Hypertension/DASH diet

Options
joyily562
joyily562 Posts: 35 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have hypertension. Low sodium options are pretty difficult. I've been maintaining a under 1500 mg sodium daily intake, any one have any other suggestions on things I can eat without so much SALT!

Replies

  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited November 2017
    Options
    The "easiest" way to avoid sodium is to avoid convenience foods and most restaurant items. Even the low-sodium versions can take up a chunk of your sodium budget.

    Fresh-frozen veggies with no sauce are fast and easy. I buy the 2-3 serving steam-in-bag versions and eat the whole thing with dinner.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,874 Member
    Options
    Genetic predisposition for hypertension here. Diet and exercise help but are not enough alone for me. Meds are non-optional at this point. Thankfully they are inexpensive and effective! Good luck.
  • joyily562
    joyily562 Posts: 35 Member
    Options
    Ugh I'm on the same boat...Dad is hypertensive
  • maryannprt
    maryannprt Posts: 152 Member
    Options
    Are you sure salt is a driver for hypertension for you? Recent studies show only about 20-25% of people with HBP are sodium sensitive. In the meantime, fresh or frozen fruit and veg, avoid most packaged or premade foods, like pasta sauces, soups, frozen meals, even canned beans and vegetables(you can rinse them and remove quite a bit of sodium or buy with no added salt.) And I was shocked by how much sodium is in canned chicken stock, which is something I use a lot of. Pick the no sodium variety, even the less sodium or reduced sodium types are ridiculously high. I would rather add my salt at table if I want it.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    Options
    Also, potassium plays a role in this: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/MakeChangesThatMatter/How-Potassium-Can-Help-Control-High-Blood-Pressure_UCM_303243_Article.jsp#.WgYeaohryUk

    Getting enough potassium helps balance the effects of sodium. If sodium is a factor in your hypertension, getting more potassium might be an option instead of a very low sodium diet.

  • xvolution
    xvolution Posts: 721 Member
    Options
    If you're looking for low sodium recipes, check out the cookbooks that DeVita publishes quarterly. They're tailored around the renal diet, which is a variation of the DASH diet (except it's also low potassium and low phosphorus). They're free, but you have to register to their site to download them.

Categories