So....I am totally and utterly addicted to salt. I add salt to EVERYTHING. I even add it to (insert horrified gasp here) frozen dinners.

My boyfriend is a professional photographer and was trying out some light techniques on me this weekend, and wow, the hereditary bags under my eyes were showing up so badly and I looked horrific.

So after a panicked Google session of plastic surgery and other such things to get rid of hereditary eye bags I also came across the fact that salt is a huge culprit in making the undereye bags even worse.

I decided I HAVE to cut salt out. My vanity is being compromised!! LOL.

I have never quit salt in my life. I have even quit coffee before salt (and I won't quit coffee).

So, other than the usual withdrawal and all foods tasting boring and bland, do any of you have any tips/advice/sympathy/same kind of experiences for me? I would really appreciate it!!

Thank you!

~CGH~

The best tip I can give you is to experiment with other spices. I'm a big fan of rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and basil. Also hot/spicy is great for adding flavor. Be wary of spice blends, read labels to ensure they are salt free.

Check out some of the foods in the rice diet store www.ricediet.com
The book Heal Your Heart had some different suggestions.

It's hard to cut out.

Once Again makes a peanut butter with no sodium.

Eden Organic has beans.

Pacific Foods has low sodium soup.

I have nothing to offer you except empathy. I put salt on melon slices *huh?* and sometimes on apples *gasp* because they are too bland otherwise. Sad, isn't it? So, I'm pulling for you! Good luck on kicking the habit. I'm sure you'll be gorgeous in no time, dahling.

It is really hard to avoid and I know from experience bc I DO NOT DO SALT! After abstaining for so long, I do not want salt, and I am repulsed when something is too salty. You can do it! I do.

I'm wondering how long the withdrawal period will be? I know my aunt quit salt recently and even months later she was saying it was really hard.

My first step is to stop adding salt myself to anything. This is the hugest step for me.

My second step will be to look at any processed foods I am eating and start cutting out things that are too salty.

~CGH~

Wow, thinking about this has me shuddering. I think I might rather become a vegetarian than eliminate salt. And I eat a lot of meat

I'm guessing that's how some people feel about giving up sugar which wasn't hard for me...salt though.....no words of advice

If you figure it out let us know!

I can empathize with you, because I am a salt fanatic. I used to add salt to anything and everything I made. Pasta? Salt. Soup? Salt. Eggs? Salt. Fries? Salt. Pizza? Salt. Sandwiches? Salt. Salt? Salt.

I know I could never avoid salt altogether, but I have actually managed to avoid adding it to my regular meals now. I allow myself to add salt to my food once a week on Saturdays. Of course there's sodium in most things I eat, but I stop myself from adding even more. At the beginning, I really struggled and felt like I was being deprived. Now it's just the way it is, and I deal.

If you just want to limit salt, I would suggest putting your salt shaker in a really awkward, hard to reach place. I put my salt shaker behind a bunch of heavy cans on the tip-top shelf in my kitchen so it makes it a complete pain in the butt to get out. I have to get a chair, or a ladder, then move the cans, then put the cans back... it gives me time to think, "Should I be doing this?" If your shaker's just sitting on the counter or within easy reach, it will be much easier for you to just sprinkle it on out of habit.

If you really want to cut salt entirely, get rid of your shaker altogether. When you go to a restaurant, ask your friend or a server to move the salt or at least keep you from using it. Many brands now feature low-sodium options for soups, meats, sauces, crackers, etc.

Best of luck to you cutting out salt!

I've done a lot of experimenting and reading about whole foods, paleo diets, primal foods ... and agree when folks say ... some things taste waaay better than I imagined. I get into trouble when I start mixing up concoctions though ...

I'm with you--I adore salt! But the tip about spices is what I would offer, too. Hot ones. Red pepper flakes, etc.

As far as withdrawal time, every habit I successfully broke (especially smoking) took THREE WEEKS to kick in. That was the magic number for me. After that, the cravings subsided.

Think of this as a habit. You can and will break it.

(I'm speaking with much confidence and conviction today, having made it through week one of my diet and feeling great!)

Once you reduce the amount of salt you use, you become sensitive to salt in that even a little may result in you finding something salty.

I didn't really think there was a withdrawl but one thing you can do is figure out different ways to flavor your foods.

Mrs. Dash is my new best friend - seriously. There are so many different flavors now, I hardly miss salt. My wedding ring is eriously ready to fall off since I stopped partaking in salt all the time. That said, I don't ADD salt to food. If the prepared kind already has salt, then I eat it, I make boxed spanish rice and add extra rice to cut the salt content (plus there is extra for leftovers)

Try all the flavors of Mrs. Dash, use lemon on veggies, you can have a very flavorful diet with no salt. My DH was on kidney dialysis and after he passed away I stayed off salt since I had become used to it. Did you know salt is also bad for your bones. I have osteoporosis and the MD told me to cut it and was pleased when I said I already had.

Well, so far this week I have been really good. I have not once added salt to anything. And strangely, everything I eat now tastes salty to me. I think maybe for the first time I am becoming aware of it.

I was mainly thinking about reducing the bags under my eyes, but someone mentioned to me that I may lose some weight that I've been carrying out due to retention, etc. I actually never even thought of that (I was so focused on my eye bags hahaha).

I notice lights76 that you said your wedding ring was beginning to fall off - did anyone else notice a weight loss when quitting salt?

I am unsure about cooking though - should I add any salt to dishes while I'm cooking?

~CGh~