Low salt and low sodium diet

You may have heard your doctor or nurse talk about a low-sodium or a low-salt diet and may wonder whether they are different diets. There is actually no difference between the two. Doctors and nurses usually use the terms sodium and salt to mean the same thing.

It is important to decrease the amount of sodium you eat when you have heart failure, because heart failure causes the body to hold on to extra sodium. The sodium causes extra fluid to build up in your body. The extra fluid makes your heart work harder. That's why you have those heart failure symptoms - because of excess water.

Here are some tips to lower your salt and sodium intake:

1. Be aware when you are grocery shopping. READ THE LABEL. Look for foods that are labeled "low-sodium," "sodium-free," "no salt added," or "unsalted." Check the total sodium content. Be especially careful of canned, packaged, and frozen foods.

2. Don’t cook with salt or don't overdo. Try pepper, garlic, lemon, or other spices for flavor instead. Be careful of packaged spice blends as these often contain salt or salt products (like monosodium glutamate, MSG).

3. Avoid foods that are naturally high in sodium, like anchovies, meats (particularly cured meats, bacon, hot dogs, sausage, bologna, ham, and salami), nuts, olives, pickles, canned meats, sauerkraut, soy and Worcestershire sauces, tomato and other vegetable juices, and cheese.
Take care when eating out. Stick to steamed, grilled, baked, boiled, and broiled foods with no added salt, sauce, or cheese.

4. Use oil and vinegar, rather than bottled dressings, on salads.

5. Eat fresh fruit or sorbet when having dessert.

Other conditions that may benefit from a low-salt diet include Ménière’s disease, migraine, gastritis, ulcers and kidney stones to name a few. Some researches also suggests that restricting dietary salt may play a role in the prevention of certain types of cancer including stomach, colorectal, and head and neck cancers.

Restrict high-sodium foods to a tiny corner of your pantry, and use the new wide open space to stock up on food that’s good for you. It's just a matter of getting used to. Soon, your taste buds will perk up, and your health risks will go down.