Sodium
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NavajoGirl85 wrote: »NavajoGirl85 wrote: »NavajoGirl85 wrote: »NavajoGirl85 wrote: »I do light workouts when I workout and right now I'm not working out at all so I feel I need to keep track of all my other nutrients. When I workout I only do things like stationary bike for 30 minutes maybe 4 times a week and I only walk like 3 miles once a week weather permitting.
That's not sedentary, which is what the recommendation is for. Up your sodium. I feel like the "bloating" you experience is mostly in your head.
I wish it was. The bloating is in my stomach, makes me look like I've gained 10 pounds just in my stomach. Yeah I clean houses 4 days a week for at least 5 hours a day too.
Does it happen when you sodium load or carb load as well. And how you see your own body generally isn't what others see as well.
I keep my carbs below 125 grams a day usually but have noticed that if I eat mostly carbs for the day I feel stuffy the next day. With sodium I feel stuffy but my stomach looks like I have a baby in it when I wake up lol.
Just to point out, as you reduce carbs, the need for sodium increases. Its to offset and water losses and depletion of glycogen and electrolytes.
That's would make sense because about the same amount of time I have been restricting so many carbs is about the time I started to feel dizzy. I wouldn't worry about the bloated look so much if i was smaller because it wouldn't be so noticable to me visually and physically. But since I'm still heavy, although I've lost 47 pounds, it's much more noticeable right now.
I think you are a bit too much in your head. You really should worry about fat loss and not worry about water weight. By doing what you are doing now, you are preventing yourself from working out and increasing TDEE. So now you are forced to do this with just calories.1 -
NavajoGirl85 wrote: »NavajoGirl85 wrote: »NavajoGirl85 wrote: »NavajoGirl85 wrote: »I do light workouts when I workout and right now I'm not working out at all so I feel I need to keep track of all my other nutrients. When I workout I only do things like stationary bike for 30 minutes maybe 4 times a week and I only walk like 3 miles once a week weather permitting.
That's not sedentary, which is what the recommendation is for. Up your sodium. I feel like the "bloating" you experience is mostly in your head.
I wish it was. The bloating is in my stomach, makes me look like I've gained 10 pounds just in my stomach. Yeah I clean houses 4 days a week for at least 5 hours a day too.
Does it happen when you sodium load or carb load as well. And how you see your own body generally isn't what others see as well.
I keep my carbs below 125 grams a day usually but have noticed that if I eat mostly carbs for the day I feel stuffy the next day. With sodium I feel stuffy but my stomach looks like I have a baby in it when I wake up lol.
Just to point out, as you reduce carbs, the need for sodium increases. Its to offset and water losses and depletion of glycogen and electrolytes.
That's would make sense because about the same amount of time I have been restricting so many carbs is about the time I started to feel dizzy. I wouldn't worry about the bloated look so much if i was smaller because it wouldn't be so noticable to me visually and physically. But since I'm still heavy, although I've lost 47 pounds, it's much more noticeable right now.
I think you are a bit too much in your head. You really should worry about fat loss and not worry about water weight. By doing what you are doing now, you are preventing yourself from working out and increasing TDEE. So now you are forced to do this with just calories.
We'll I'm gonna start today on my stationary bike for at least 10 minutes. I am in my head. I have been heavy all my life, well heavier than what most people would call normal, and used to being called names so now that's what I see myself when I gain more than 4 pounds in a day. I need to realize it's water weight but it is gonna take a little time to groove into my new normal.0 -
I have the same problem getting my sodium levels above 1500 most days. And it's not them I'm restricting. I just REALLY don't like salt. I buy low sodium potato chips, low sodium broths, don't add much when I'm cooking (I use herbs and other seasonings), etc. If something is too salty (to me) it burns my tongue! I do tend to have low blood pressure - 110/70 - but I haven't had any problems with dizziness. Should I be concerned?0
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I have the same problem getting my sodium levels above 1500 most days. And it's not them I'm restricting. I just REALLY don't like salt. I buy low sodium potato chips, low sodium broths, don't add much when I'm cooking (I use herbs and other seasonings), etc. If something is too salty (to me) it burns my tongue! I do tend to have low blood pressure - 110/70 - but I haven't had any problems with dizziness. Should I be concerned?
This would be good to ask your doctor.
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I get my blood work done every year and he's never mentioned a problem, so I guess I'm good!1
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My blood pressure has been known to be 80/50, but typically is mid 90s/low 60s. Your blood pressure is not low under any standard.
