A Huge Wake Up Call!!

goochinator
goochinator Posts: 383 Member
edited September 18 in Health and Weight Loss
My mom is in the hospital right now, just diagnosed with Congestive heart Failure. At the hospital last night, The team of doctors were asking about her lifestyle and eating habits ( she too has been on a diet for the last about 30 years!) She is a big fan of Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, Weight Watchers frozen meals- eats them all the time. When she said this, the docs and nurses in the room all went "aha".
As cardiologists, they see the same thing quite often- relatively healthy people with a heart problem. So many of the patients they have seen have gotten into the habit of buying the low fat/low calorie frozen meals- Definitely NOT to say that these products cause heart problems, but as one of the docs stated, "its a miracle that they can call any of those healthy smart, or lean. Take a look at the sodium content"

So that's what I did. I just spent some time looking online for nutritional information of Weight Watchers Smart Ones, Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice, I found that one frozen boxed meal can be up to 38% of your total sodium intake.
Doesnt seem too awful if you only have that for a meal-but add a salad with dressing or a diet soda and its even more!

I am definitely no doctor, but from what I learned last night, fat & cholesterol arent the only things bad for your heart! Look at the salt!!

Replies

  • goochinator
    goochinator Posts: 383 Member
    My mom is in the hospital right now, just diagnosed with Congestive heart Failure. At the hospital last night, The team of doctors were asking about her lifestyle and eating habits ( she too has been on a diet for the last about 30 years!) She is a big fan of Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, Weight Watchers frozen meals- eats them all the time. When she said this, the docs and nurses in the room all went "aha".
    As cardiologists, they see the same thing quite often- relatively healthy people with a heart problem. So many of the patients they have seen have gotten into the habit of buying the low fat/low calorie frozen meals- Definitely NOT to say that these products cause heart problems, but as one of the docs stated, "its a miracle that they can call any of those healthy smart, or lean. Take a look at the sodium content"

    So that's what I did. I just spent some time looking online for nutritional information of Weight Watchers Smart Ones, Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice, I found that one frozen boxed meal can be up to 38% of your total sodium intake.
    Doesnt seem too awful if you only have that for a meal-but add a salad with dressing or a diet soda and its even more!

    I am definitely no doctor, but from what I learned last night, fat & cholesterol arent the only things bad for your heart! Look at the salt!!
  • Cloe
    Cloe Posts: 435
    Hope your Mom is going to be OK:flowerforyou:
  • kimber607
    kimber607 Posts: 7,128 Member
    Sorry to hear about your mom
    I've always had a bad feeling about those frozen entrees...I try to limit them to once per week
  • alymarest
    alymarest Posts: 115
    how much sodium is healthy?
  • icandoit
    icandoit Posts: 4,163 Member
    My thoughts and prayers to your mom:flowerforyou:
  • GinaB30
    GinaB30 Posts: 725 Member
    First off, I hope your mom will be okay!

    Second, I heard that 2400 mg's a day was the daily sodium amount allowed- isn't that right?
    Because, if one lean cuisine has 560 and I'm eating ONE of those per day and no other salty things until supper when I eat *something*...(usually a home cooked meal) and no salty snacks, NO pop, etc- that should definately be under the 2400 of salt category.
    I'd like to get to the bottom of this before I eat another one!!!
  • Anna_Banana
    Anna_Banana Posts: 2,939 Member
    I hope your mom's okay. You and she will be in my prayers.
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
    I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. I really hope she'll be ok. Thank you for the wake up call. I eat those kind of meals all the time. No more!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,422 Member
    First off, I hope your mom will be okay!

    Second, I heard that 2400 mg's a day was the daily sodium amount allowed- isn't that right?
    Because, if one lean cuisine has 560 and I'm eating ONE of those per day and no other salty things until supper when I eat *something*...(usually a home cooked meal) and no salty snacks, NO pop, etc- that should definately be under the 2400 of salt category.
    I'd like to get to the bottom of this before I eat another one!!!

    Here is a past post that is helpful for sodium info:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1419-how-important-is-sodium?page=1#posts-7563
  • GinaB30
    GinaB30 Posts: 725 Member
    Thank you! Going to go read that now. =o)
  • suevittorioso
    suevittorioso Posts: 60
    :noway: i think you'd all be shocked how much sodium is in normal unsalty things like bread, jarred spaghetti sauce and tomatoe juice. chinese food is of course a killer in that respect. all processed foods has sodium like crazy. when my husband first got heart dx, we started to read all labels and couldn't believe how it added up!
  • aslavich
    aslavich Posts: 250 Member
    Thank you for posting this information. You and your family will be in my prayers...

