Sodium Surprises!:eek: - High & Low Blood Pressure Message Board

bethsheba · 03-07-2008, 11:38 AM

For a long time I thought I "watched" my sodium intake simply because I didn't purchase prepackaged foods, only added 1/2 of the salt required by the recipe, and didn't use a salt shaker with my meals. When I began the low sodium version of the DASH eating program, I discovered that, basically, I was sodium "illiterate".

I donâ€™t want to be sodium literate anymore and I think some of you donâ€™t either. For that reason I am starting this thread so each one can teach one about what we learn about sodium as we go alongâ€¦.Iâ€™ll start by saying that Iâ€™ve learned that the recommended upper limit of daily sodium consumption for most healthy adults is 2,400 milligrams (mg). But if you have high blood pressure and want to reduce your pressures, the hypertension specialists who developed the low sodium version of the DASH eating plan recommend that you reduce your sodium intake to 1,500 mg to help control your blood pressure. In order to do this, you should select foods that have a % Daily Value of 5 or lessâ€¦.and avoid foods that have a % Daily Value of 20 or more.

Keep in mind that itâ€™s important to keep track of serving sizeâ€¦a food may contain only 5 percent of the recommended daily value but if you eat 20 servings, youâ€™ve eaten your dayâ€™s quotaâ€¦lylone, I think of the headâ€™s up you gave me months agoâ€¦thank you for this!

Bethsheba

bethsheba · 03-17-2008, 05:33 AM

I had a sodium surprise yesterday...treated myself to my favorite bread, a crusty round loaf of Rosemary Olive Oil to eat with my DASH Tortellini and Bean Soup. Didn't read the label before purchasing the bread, nor did I read it before eating the bread.

1 slice contained 0% transfat

, 0% cholesterol

, but 15 % sodium

!! Since I am on a low sodium diet 15% is double what I should be taking in...what that means is that the slice of bread I ate was 1/3 of my daily share of sodium...

Now for those of you nay sayers....or those of you who think I'm nit picky, I'm still doing my low sodium version of DASH and just yesterday got readings of 103/79 and 121/76. Oh, and today my pressures jumped up to 132/78 and 126/86 (I have to suspect the bread) so I'm going to read those labels before I put something in my mouth!!!

Bethsheba

Thanks to cpap and to the low sodium version of the DASH diet, I am currently med free!

flowergirl2day · 03-17-2008, 10:22 AM

Beth,

we should all test ourselves for being salt-sensitive. It is quite easy. I think the proper testing is done under controlled conditions over a period of a week or two by carefully controlling the salt intake and measuring the blood pressure response. It is not very practical or doable for most. That is why our doctors tell us to restrict our sodium chloride intake just to be on the safe side. Even people who are not salt-sensitive benefit from it. Having an elevated blood pressure reading after an increased sodium consumption would indicate being a salt-sensitive person.

flowergirl

famnd · 03-17-2008, 10:33 AM

Beth,

If that isn't proof of the pudding or however it goes!!! Sodium is similar to calories, if limiting them is going to help you keep healthy & lower your b/p, then each mg or calorie must be taken into account & they add up quicker than you think.

Dr. said not to lower my sodium any more but if & when I lower my HCTZ, then I imagine I will.

Keeping on one's budget is another example. I have never had to pay critical atttention to my budget but never have gotten in trouble. Even as a kid making nickels & dimes, I automatically just allocated money to savings etc. My twin on the other hand spend every penny she made. So she had to learn to budget. Sounds like you are definately sodium sensitive. Fam

bethsheba · 03-17-2008, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by famnd

... Sodium is similar to calories, if limiting them is going to help you keep healthy & lower your b/p, then each mg or calorie must be taken into account & they add up quicker than you think.

I'm finding out how very true this is...when I did the DASH challenge, although I bought low sodium products (if they were on my menu), I didn't check the labels of staples like bread. I really think my pressures have dropped more because (except for my favorite bread) I'm looking at the labels.

Quote:

Dr. said not to lower my sodium any more but if & when I lower my HCTZ, then I imagine I will.

Famnd, it's good that you mention this for several reasons...I probably should remind others to read their package inserts for their meds before going on the low sodium version of DASH because it could have a detrimental effect. Going on the regular version of DASH wouldn't hurt, I don't think.

Famnd, were you identical twins? Or fraternal? Interesting how the two of you differed in this way.

Yup, I think I am sodium sensitive...always poo poohed Lenin when he talked about salt sensitivity but I know better now. Guess you can teach an old dog new tricks,

! But the DASH diets have shown everyone could benefit by them...it's just with the low sodium DASH, pressures dropped the lowest.

Bethsheba