I have lots of experience being dizzy and passing out (I have vasovagal syncope). I was passing out 5+ times a day for almost 6 months, getting every cardiac test you can get done and trying different treatments. This included increasing my sodium, only drinking fluids with electrolytes/sodium, and taking medication to make me retain sodium. Now I have changed meds to one I take 3 times a day to increase my BP.
Try eating more sodium, or if you don't want to eat it try powerade zero or another electrolyte drink. Give it a try for a week or so and see how you feel. I know how frustrating it can be there be dizzy, but give it a try and see what happens.1 -
I know it's not low right now. Last week when I went in it was low so that is when she ordered labs. Yesterday when I went in it was at that number.0
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fitmom4lifemfp wrote: »ladyreva78 wrote: »I had to take my dad to the emergency room once, years ago, when he suffered a sudden drop in blood pressure. He was living with his parents at the time, and Grandma was cooking everything with very low sodium to help with Grandpa's blood pressure, and low sodium was the only possible culprit that showed up in Dad's blood work. The doctor prescribed an anchovy pizza.
Me likes that doctor!
I have low blood and need to eat a diet higher in sodium (around 5000mg/day) to feel mostly human. Add female hormones to the mix and my weight can go up/down a good 5-8lbs per day. It's just something I have to live with and it's by far preferable to passing out at random moments because I moved my head too fast.
"Low blood"? You mean low blood pressure?
Just wondering...I generally have a lower BP (90/60 or something like that) but it's not really a problem. But it's also why I never really worry about my sodium intake (that and my cardio).
Yikes... yeah typing fail there. Yes, I meant low BP.
Currently it's stable at around 110/70. The lowest measured at the doctor's was 80/50ish. At the ER they once measured even lower, but that was a situation compounded by a medication that I'm not taking anymore (yay for hormones
). Stopping that medication made it go up again to my 'normal' low.
It seems silly that simply adding more salt to my diet would make me go from feeling horrible on a daily basis to feeling human again. Especially since I spent the better part of my life learning how to cook low sodium. Heart conditions run rampant in my family, both my parents have arrhythmia and high blood pressure. Dad has tachycardia sneaking up on him from time to time. My oldest brother has high blood pressure since he was 16, my other brother developed it at around 25. Everyone keeps on expecting me to have to start taking meds for high BP. Instead I passed out and ended up in the ER from having it too low
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My 17yr old boy needs a ton of sodium. He does not retain minerals very well so it's nothing for him to go through a salt shaker of sea salt every other day just my himself. Some people just need more and having a normal blood pressure doesn't mean you DON'T need more, it just means your bp is normal. My bp use to run low (98/60) and sodium was the only thing that would make me feel better. So bp isn't really a good indicator of someone needing more sodium b/c you can be normal or low and still need increased sodium to feel good.1
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Sodium is actually an electrolyte that is important to your body's function. Turns out people who consume a lot of sodium really only had health issues if their level was out of balance with potassium and water. As long as you balance your other nutrients, you should be fine to follow your doctors advice. People get into trouble when they eat a lot of processed foods which are high in sodium and nothing else.1
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You can test just barely below normal for sodium (my son's is usually only one point below the lab range for normal) or even normal and still need more sodium. This is partly what functional medicine is all about. If a person feels like crap until they increase their sodium use and then they feel better, then obviously their body is "asking" for more salt. I have observed that people that lean heavily on listening to their body tend to be quite in tune to what they need food and nutrient wise. They also tend to be more aware of how much they move and are overall just more intentional with their health. There's the other side of the coin as well and that is those that want to figure out the "why" something is off and fix the underlying issue. Either way, the body right now is calling for more salt.
OP, if you are feeling better after increasing your salt use, then use as much salt as your body feels like it needs. You're not likely to go overboard (our bodies are good at letting us know when we've had enough if we listen to them). If you do, your body will let you know, via other symptoms, that you can then adjust for. I would learn to listen well to what your body is telling you.0 -
ClaraKnepper wrote: »Sodium is actually an electrolyte that is important to your body's function. Turns out people who consume a lot of sodium really only had health issues if their level was out of balance with potassium and water. As long as you balance your other nutrients, you should be fine to follow your doctors advice. People get into trouble when they eat a lot of processed foods which are high in sodium and nothing else.
