Sodium

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dsolgot
dsolgot Posts: 86 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have a question for people who watch there sodium/salt intake, I just had a physical and they are testing me for a few things and I find out the results in 2 weeks but in between my doctor wants me to watch my salt intake (that's all she said) because my blood pressure was high. My only thing is I went back and looked at my intake and its normally around 1000 it says on her the max is 2500 so I'm not sure if 1000 is good or bad. I told her that I am dieting because she started listing off foods and I told her I don't eat any of them things she was saying and I'm not one to put salt on anything I eat I just can't stand it. I just don't get what I am doing wrong I just looked at a list of reasons for high blood pressure it is something that runs in the family but my parents or my brother do not have it. But to be honest I really want to get to the bottom of whats going on with me. Anyways lol I'll say it again what do you guys keep your sodium intake around?

Replies

  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
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    I try not to monitor mine too much. I eat pretty clean (most days) usually around 700-1000
  • juliapurpletoes
    juliapurpletoes Posts: 951 Member
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    I just went into the reports tab and looked at the last 90 days for sodium.......I seem to average around 1000. But I do have days where I must have eaten a certain combination of food and it really spiked for that day.

    Blood pressure can be high for the simple reason you are overly anxious at the Dr. office, mine always is when I am there for a 'bad' reason.

    Home monitors are under $100 and might be worth it to ease the mind?? then you could really see what your blood pressure is at normal non-Dr. visit times..

    just a thought :)
  • keola64
    keola64 Posts: 207 Member
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    OMG I'm the wrong person to answer this LOL,I eat very healthy however I am the sodium king + I eat close to 3000 calories daily,I frequent the 5000 range very often,I don't have high blood pressure,but if you are serious about lowering your sodium I suggest you start by reading nutrition fact on everything you buy when you shop for food,then get used to knowing what foods you can eat within a day as far as meals go ,put together menus ahead of time/pre log food for the day and see where you'll sit on your levels of nutrients,you will eventually learn what you can eat and it will become second nature to you over time ,good luck with finding your solution...Keola
  • lynheff
    lynheff Posts: 393 Member
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    A sodium intake of 1000mg/day is pretty stringent. Sodium is found in strange places. Of course most pre-packaged, or processed food is full of it. The 100 calorie bagel has 220mg, a 4 oz serving of boneless, skinless chicken breast has 230 and my beloved fat free yogurt contains 120 mg/cup. It will take careful label reading and diet tracking to stay within the 1000 mg/day limit . Good luck on reducing your blood pressure.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,020 Member
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    It's the default dr's response to elevated blood pressure, when in fact it really doesn't make much difference and is more about lifestyle that effects hypertention on a daily basis that really needs to be addressed.
  • Maryfullofgrace
    Maryfullofgrace Posts: 342 Member
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    I have a question for people who watch there sodium/salt intake, I just had a physical and they are testing me for a few things and I find out the results in 2 weeks but in between my doctor wants me to watch my salt intake (that's all she said) because my blood pressure was high. My only thing is I went back and looked at my intake and its normally around 1000 it says on her the max is 2500 so I'm not sure if 1000 is good or bad. I told her that I am dieting because she started listing off foods and I told her I don't eat any of them things she was saying and I'm not one to put salt on anything I eat I just can't stand it. I just don't get what I am doing wrong I just looked at a list of reasons for high blood pressure it is something that runs in the family but my parents or my brother do not have it. But to be honest I really want to get to the bottom of whats going on with me. Anyways lol I'll say it again what do you guys keep your sodium intake around?

    I do my best to keep mine under 1500 or so... Some days are better than others. 1000 is pretty hard to reach unless you are eating a lot of raw fruits and vegetables and not eating meat, or dairy. Sodium occurs naturally in both of those products and sometimes, in the case of chicken, many packaging plants add a % of sodium solution to the meat to extend the shelf life. Watch your canned foods like Pintos and black beans. It's best to make dry beans... watch your canned tomatoes... some have 500 mg per serving!
  • LoveMyFour
    LoveMyFour Posts: 13
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    I've been told a lot of times high blood pressure has little to do with diet (and that sounds like your case as 1000mg is very low). I try keep mine around 2000-2500mg. Sometimes I go lower but my DR actually advised against limiting sodium too much.
  • kellyscomeback
    kellyscomeback Posts: 1,369 Member
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    Certain OTC medications can raise your BP too. NSAIDS (Tylenol, Advil, etc.) area a #1 culprit for unnaturally high BP.

