Sodium question for maintainers...

[alinnell]

I know the convenience of canned soup is wonderful, but you can make some equally good soup from scratch. Take a chicken or turkey carcass and boil the bones in water (or low sodium chicken broth) and then pull off the remaining meat (and add more if you need to). Add chopped leaks and/or onions, cut carrots and celery and cook until the vegetables are soft. It's ridiculously low in calories and if you cooked your chicken or turkey without salt it will be low in sodium. The only other thing I add is some pepper to taste and occasionally some ww noodles (but they add calories). If you don't have a carcass, you can always use a chicken breast or two with the water or broth.

[CountingDown]

LOL - another low BP person here. Even at my highest weight, it ran lower than normal.

I do not limit my sodium intake. I use a lot of seasonings when I cook - mostly blends that do include some type of salt. I make a lot of soups as well. I even make seasoned bread.

I have found that eating out often boosts my sodium intake and that it will result in a temporary gain. I don't worry about it, I just log it and move on. Within a day or two, things are back to normal.

[yoyoma]

It seems that high sodium levels are more harmful when there is a potassium deficit. If you are getting more sodium (in any form, salt included) in your diet than is recommended, make sure you are getting enough potassium.

[rockinrobin]

My blood pressure was on the normal side for a long time while I was morbidly obese. It started creeping up slightly a couple of years or so before I changed my lifestyle. And oddly enough, midway through my journey, after shedding about 80 lbs or so (I can't remember exactly when), my blood pressure went from border line to high and my doctor insisted I go on BP meds. Upon hitting the 120's, it became perfectly normal and I'm no longer on medication. Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I never paid much attention to my sodium intake either. I do use salt, but I use a TON of other spices as well.

I do eat very little processed foods and I eat out very rarely. I'm a control freak and once I "got into" healthy eating, I NEEDED to control what goes into my food as well, which is why I mostly avoid processed foods and rarely dine out. So, I'm thinking right there, that takes enough care of my sodium intake.

[junebug41]

I'm another person with low blood pressure post-weight loss dizzy and fainting spells and all. I do not have to watch salt intake, but I notice that canned soups and the like make me feel bloated, which is a feeling I hate very much. I do tend to salt most things that I cook to a degree, but I don't really get bloated from that.

Besides, my soups trump any canned version and freeze well

[paperclippy]

Pacific Natural Foods makes a low-sodium vegetable broth that has only 140mg sodium per cup. I use their broths most of the time. Imagine brand makes one that's pretty much the same.