From the Parish Nurse, January, 2013

Sometimes I am asked to write an article on a particular topic which is troubling or interesting a parishioner. A parishioner with high blood pressure was recently told by her medical provider that she needed to limit the salt in her diet and asked for information on this subject. Although not everyone is sensitive to the effects of sodium, here are some ideas to try if you are interested in lowering your salt intake.

First of all, we all need some salt (or more precisely, sodium) to help maintain the right balance of fluids in our bodies, help transmit nerve impulses, and help regulate the contraction and relaxation of our muscles. Too little sodium in our blood can be as much of a problem as too much. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the average person needs no more than 2300 mg/day of sodium (1500mg if over 51 years of age). We know to limit how much salt we add to our food at the table. However, table salt is only one source of sodium in our diet.

There are many foods which are high in sodium which may not taste “salty.” Examples of high sodium foods include:
1. Processed and prepared foods such as breads, prepared frozen dinners, pizza, cold cuts, bacon, some cheese, soups and fast foods.
2. Natural sources of sodium, such as milk and other dairy products
3. Prepackaged mixes for potatoes, rice, pasta, and stuffing
4. Regular canned vegetables, olives, pickles, and sauerkraut
5. Fresh meats (especially poultry) which have brine or broth added to them
6. Some “heart healthy” products--although these products may be lower in fat, they often have added sodium to make up for the taste lost in extracting the fat.

The best way to find the sodium content of any food is to read the label. I will use the label from a common brand of cream of broccoli soup as an illustration:
1. First check the number of servings in the product—in this case, there are 2.5 servings per can
2. Check the amount of food per serving—in this case, the serving size is ½ cup
3. Check the sodium content for each serving—in this case, each ½ cup serving contains 750 mg of sodium, which means if you eat the whole can, you will be taking in 1875 mgs of sodium in one meal!

So how can we lower our sodium intake and still enjoy our food? Believe it or not, it is possible, practical, and economical. There are many spices which enhance taste without adding sodium—just steer clear of anything with “salt” in the name, such as celery or onion salt. Choose fresh or frozen vegetables without sauces, or look for canned vegetables with the label “no salt added” (which usually cost the same as the salted brands). There are now cheeses, cold cuts, and bread which come in thinner slices, so you can still make a sandwich which is lower in salt, but still delicious and satisfying. There are even lower sodium peanut butters, chips, and cottage cheese for those late-night snackers.

Lowering your salt intake may seem difficult at first, but it will soon become second nature once you get used to checking labels and train your taste buds to enjoy your new, healthier diet. A good source for more information is www.MayoClinic.com.