I'm just having a lot of trouble finding healthier options that are okay with calories that have decent amount of sodium.0 -
NavajoGirl85 wrote: »ClaraKnepper wrote: »Sodium is actually an electrolyte that is important to your body's function. Turns out people who consume a lot of sodium really only had health issues if their level was out of balance with potassium and water. As long as you balance your other nutrients, you should be fine to follow your doctors advice. People get into trouble when they eat a lot of processed foods which are high in sodium and nothing else.
I'm just having a lot of trouble finding healthier options that are okay with calories that have decent amount of sodium.
Do you like hot sauces? Most of them have a generous amount of sodium. Same with soy sauce. Neither one should add too many calories.1 -
NavajoGirl85 wrote: »ClaraKnepper wrote: »Sodium is actually an electrolyte that is important to your body's function. Turns out people who consume a lot of sodium really only had health issues if their level was out of balance with potassium and water. As long as you balance your other nutrients, you should be fine to follow your doctors advice. People get into trouble when they eat a lot of processed foods which are high in sodium and nothing else.
I'm just having a lot of trouble finding healthier options that are okay with calories that have decent amount of sodium.
Just add salt to what you are eating. Or how are you defining healthy.0 -
Pretzels. Yum.1
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janejellyroll wrote: »NavajoGirl85 wrote: »ClaraKnepper wrote: »Sodium is actually an electrolyte that is important to your body's function. Turns out people who consume a lot of sodium really only had health issues if their level was out of balance with potassium and water. As long as you balance your other nutrients, you should be fine to follow your doctors advice. People get into trouble when they eat a lot of processed foods which are high in sodium and nothing else.
I'm just having a lot of trouble finding healthier options that are okay with calories that have decent amount of sodium.
Do you like hot sauces? Most of them have a generous amount of sodium. Same with soy sauce. Neither one should add too many calories.
I do like hot sauce. Thanks!0 -
NavajoGirl85 wrote: »ClaraKnepper wrote: »Sodium is actually an electrolyte that is important to your body's function. Turns out people who consume a lot of sodium really only had health issues if their level was out of balance with potassium and water. As long as you balance your other nutrients, you should be fine to follow your doctors advice. People get into trouble when they eat a lot of processed foods which are high in sodium and nothing else.
I'm just having a lot of trouble finding healthier options that are okay with calories that have decent amount of sodium.
Just add salt to what you are eating. Or how are you defining healthy.
I try not to eat out of a package. I still eat the same foods I just make it myself so that it's not so heavy on calories.0 -
NavajoGirl85 wrote: »NavajoGirl85 wrote: »ClaraKnepper wrote: »Sodium is actually an electrolyte that is important to your body's function. Turns out people who consume a lot of sodium really only had health issues if their level was out of balance with potassium and water. As long as you balance your other nutrients, you should be fine to follow your doctors advice. People get into trouble when they eat a lot of processed foods which are high in sodium and nothing else.
I'm just having a lot of trouble finding healthier options that are okay with calories that have decent amount of sodium.
Just add salt to what you are eating. Or how are you defining healthy.
I try not to eat out of a package. I still eat the same foods I just make it myself so that it's not so heavy on calories.
Healthy isn't really determined by if it's in a package, but I guess you are trying to eat whole foods. You can look at my diary to see if any of the entries help. But if you don't want to modify the foods, I'd add salt. Because you will be a lot more healthy by adding salt and being able to workout and not get dizzy, than eating low salt and not being able to workout.2 -
If your labs came back OK then your sodium level is not too low.0
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NavajoGirl85 wrote: »NavajoGirl85 wrote: »ClaraKnepper wrote: »Sodium is actually an electrolyte that is important to your body's function. Turns out people who consume a lot of sodium really only had health issues if their level was out of balance with potassium and water. As long as you balance your other nutrients, you should be fine to follow your doctors advice. People get into trouble when they eat a lot of processed foods which are high in sodium and nothing else.
I'm just having a lot of trouble finding healthier options that are okay with calories that have decent amount of sodium.
Just add salt to what you are eating. Or how are you defining healthy.
I try not to eat out of a package. I still eat the same foods I just make it myself so that it's not so heavy on calories.
Healthy isn't really determined by if it's in a package, but I guess you are trying to eat whole foods. You can look at my diary to see if any of the entries help. But if you don't want to modify the foods, I'd add salt. Because you will be a lot more healthy by adding salt and being able to workout and not get dizzy, than eating low salt and not being able to workout.
I mean more of processed foods. I try to stay away from those.0
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