This is the reason I don't go to the doctor:

[Trance]

At my work today, they had a 'health fair', that my supervisor suggested we all go to, as they're trying to promote healthy living. So I went, and was told I was 20 pounds over weight and my blood pressure was 'dangerously high'.

My problem is I love salt. I will put salt on just about anything... it's the one thing I will just dump on anything from corn to spinach. I know my salt consumption is very high, but for some reason (I was even like this as a kid), I could not eat vegtables without salt.

My mom tried to get me to switch to the 'sodium-free' salt, but I found it has no taste. Is there anything I can do.

[yogi3939]

Bite the bullet and beat the addiction of your taste buds to salt. I was off of McDonalds hamburgers for nearly a year one time (and any other fast food barfburgers) but I had to have something to eat one day and I could not find anything open but a McDonalds. My first bite of the burger tasted like a salt lick for cows. That was because they use salt to keep you addicted to their taste. After being off the fast food for nearly a year eating one of those burgers was like setting a salt bomb off in my mouth.

There are a bunch of spices you can use as a substitute for salt until your taste buds are operating normally again. GOOD LUCK.

[24thchance]

Sure,there Mrs.dash which uses a large variety of spices in a saltshaker container.Another option is to find another herb that you can fall in love with.Get an assortment of all the herbs out there and start trying each one out.I did this same procedure many years ago and now I use little to no salt-insted I use cinnamon powder on a lot of my food as a topping.

[Jaybird74]

sodium-free salt?? then it ain't salt, is it?

[Julian4JC]

sodium-free salt?? then it ain't salt, is it?

your comment reminded me of that verse wheres it says, (paraphrasing) what good is sault if it loses it's taste.

As to the OP, i also have a weakness for sault and my BP is above normal. I am also hoping there is an alternative option.

[mac]

I hear that sea salt is more healther for you.

[saved by Grace]

i like to dump pepper on everything but ice cream or deserts,not so much salt.

[yogi3939]

I have tried a couple of the sodium free alternatives, t h e y __ j u s t __ a r e n ' t __ t h e __ s a m e.....

[Jaybird74]

The reason I asked the question is because my brain is a little too logical sometimes:

NaCl = Sodium Chloride = Salt

??Cl = "who knows"Chloride =


soy sauce????

[Teotwawki]

At my work today, they had a 'health fair', that my supervisor suggested we all go to, as they're trying to promote healthy living. So I went, and was told I was 20 pounds over weight and my blood pressure was 'dangerously high'.

My problem is I love salt. I will put salt on just about anything... it's the one thing I will just dump on anything from corn to spinach. I know my salt consumption is very high, but for some reason (I was even like this as a kid), I could not eat vegtables without salt.

My mom tried to get me to switch to the 'sodium-free' salt, but I found it has no taste. Is there anything I can do.

Salt consumption shouldn't have any effect on your weight or blood pressure. The most salt can do is make your body retain water which may make you look/feel bloated due to the extra water weight. But since it has zero calories it can't add any fat tissue.

If you're concerned about being 20 lbs overweight, cut out high fructose corn syrup (translation: soft drinks) instead.

[GodsForgiven]

For someone who has studied nutrition over the years, I would take a look at what else is in your diet, The Salt may just not be the problem.

[LookingUplinda]

Salt consumption shouldn't have any effect on your weight or blood pressure. The most salt can do is make your body retain water which may make you look/feel bloated due to the extra water weight. But since it has zero calories it can't add any fat tissue.