    From your post (if that was me sitting there) I'd ask for a second opinion or just wait for the test results before asking more questions. 1000mg a day is ok, I've even heard that 1500mg is average.
  • mrandolph69
    mrandolph69 Posts: 197 Member
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    A sodium intake of 1000mg/day is pretty stringent. Sodium is found in strange places. Of course most pre-packaged, or processed food is full of it. The 100 calorie bagel has 220mg, a 4 oz serving of boneless, skinless chicken breast has 230 and my beloved fat free yogurt contains 120 mg/cup. It will take careful label reading and diet tracking to stay within the 1000 mg/day limit . Good luck on reducing your blood pressure.

    On the issue of a 4 oz. serving of boneless, skinless chicken breast having 230mg of sodium. That is true of most chicken but it doesn't have to be. The major manufacturers inject their chicken with brine solutions, hence the high amount of sodium. I found a brand called Harvestland at my local Kroger and it claims to have 75mg per 4 oz. serving since it does not inject brine into its chicken. It costs more but I only use it now.
  • kaetra
    kaetra Posts: 442 Member
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    The Clevland Clinic, one of the best cardiac care hospitals in the U.S., describes a low-sodium diet as being no more than 2000mg of sodium per day.

    1000 is extremely low, your body needs some sodium to regulate fluids. Also, you seem very young to have high blood pressure - did you have preeclampsia in any of your pregnancies?

    http://my.clevelandclinic.org/healthy_living/nutrition/hic_low-sodium_diet_guidelines.aspx
  • silkysly
    silkysly Posts: 701 Member
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    I don’t watch mine, but I drink lots of water & run. Cardio is a good way to rid your body of sodium. (A Doctor & dietician told me that.)
  • dsolgot
    dsolgot Posts: 86 Member
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    The Clevland Clinic, one of the best cardiac care hospitals in the U.S., describes a low-sodium diet as being no more than 2000mg of sodium per day.

    1000 is extremely low, your body needs some sodium to regulate fluids. Also, you seem very young to have high blood pressure - did you have preeclampsia in any of your pregnancies?

    http://my.clevelandclinic.org/healthy_living/nutrition/hic_low-sodium_diet_guidelines.aspx

    With my son 4 years ago I did have pre e but not until the last couple weeks, with my daughter I had at the begining of the year my blood pressure did go up when my husband deployed but it was closely monitored and didn't turn into anything serious thank god like the first time but after I had my daughter my blood pressure went back to normal at all my appts after I had her. But here I am 9 months later and it's back up again. My doctor is thinking I may have a thyroid problem or a couple other things. I'm pretty sure I can tell when it goes up I do get light headed at times through out the day and headaches. Recently I've been getting really bad headaches when I workout (I'm doing Insanity now, and I drink nothing but water throughout the day including atleast 3 bottles while working out) I really don't want to stop like I have before in the last few months. Hopefully the next 2 weeks go by quick and my doctor and I could figure this out. I just hope it's something fixable high blood pressure does run in our family my mom was always on my case when I was heavy about getting healthy and now that I am I am finding all these problems lol please go away I want to be healthy lol.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    There's a lot that affects blood pressure beyond sodium intake. I'd suggest having another conversation with your doctor about this.
  • sassylilmama
    sassylilmama Posts: 1,495 Member
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    I have high BP and my dr. has told me to aim for about 1500/day on sodium. If you are already low and still have high bp you may need meds. I have to take meds b/c even after losing weight, exercise and low sodium mine is still high. For some it is purely genetic.
  • PB67
    PB67 Posts: 376
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    There's a lot that affects blood pressure beyond sodium intake. I'd suggest having another conversation with your doctor about this.

    ^^This^^

    As far as the effects of sodium on BP are concerned, it has more to with your ratio of Sodium to Potassium than on total sodium intake.

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