criteria; however, you have to read them carefully - alot of the ones in the healthy section aren't really healthy - I guess it's up to the contributor to classify so sometimes they are wrong.

    I can find the recipes but haven't' found anyone to cook them for me :)
  • BoresEasily
    BoresEasily Posts: 582
    I know that if you're an athlete you obviously need more and endurance athletes especially but as for how low is too low I'm not really sure but I'm curious to find out if anyone has an answer.
  • silveryflutterby
    silveryflutterby Posts: 335
    Thank you wilted6orchid and gethealthyincali. Yeah, processed foods are my problem, but I also am not a huge fan of cooking to elaborately. I don't like to spend too long on something. I'm gonna just have to deal with the excess sodium or make myself start cooking more from scratch...I need a chef! lol. Like Curtis Stone.... :)
  • JustDoIt1973
    JustDoIt1973 Posts: 10 Member
    I have Meniere's disease and, as a result, am not supposed to consume more than 1,000 of sodium per day. Dr. told me that sodium in fresh foods does not count, for example any fresh grown vegetable and not to worry about sodium in milk. It's the added sodium from processed foods, cheese and table salt that I must avoid. He never did give me a low number either but It will definately be a question I will ask him at my next check up.
  • wilted6orchid
    wilted6orchid Posts: 423 Member
    Yeah, a personal chef would be lovely. Since I decided to be the stay-at-home type, I'm all this family has in that respect. I am actually not terribly fond of cooking either. My husband was the one who introduced me to cooking from scratch. I do mill my own grain to make flour...100% whole wheat flour, obviously. I had a time trying to convince him that it was okay to get a bread maker, and skip all the kneeding and rising for hours crud. So now I just add the ingredients and walk away. Otherwise I would never leave the kitchen.

    I am a bit surprised that no one seems to know the low end of sodium...I read that in, I think it was Tibet, that the people started taking sodium supplements because it had been stripped from the natural landscape, but it didn't say how much was too little. Strange! Oh well. Hopefully someone will find out and let us know.
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