If you're concerned about being 20 lbs overweight, cut out high fructose corn syrup (translation: soft drinks) instead.

you must be young guyssalt is a problem if you have high BP and eat too much salt. Even if you are young it will hook you into the bad habit of over salting your food. Ask any 'old geezer' who has had high BP, salt is really bad if you develope high BP, so is fat, especially belly fat. My father had HBP since his 30's, so if it's in your genes, it is especially bad, there is science to back it up. You must deal with the salt in your diet, any doctor will tell you that. Please be careful and make the change NOW

[Teotwawki]

you must be young guyssalt is a problem if you have high BP and eat too much salt. Even if you are young it will hook you into the bad habit of over salting your food. Ask any 'old geezer' who has had high BP, salt is really bad if you develope high BP, so is fat, especially belly fat. My father had HBP since his 30's, so if it's in your genes, it is especially bad, there is science to back it up. You must deal with the salt in your diet, any doctor will tell you that. Please be careful and make the change NOW

Thanks for the advice

[yogi3939]

I second the "old geezer" and salt connection. I have periodic bouts of atrial fibrilation and that makes me very prone to edema, or water retention, to the point of actual discomfort and breaking of the skin on my shins. And when that happens salt is a serious NO NO.

[Lainy68]

HOW TO REDUCE SALT CONSUMPTION

Hiding the shaker will barely make a dent because only a fraction of the salt we eat is added at the table. Most of the sodium in our diet comes from processed foods and restaurant meals. Here are ways to cut back:

* Eat fewer processed foods that come in boxes or cans.
* Buy fresh poultry, fish and lean meats instead of canned, cured, smoked or processed types.
* Do not add salt during cooking. Instead, sprinkle on a few grains of coarse sea salt or kosher salt at the table as a “finishing” salt. You’ll likely be satisfied with less.
* Use primarily fresh vegetables or choose plain frozen more often than canned.
* Rinse canned vegetables, beans and meats to remove some of the sodium added in processing.
* Make your own salad dressing and marinades with vinegar, fresh-squeezed citrus juices, oil and herbs. Bottled versions are spiked with salt.
* Make your own stock and gravy instead of using bouillon cubes or granules.
* When eating out, order foods that have been grilled, baked, steamed or poached instead of fried, battered, smothered or gratineed. Visit the Web sites of fast-food and national chains to find the nutritional values of their dishes.

[Amber Lynne]

Try lower sodium salt, sea salt and maybe even garlic powder. I am addicted to black pepper and garlic myself, but not salt.

[farah]

I really think the only way to reduce one's sodium intake is to go cold turkey. It sucks for the first few weeks (I won't lie), but gets so much better once you get over the hump. Food tends to taste *SO* much better afterwards - you actually taste the flavor of food, rather than the flavor of salt.

[yogi3939]

I really think the only way to reduce one's sodium intake is to go cold turkey. It sucks for the first few weeks (I won't lie), but gets so much better once you get over the hump. Food tends to taste *SO* much better afterwards - you actually taste the flavor of food, rather than the flavor of salt.

I am in total agreement with that. I cook without salt at all unless it is a requirement for the recipe to work and then I just avoid that recipe. I find that a very small amount of salt added at the table, added to foods that really do need a little salt, gives me much more bang for the milligram of sodium than to cook with it. There really is nothing like a small amount of salt sprinkled on garden fresh tomatoes. But most foods, once you break the salt addiction, really do taste better salt free.

[willyday]

Salt consumption shouldn't have any effect on your weight or blood pressure. The most salt can do is make your body retain water which may make you look/feel bloated due to the extra water weight. But since it has zero calories it can't add any fat tissue.

If you're concerned about being 20 lbs overweight, cut out high fructose corn syrup (translation: soft drinks) instead.

Salt intake does affect weight blood pressure indirectly through water retention. I know because I was on kidney dialysis for several months and I had to completely cut out my salt intake. The more salt you intake, the more water you retain, inevitably increases your weight.

The kidneys eliminate the excessive dietary sodium, through urine. If the kidneys fail to regulate the same, the sodium gets accumulated in the blood. Sodium in blood results in water retention, resulting in increased blood volume. This, in turn, puts pressure on the heart, thereby increasing the amount of blood flow through the vessels. This invariably increases the blood pressure.

[caligal]

Small amount of sea salt goes a long way. Also if you drink juice go to cranberry and purple grape juice. Cheese has alot of salt too. A glass of red or purple wine is good for you. Celery is also a diuretic. Soft drinks on a regular basis is very bad for you. I am also a salt freak.