As I've gotten older I've become salt sensitive. I love veggie stew and stuffed peppers, but I use too much salt, even with the 33% less sodium type. Has anyone found a good substitute?
I also wanted to remark on the dr. Phil show today. He had some parents of fat kids on as guests trying to help them decide what to do. They did blood tests on these kids to find out their best combination of carbs, fats, and protein to achieve a normal weight. One 5 year-old girl was hyper-sensitive to carbs (insulin sensitive). I haven't heard about these blood tests in a medically approved context before. Has anyone heard of or had these tests?
Regarding the sodium issue, have you tried making sure you get potassium? It's important to make sure you have a balance between the two electrolytes. With more potassium, you may be able to tolerate more sodium. Lots of salt substitutes are based on potassium. But make sure you don't go overboard -- too much potassium is also bad. Yogurt, tuna and apricots are some foods high in potassium.
I agree with Julie. Some of the biggest health experts in the world have basically laughed off the idea that diets can be based on blood profiles such as the one mentioned, because there is no scientific evidence to back it up. Any doctor can recommend a diet based on type 1, 2, 3 etc and they will all work just as well as the next because they all get you to reduce food intake. I don't think I would consider a mention on Dr Phil as 'medically approved'. But I can see how it would confuse a lot of people. Some people may grab on to this type of diet and stick to it more because it involves a gimmick, something to make them pay more attention to what they are eating so they eat less of the more fattening foods.
I rarely add salt to any food, other than the rare potato I eat twice a year I detect the flavor of salt more than a lot of people and it's off putting for me. If you want to look for ways to cut your sodium intake, I'd suggest looking at the Rice Diet. Maybe your library will have a copy. It's a very low sodium diet that is useful for people with congestive heart failure and kidney problems. I was amazed by how much I learned about sodium from the book, and how much sodium was hidden in foods that I would have thought were naturally low in sodium.
On Dr. Phil's website he talks about metabolic typing based on your lipid profile. This is not generally accepted.
I guess I mispoke about it being medically approved. The doctor on the show was speaking about the tests as if they were accepted by the medical community. I'm disappointed that Dr. Phil, who has a huge audience and a big influence on people's behavior would treat these tests as if they were a sound basis for devising weight loss plans for these children. I don't usually watch him that much because unless the subject if interesting, he's a big mouth who interrupts people, asks them questions and never lets them answer, doesn't listen, and makes it obvious he has an agenda or a pre-conceived conclusion long before they are even discussing the problem on the show. He's frankly not open to any conclusions or solutions but his own. That said, I know it's just entertainment and I can turn the channel. ha
Well, lipid profiles are widely used for accepted purposed, obviously - cholesterol lowering and cardiovascular risk management. They may have been using that as justification for calling the tests medically accepted, even though their usage of them is for an entirely different purpose. That would, of course, be clearly and intentionally deceptive. I don't know if that's what they did.
As I've gotten older I've become salt sensitive. I love veggie stew and stuffed peppers, but I use too much salt, even with the 33% less sodium type. Has anyone found a good substitute?
I've battled HBP brought on by crappy kidneys for yeeeears. What you have to do with recipes like this is figure out where the salt is coming from & eliminate it. When you make the veggie stew, are you using boxed broth? Or are you adding salt to the filling for the peppers? I need to know that before I can suggest an alternative for either, since what I think you did may differ from what you actually did.
Salt substitutes, in general, are gross. They don't taste the same & as others have pointed out, mess with your potassium, electrolytes, etc. I use Mrs Dash for a LOT of things.
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I also wanted to remark on the dr. Phil show today. He had some parents of fat kids on as guests trying to help them decide what to do. They did blood tests on these kids to find out their best combination of carbs, fats, and protein to achieve a normal weight. One 5 year-old girl was hyper-sensitive to carbs (insulin sensitive). I haven't heard about these blood tests in a medically approved context before. Has anyone heard of or had these tests?
Never heard of it, but a CBC will tell you what the normal ranges are & what your levels are.
[QUOTE=SuchAPrettyFace;3006037]I've battled HBP brought on by crappy kidneys for yeeeears. What you have to do with recipes like this is figure out where the salt is coming from & eliminate it. When you make the veggie stew, are you using boxed broth? Or are you adding salt to the filling for the peppers? I need to know that before I can suggest an alternative for either, since what I think you did may differ from what you actually did.
