monkeyqueen61's Journal, 29 Oct 21

I've read that potassium helps balance sodium. maybe raise your calories up, up your potassium and water intake. if your trying to gain 7lbs your gonna have to consume more calories and in return is going to increase your sodium intake naturally. if youre at risk for heart disease then you probably should ask your Dr for an opinion. 

rice is sodium free and calorie dense. try thowing that in your meal plan 

Thank you. Unfortunatel. I'm sick of rice and pasta! Which regardless of herbs and spices is pretty bland without salt. I don't have heart disease. My dad had problems due to a birth defeat in heart chamber. Resulting in open heart and 2 valve replacement and repair. My mom had a leaking valve, as did my brother. So, one can see my concern. According to American Heart Association 1500-2000 mg of sodium is all any adult should include in their diet.  

Quinoa, couscous, tilapia, potatoes. Beggers can't be choosers!  

MonkeyQu, You are trying to gain 7#s and lower sodium. You have a flavor enhancer most people avoid. Fat delivers flavor, Hot food is more flavorful. Fresh, in season food has more flavor. Lightly roasted nuts & seeds. Toasting spices, peppers, ginger, garlic is my go to flavor enhancers. A touch of sweetness adds contrast to saltiness already in food. It takes time to adjust your taste buds. I would start lowering it bit by bit. Don't know how you feel about fish, sardines & salmon has such strong flavors, I can eat it with just a whiff of salt. Yours truly, former saltiholic. Good luck.  

I support what rickstewart said about potassium to balance sodium. I completely got off of blood pressure meds by using more potassium (not pills which can be dangerous, rather food). The easiest is adding slices of lemon and or cucumber to water. As far as upping calories I’m told when ever I have room for extra to use it on heathy nuts and seeds - almond, walnuts, pecans, sesame, pumpkin, chia, flax as they have trace minerals, are chocked full of antioxidants so prevent plaques and inflammation in vessels, their omega 3 breaks apart long chain saturated fats and their plant fiber promotes healthy gut bacteria. Nuts/seeds can be put on salad, ground for flour or into butter for baking or homemade snack bars. If you look at my post a few days ago - instead of salt I did almonds rolled in orange juice and then covered with cardamon and roasted. Other spices good on nuts - cayenne pepper, chili powder, wasbi powder, garlic, citric acid, curry powder, orange peel, paprika, cumin, liquid smoke, fennel, thyme, rosemary, cinnamon, vanilla paste Things to wet nuts before coating tomato paste (think italian or blood mary), orange juice concentrate or sf coffee syrups for sweet, egg white for thicker coating, ground sesame seeds. What food do you like that you feel you need to avoid? Maybe I can help you on ideas for a remake. 

The sodium subject is my favorite. Because it's tough to reduce. October I am averaging about 1500mg/day. So I am somewhat successful. But I am giving up everything salty. My seasoning spices are unsalted varieties. The choice is simple for me now, living healthy or pay later. 

Try to find research that proves high sodium intake causes heart disease - good luck with that! Sodium is essential for every cell in the body. If your sodium levels drop too low you will be very sick and weak - this just happened to my 97 year old father and just adding salt and Gatorade did not solve the problem. The recent recommendations on sodium are aimed at food manufacturers; if you cook at home and don't consume salty snacks and are healthy, you probably don't need to worry about excess sodium. 

Trackin64, from what I've read it's the excess water retention that relates to high blood pressure. Excessive sodium itself isn't going to give you a heart attack, but if youre already at risk for a heart issue it very well could cause other issues that might.  

I'm with T, live & eat healthier now or pay the piper. It doesn't matter if I'm thin or look good on the outside. I have to start working on the inside. There's a thing called skinny fat. I've worked hard my whole life, I want to be healthier to enjoy my retirement. Live richly.  

If you are looking at whole foods, they contain sodium. E.g., celery, shellfish, even eggs. Why do we need to balance potassium if we're eating a balanced meal. If you eat processed or prepared food, there's more than enough sodium for your body to handle, so when I cook at home I try to not use it. I'm not afraid of sodium, I just don't need so much of it. Our taste buds are burnt so to speak by the over use of salt & sugar. People from other countries eat our bread & wonder why it's so salty & sugary. My taste buds have changed. On the topic of sodium, it's a personal choice. I go with the experts. All the drs. recommend lower sodium. There's a plethora of reasons. If I don't need or miss it why use it?  

Monkey Q. If you are worried about your heart, do you have a cardiologist? That may eliminate your fear. Take care. Oh, you can bring up all your concerns. 

Sodium levels in the body is not the same as sodium levels you eat.