Help me reduce sodium?

I wish I could help... I often have the same problem. I don't fret over it too much knowing that it is easy to lose that little bit of water weight it makes you retain...but it does get under my skin some days.

i have the same issues. try making a healthy veggie stock.. lots of flavor.. less sodium

The best way is to reduce the amount of packaged and processed foods that you're eating. Substitute with more veggies and some fruits, grill your own chicken instead of buying lunch meat, etc.

Eat less from a box, more from the earth. The sodium in spinach is negligible compared to the sodium content of a piece of lunch meat. I usually don't have a problem with sodium. You can check out my diary to see the sorts of things I eat if you'd like. I'm by no means perfect and I sometimes like to have fast food, but I have more good days than bad.

I never realized how much sodium I was taking in. I have tracked my cals/fat and cholesterol for years...but sodium wasn't anything I was ever worried about. Now I am...but I am having a very hard time keeping it below 2500!! I didn't realize that spinach had sodium in it!!

What are tips to cut back? I realize the obvious...I LOVE soup so I am going to have to figure out how to cut the sodium there (less broth, more water)...but what about in other ways? My string cheese from this morning had 200mg!!
Help?

You need to cut out processed/packaged food, takeaways and any salt you add to food. I always have a low count, so it should work for you too.

My husband and I both have to watch our sodium, so I cut out added salt a few years back. But it really sneaks up on you, doesn't it? We buy low sodium/no salt added whenever possible for things like stocks, broths, canned veggies, canned tomatoes, etc. We also use Mrs. Dash. Other than that, you just have to read the labels. Anything frozen is high in sodium. Most lunch meats are also high in sodium.

Best thing to do is cook more things on your own, rather than buying pre-packaged items.
Almost everything has salt in it.... just try to keep it under balance.
I have no problem staying under, as long as I am not eating out...

Can't see your diary, so I can't take a closer look...

After the initial shock of finding where sodium hides reality kicks in big time. I have been watching my sodium for some time. I have high blood pressure and although MFP stated 2500mg he suggested 1500mg for me. So the challenge was really on from there on end. The key for me was to learn where the sodium was, then to figure out what to do about it. Thank goodness I enjoying cooking cus that was where I lowered it the most. Home-made spagetti sauces from scratch, No salt replacement for salt, Mrs. Dash for flovoring, no salt to cook expect I like salt on corn on the cob. Hey we all need to make exceptions after all. I love rice cakes with peanut butter so I got the unsalted rice cakes cus there is salt in peanut butter already. You stated you liked soup, if you enjoy cooking home made soup is so much heathier and you can control the salt intake in it. Make large amounts and freeze the rest for quick lunches and dinners. Hope this helps!

I had the same problem for a long time! I was eating canned veggies instead of fresh or frozen. Once I stopped eating them I was loosing weight more. I dont use butter, I use spray butter which still has sodium in it but not as much. Try getting light things or less sodium. Another thing that I never thought about was peanut butter. I am not sure if you eat that but I now buy Jif natural peanut butter less sodium. I will eat that a couple times a day. I still salt some of my food but not much. Just a dash. One thing I eat a lot of is canned tuna fish which has a ton of sodium in it. I dont go over my sodium intake nearly as much as I was.. I used to go over everyday. Now maybe twice a week I go over. I drink at least 9 cups of water a day which will also help flush your system of a lot of things not just salt. My diary is open so feel free to take a look at it if you want. If there is any other way I can help you send me an email. Hope this helps a little at least.

I have been rinsing my canned beans before using them in recipes (I read an article that this reduces the sodium of the beans by 35 to 40%, so I get the reduced sodium beans and rinse those).

I get salad dressings with very low sodium (I shoot for around 200 or less per serving, and typically get a vinaigrette so I can use 1/2 serving and a little vinegar mixed together to nicely flavor my salad).

I have stopped eating canned vegetables for the most part-very high sodium. I go for frozen or fresh. Fresh spinach is AMAZING without adding any salt to it. It has a little sodium, but not too bad.

Watch our for your TORTILLAS if you eat them!! Many varieties have 500 mg or so just for a SMALL (soft taco size) tortilla! That is CRAZY! You can get Xtreme wellness tortillas (they're fajita sized) with 220 mg sodium. They're whole grain, low carb, high fiber, and REALLY delicious tortillas.

Watch cottage cheese. It's good, but man alive. It's loaded! Breakstone's has a new reduced sodium variety. Tastes a little different, but really good with fruit and in smoothies/shakes.

They have reduced sodium cheeses. I buy them at the deli counter (Boar's head makes a really good reduced sodium provolone, and an even better reduced sodium Havarti). If you get a thick slice-say 1/2 inch, you can then cut them into the size of a stick, and you've got a reduced sodium cheese stick (granted, not mozzarella if you get provolone or Havarti).

I discard the majority of the broth in canned soups (I've mostly given up canned soups). I make my soups at home, and I use lots of seasonings, reduced sodium broth, and add no salt.

I have REMOVED all salt shakers from my house. They are a no-no. No salt at the table. I use a teeny bit while cooking, and that's it...

I also buy canned tomatoes with no added salt for using in soups, etc. and to make pasta sauces with.

*as for chicken, I look at the labels and compare the amount of sodium in them. I always buy the one with the lowest amount of sodium.

Don't cut out spinach unless you are eating it from a can..... and don't worry about teh sodium that comes from fresh veggies and fresh fruits (if any)

I try to keep my sodium under 1500 due to borderline High Blood Pressure. Anytime you eat anything packaged/processed/fast food it has loads of sodium. I try to eat naturally, grill my own chicken , fresh fuits and veggies, whole grains. When you start looking at the sodium content of things it really makes a difference, canned things are loaded with salt, frozen items even bread has loads which I didn't realize. I loved laughing cow cheese for a low calorie snack until I saw the sodium.

I found this link helpful.

http://www.idph.state.ia.us/nutritionnetwork/common/pdf/reduce_sodium_increase_potassium.pdf

Another thing - I don't get how everybody is supposed to eat the same amount of salt. I'm 6'1, male and sweat a lot exercising. I must eat twice as many calories as a much smaller person, yet the salt allowance is the same.

My husband and I both have to watch our sodium, so I cut out added salt a few years back. But it really sneaks up on you, doesn't it? We buy low sodium/no salt added whenever possible for things like stocks, broths, canned veggies, canned tomatoes, etc. We also use Mrs. Dash. Other than that, you just have to read the labels. Anything frozen is high in sodium. Most lunch meats are also high in sodium.

It really does sneak up on you. I don't add salt to hardly anything. I AM a pepper girl, though!! And I hardly ever eat a frozen meal. I did have a slice of small pizza today which isn't my norm. I don't care for it too much. I had a spinach salad w/ mushrooms, onion and 2 oz. of chicken and (yes, I realize the bacon was a high sodium choice...but again, it wasn't the norm and I asked for it on the side...halved my huge lunch salad, so I will have it for dinner tonight), bacon crumbles. I need to watch the lunch meats, too.

I cook mostly from scratch at home Need to get back to making my own bread again! My wheat grinder is getting dusty.

Thank y'all!!

oscar mayer make a super tasty reduced sodium turkey bacon I LOVE IT!!