    Angela :flowerforyou:
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
    My mom is in the hospital right now, just diagnosed with Congestive heart Failure. At the hospital last night, The team of doctors were asking about her lifestyle and eating habits ( she too has been on a diet for the last about 30 years!) She is a big fan of Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, Weight Watchers frozen meals- eats them all the time. When she said this, the docs and nurses in the room all went "aha".
    As cardiologists, they see the same thing quite often- relatively healthy people with a heart problem. So many of the patients they have seen have gotten into the habit of buying the low fat/low calorie frozen meals- Definitely NOT to say that these products cause heart problems, but as one of the docs stated, "its a miracle that they can call any of those healthy smart, or lean. Take a look at the sodium content"

    So that's what I did. I just spent some time looking online for nutritional information of Weight Watchers Smart Ones, Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice, I found that one frozen boxed meal can be up to 38% of your total sodium intake.
    Doesnt seem too awful if you only have that for a meal-but add a salad with dressing or a diet soda and its even more!

    I am definitely no doctor, but from what I learned last night, fat & cholesterol arent the only things bad for your heart! Look at the salt!!
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
    My mom is in the hospital right now, just diagnosed with Congestive heart Failure. At the hospital last night, The team of doctors were asking about her lifestyle and eating habits ( she too has been on a diet for the last about 30 years!) She is a big fan of Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, Weight Watchers frozen meals- eats them all the time. When she said this, the docs and nurses in the room all went "aha".
    As cardiologists, they see the same thing quite often- relatively healthy people with a heart problem. So many of the patients they have seen have gotten into the habit of buying the low fat/low calorie frozen meals- Definitely NOT to say that these products cause heart problems, but as one of the docs stated, "its a miracle that they can call any of those healthy smart, or lean. Take a look at the sodium content"

    So that's what I did. I just spent some time looking online for nutritional information of Weight Watchers Smart Ones, Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice, I found that one frozen boxed meal can be up to 38% of your total sodium intake.
    Doesnt seem too awful if you only have that for a meal-but add a salad with dressing or a diet soda and its even more!

    I am definitely no doctor, but from what I learned last night, fat & cholesterol arent the only things bad for your heart! Look at the salt!!
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
    How is your mom doing? I'm still praying for her. I want you to know that your message turned me around. I was going to the store after work on Friday and read the message board one more time before logging off my computer at work when I saw your message. I was going to buy some more of those Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice meals but after reading your post I went to the store and bought fruits and veggies a fish and good food instead. Thank you again for your post.
  • goochinator
    goochinator Posts: 383 Member
    Hey all!!
    Update-My mom had an angioplasty procedure- as it turns out, she has less than 10% blockage in her arteries, so it was not needed- and it was initially diagnosed wrong. It does not appear to be Congestive Heart Failure after all, but the diagnosis is still unclear.

    In any case, I visited her everday in the hospital and w/ all the magazines she had, I swear every one of them had an article on heart health...so I certainly learned a lot about heart care while this happened. So many of the articles said the same thing- dont smoke, watch your cholesterol, sodium, unhealthy fats, be sure to excercise, etc. So it was a really interesting learning experience.

    My mom was released last night, but they still dont know what caused her to have the dizziness, shortness of breath and blue lips- they are still thinking its a heart problem, but they dont know for sure how to treat it!


    I'll keep updating as I know more!
    Thank you for all your prayers and support. What an amazing group you are! Thank you!
  • icandoit
    icandoit Posts: 4,163 Member
    :heart:
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,422 Member
    Hey all!!
    Update-My mom had an angioplasty procedure- as it turns out, she has less than 10% blockage in her arteries, so it was not needed- and it was initially diagnosed wrong. It does not appear to be Congestive Heart Failure after all, but the diagnosis is still unclear.

    goochinator,

    So glad to hear that your mom is better. :flowerforyou:

    As they say (regarding food shopping), "Shop the perimeter," that is where the whole foods are.

    ~Cheryl
  • Erica92627
    Erica92627 Posts: 576
    that is a wake up call. I turned to the lean cuisines because of the low fat and easy to pack for lunch. I did notice the sodium levels but I thought balanced with water it would be okay. What would be better to eat for lunch? Home coked meals sometimes have more salt.

    I hope your mom will continue to get better.
  • twink3110
    twink3110 Posts: 51
    Wow, glad to hear that your Mother is better!! Our lives are full of wake uo calls....................a good thing that some of us listen to them.
  • dnavarro
    dnavarro Posts: 5
    Glad to hear that you mom is okay.

    Anything that is pre-packaged is bad. Its always loaded with sodium--thats what makes it taste good. You have to watch when you buy those "lowfat" prepared meals. you are better off making it yourself so you can control the salt content. Most of those frozen dinners consist of rice/pasta and chicken and veggies - nothing spectacular and simple enough to make at home.
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