sodium

I only track sodium levels to know whether today's weight is just water weight or not, but I'm usually pretty close to meeting my sodium goal. I've had a few days where I'm shockingly high over, mostly when I'm eating processed stuff, but it really depends on what you eat I guess. My diary is public if you want to get some ideas.

Yep. I got serious about losing weight after a trip to the doc and being placed on blood pressure medication with the accompanying suggestion to keep sodium "not to exceed" 1500. I was shocked by the amount of sodium in even things like raw vegetables. Beet greens-fresh from the garden. OMG they're high in sodium. You can reduce sodium intake though. I did. I've lost the weight. I'm off blood pressure meds. BP is normal. The doc's suggestion now is not to exceed 4000 but I shoot for 1800 and I don't really worry if I go over.

I choose fresh or frozen vegetables versus canned. Cook legumes from dry versus buying canned. Friendship Farms makes an excellent "so salt added" cottage cheese if you like cottage cheese. I consider things like shrimp, crablegs, sauerkraut, cheese and beet greens my "treat foods". I constantly look at sodium levels in everything. Geesh. The sodium in most bread is crazy high if you have a need/desire to limit sodium. Sodium is pretty low or non existent in fruit. I make my own salt free spice mixes like taco seasoning and "Emmeril's Essence" and my own low sodium salad dressings.

I still check my blood pressure about weekly and find when I get lazy and don't exercise for days, my blood pressure starts creeping up.