How big of a deal is sodium in the broader scheme of things? I know its impact on high blood pressure and I know a very high sodium diet isn't healthy in the long term *but* if this is the worst part of my diet, is that something that isn't such a big deal for now and until I can find a better alternative that's sustainable long term?
I try to avoid sodium because it just makes me feel icky, and a lot of time that means I don't eat processed or can foods (they're usually the highest in sodium).
Is there a way that you can switch out pickled vegetables for frozen or fresh?
The only thing that I would add about sodium is that it can make you retain water more and sort of give you a false reading on the scale. If I go high sodium for a few days then I always show a slight gain just because of water retention.
Besides high blood pressure I don't know of any other adverse side effects that would be relevant in the short(er) term. I run into the same issue because I tend to rely on frozen low cal foods for lunch so I almost always go over the suggested intake every day.
Keep your sodium up!! Thats a GREAT THING.
Gosh, most people on here preach about keeping sodium low because it makes them retain water......, but then you get your electrolytes way outta whack and off blance, so that when you DO go out to eat, or have a special occassion meal with high sodium, you will retain water like a SPONGE..... i do not avoid sodium. in fact i ADD some to myfoods.... salt on veggies kinda thing... that way i always have it in my body and i dont get so unbalanced, and therefore SENSITIVE to it. If i want to drop weight REALLY QUICKLY, i will do a low/no sodium, low/no carb diet for a few days, which releases ALL the water my body has been hanging on to. But guess what? it come RIGHT BACK the moment you eat sodium or carbs..... its not *REAL* weightloss...
No, sodium will not affect the rate at which you burn fat
I'm in agreement with Mkroyer. I know some people with high BP need to watch sodium intake. Although recent studies have been showing that if you keep sodium and potassium even (since they work with each other in the whole negative-positive ion balance -Calcium also plays a part in electrolyte balance) then you should be good to go. It is very important in our bodies to make sure we're getting enough electrolytes. If you do any exercising, then you're spending a bunch of sodium when doing so (since electrolytes play a part in good muscle function), which should be replaced anyway.
I'm also young and really don't have any issues as far as bloating due to carbs or sodium intake. And MKroyer is right, we need a certain amount of water in our bodies. We shouldn't try to wash water weight out since as she mentioned, its not actual fat loss. It may show a loss of weight on the scale, but it's simply water loss, nothing else.
In the end though, it is up for everyone to decide what they eat and what they don't. If you don't notice any issues with sodium, then keep doing what you're doing. Do what's best for your body, one way or the other.
Last edited by tdiprincess; 08-03-2011 at 12:01 PM.
If you have a family history of heart disease or high blood pressure you need to speak to your doctor about sodium intake. If those risk factors already exist in you, sodium may make you more susceptible to heart disease/BP problems.
If you are going to continue eating a higher sodium diet, be sure to watch your potassium intake as well. Potassium and sodium work together. Read more here: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09355.html
They reduced the daily sodium requirement to 1500 mcg so your soup was really unhealthy. Be more aware of labels, don't add salt to your food, use herbs to flavor while cooking.
Sodium can cause water weight gain if you have a lot of it, but as long as you're aware of that, and get a decent amount of fluids a day you'll be fine.
Personally, I don't watch sodium. I don't have high blood pressure or any other medical condition that requires me to watch it. I'm already watching so many other things, that I'm perfectly content just not caring about sodium right now.
I'm really skeptical of 1500 mg/day as a blanket recommendation for the whole population of America, especially as only about 25% (or less) of the population is actually salt sensitive (that is, salt increases their blood pressure).
But I'm biased. TMI alert: I normally keep my sodium around 2000-2500 mg/day. For a couple of weeks I kept it at 1200-1500 mg/day. My every-morning-like-clockwork bowel movements became "once-every-2-or-3-days." Normal for some people, totally not normal (and really uncomfortable) for me. Maybe it would have been solved by drinking more or less water, but I couldn't stand it. I just brought my sodium levels up again--problem solved. I do work out hard & sweat a fair amount, so this may have been a contributing factor.
Last edited by sumire; 08-03-2011 at 02:42 PM.
Reason: missing word
I know it isn't ideal, but I don't really worry about my sodium intake. I love salty things. Its become my favorite taste. I have such a hard time cutting calories and eating within my target zone. I worry more about calorie content, fat content, and trying to eat somewhat balanced. If I cut out salty food that I like I won't have very much left to eat for those on the go lunches. Granted, I do have borderline high blood pressure (that they think will pretty much fix itself after my surgery) and a family history of high blood pressure.
I don't plan to ignore it forever, but for right now, sodium is just not a concern.
Never mind the sodium, how much are you living on processed foods? Is there no possibility of cooking the soup yourself? If you make a big batch and freeze it in batches, this minimises the hassle.
Which country are you in? Japan? I'm trying to think of where else has generally healthy food, high sodium, and lots of pickles!
A high sodium diet increases your risk for osteoperosis along with the BP and heart and kidney risks.
I don't actually watch my sodium intake because I don't crave salty stuff and most of my food is fresh (protein bars and shakes excepted) but I do think it is something to be concerned about.
I would suppose that just as we can become desensitized to sugar we can to salt and that eating clean for a while would make a person happy with less salt eventually.
Yeah, then don't worry about it I only focused on sodium after I got the calories/fat thing under control.
I should also mention that my family has a history of heart problems, so it is something that I need to keep track of, but that doesn't go for everyone!
what should I know about sodium?
I only focused on sodium after I got the calories/fat thing under control. 