I make the peppers with ground turkey, quinoa or bulgar, onion, and tomato soup. I know the soup has a lot of sodium, but it's the salt I apply liberally when I'm eating it that is a problem. I just can't seem to enjoy them without the salt. Mankind has fought wars over salt and I'm the first one that would say I can see why. I feel like I could never stop adding it to some foods. It's the same story with the veg stew. It's just turkey and fresh vegetables.
I wonder if I could actually enjoy these foods without so much salt? You sound like you have managed to do it. What do you do?
Never heard of it, but a CBC will tell you what the normal ranges are & what your levels are.[/QUOTE]
Well, the inference wasn't using the usual values found in a CBC but to actually determine how your body uses protein, carbohydrates, and fat and if that is not in balance, to modify your food plan to accomodate that for the most efficient use of food in terms of burning energy and I suppose nutitionally speaking. In any case, it turns out to be just more misinformation. As I said, I'm disappointed that Dr. Phil is promoting these ideas.
I make the peppers with ground turkey, quinoa or bulgar, onion, and tomato soup. I know the soup has a lot of sodium, but it's the salt I apply liberally when I'm eating it that is a problem. I just can't seem to enjoy them without the salt. Mankind has fought wars over salt and I'm the first one that would say I can see why. I feel like I could never stop adding it to some foods. It's the same story with the veg stew. It's just turkey and fresh vegetables.
Pepper stuffing has fresh onion, not onion soup, correct? Then if the only thing in there that has salt added is the tomato soup, that is actually not that bad if your dr doesn't have you salt restricted. They do make lower sodium versions of tomato soup, but make sure it's not too expensive. Some of those (Health Valley) are over $2/can. the other thing you can do is try tomato sauce or paste & see if the textures still work for you. Otherwise, like you said, I don't think it's that bad.
My mother took the saltshaker off the table when I was 17. That was almost 20 years ago. Even though it's been that long I still crave it on certain things (raw veg like cucumbers, tomato, avocado, and mostly on tuna noodle salad). Sometimes I give in. I bought Himalayan pink salt a few years ago, but feel kinda like a sucker for buying it. I will say though that it's VERY STRONG, and a little pinch goes a long way. It has taught me to use less salt. I usually omit it in recipes or just put a pinch. I use it for boiling pasta, and sometimes on eggs, popcorn, potatoes or pasta. Just a pinch though & sometimes even that is too strong.
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I wonder if I could actually enjoy these foods without so much salt? You sound like you have managed to do it. What do you do?
It's taken me a long time, but I've done a lot of research too. I've found WAY lower sodium broths than what Swanson's has.
That last one has a lot of chemicals, but in a pinch it works.
The other things I've done are to research spices & try them. I am lucky enough to live near Penzey's HQ & they have a very large collection of salt free spices.
Also, you don't want to go to the grocery store with me. I read every label. I compare, I contrast. Sodium hides in weird places. Diet soda, frozen dinners, canned vegetables, diet salad dressing, etc. It didn't happen overnight, but gradual changes worked very well.
"I bought Himalayan pink salt a few years ago, but feel kinda like a sucker for buying it. I will say though that it's VERY STRONG, and a little pinch goes a long way. It has taught me to use less salt. I usually omit it in recipes or just put a pinch. I use it for boiling pasta, and sometimes on eggs, popcorn, potatoes or pasta. Just a pinch though & sometimes even that is too strong."
I think I saw that salt on eBay so I might try it. Does it actually have less sodium, or is it just concentrated in less volume. Yeh, the peppers have fresh onion, not the onion soup.
Salt substitute and blood tests
I detect the flavor of salt more than a lot of people and it's off putting for me. If you want to look for ways to cut your sodium intake, I'd suggest looking at the Rice Diet. Maybe your library will have a copy. It's a very low sodium diet that is useful for people with congestive heart failure and kidney problems. I was amazed by how much I learned about sodium from the book, and how much sodium was hidden in foods that I would have thought were naturally low in sodium.
They don't taste the same & as others have pointed out, mess with your potassium, electrolytes, etc. I use Mrs Dash for a LOT of things. 
the other thing you can do is try tomato sauce or paste & see if the textures still work for you. Otherwise, like you said, I don't think it's that bad. 
I read every label. I compare, I contrast. Sodium hides in weird places. Diet soda, frozen dinners, canned vegetables, diet salad dressing, etc. It didn't happen overnight, but gradual changes worked very well.
