Sodium - HELP!

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missduffbug
missduffbug Posts: 217
in Food and Nutrition
Can anyone help me with my sodium? My recommended says 2500 or something like that - is that in mg? Am I meant to eat that amount? Will it damage my body if I dont?
I REALLY dont understand!!
Also - what should I eat if Iam not eating enough of it?

Replies

  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
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    2500 mg .. that is actually quite high. I changed mine to 1500 mg. It's hard to stay under that but I try to! You don't "need" sodium to my knowledge. The less, the better! If you get too much make sure to flush your system with extra water!
  • SarahJaneDeschamp
    SarahJaneDeschamp Posts: 359 Member
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    i also changed mine to 1500..good luck :)
  • missy1970eb
    missy1970eb Posts: 1,209 Member
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    i think u have 2 have a minimum of about 500, processed foods r high in sodium so try to limit them:smile:
  • missduffbug
    missduffbug Posts: 217
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    I have only eaten 351mg today so will eat nowhere near that amount- - how do I change it?
  • 30tips
    30tips Posts: 132
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    2500 is the max, and I think you´re fine with 1700. 1500 is a low-sodium diet. I know I get less now. I´m trying to figure out if I should raise it to 1500.
  • foxxybrown
    foxxybrown Posts: 838 Member
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    2500 mg .. that is actually quite high. I changed mine to 1500 mg. It's hard to stay under that but I try to! You don't "need" sodium to my knowledge. The less, the better! If you get too much make sure to flush your system with extra water!

    Wrong, you do need sodium!

    "In relation to the body/A&P, sodium is responsible for the regulation of a number of functions, such as in nerves and muscles. Without an adequate level of sodium in your body, you would experience an increase in heart rate & light-headedness, as a decrease in sodium leads to a decrease in blood volume."
  • StevenCabral
    StevenCabral Posts: 22 Member
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    Dont take in too much sodium. I made the mistake of eating two Instant Noodles packages over the weekend two weeks ago and by MOnday I had gained five pounds from those stupid noodles. All day Tuesday I could not stop peeing and by Wednesday all that water weight was gone. I HATE SALT but then again I LOVE IT!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,126 Member
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    The CDC recommendation is a maximum of 1500 daily. http://www.mayoclinic.org/news2009-mchi/5494.html


    You do need sodium to keep electrolytes balanced. We just get way too much of it in processed food.
  • melissa0001
    melissa0001 Posts: 313 Member
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    It looks like a lot of foods you have in your diary would include sodium, but are not reflected in the nutritional information on the diary. I believe you are already much higher than 370. Some people when they enter foods into the database omit adding sodium, you have to be careful about that.
  • 30tips
    30tips Posts: 132
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    You do need it, but I just got a health exam and I´m fine so far, and I´ve been having a lot less than 1500 usually. I know that people that are on high blood pressure sometimes have trouble with their sodium being too low once in a while. Your cells need sodium.

    I understand that you should try to get natural sodium, not the processed one. I haven´t read much more about it. If you concentrate on the processed one, you will probably get way more than you need.
  • angelarozmyn
    angelarozmyn Posts: 91
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    It looks like a lot of foods you have in your diary would include sodium, but are not reflected in the nutritional information on the diary. I believe you are already much higher than 370. Some people when they enter foods into the database omit adding sodium, you have to be careful about that.

    I definitely agree with this - your tuna, bread, yogurt, and french fries all have loads of sodium in them
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,126 Member
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    I have only eaten 351mg today so will eat nowhere near that amount- - how do I change it?

    It's possible you have eaten more - depending on where you captured the food ingredients you are using. Unless you are eating all natural whole foods with no grains and no cheeses then you probably get more than you think. Not all the food items in Myfitnesspal are entered correctly.
  • ladybug1620
    ladybug1620 Posts: 1,136 Member
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    It looks like a lot of foods you have in your diary would include sodium, but are not reflected in the nutritional information on the diary. I believe you are already much higher than 370. Some people when they enter foods into the database omit adding sodium, you have to be careful about that.
    I was going to say this. Canned items, sauces, etc definitely have sodium. I'm thinking a lot of items in your diary do indeed have sodium, but whoever is entering them in the database is not entering the sodium amounts.
  • missduffbug
    missduffbug Posts: 217
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    Thanks everyone - i have changed it to 1500 now.
    And if the food i am logging isnt giving me the correct sodium information - how can i trust it is right in all its other estimations? im gonna be pretty annoyed if it isnt giving me the right calculations as i base what i eat on my remaining calories/allowances etc.............

    and i dont fancy getting light headed/faster heart rate so i shall make sure i have an intake throughout the day. i drink plenty of water anyway so it shouldnt be too bad :)
  • angelarozmyn
    angelarozmyn Posts: 91
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    start reading nutrition facts on your food :) after awhile you'll be able to get a sense of whether or not the nutrition facts entered on here are close. Be REALLY skeptical whenever any processed food shows no sodium
  • missduffbug
    missduffbug Posts: 217
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    thanks for everyones help
  • ablueskier
    ablueskier Posts: 104
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    There is an option to click "nutritional info" before adding to your diary and it will ask if the info is right or wrong. Compare to the package you are using and it will ask if it is right or wrong and let you change it or if it is a natural product pick something with a high number of confirmations.

    The Tuna you had alone has a ton of sodium. The word "Brine" means a salt water soak. Just because you drain off the brine, doesn't mean the Tuna hasn't absorbed the sodium.

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