The Benefits of a Low Sodium Lifestyle

A low sodium, low salt diet shouldn't be a burden at all! Personally, I have kept to an "under 1000mg" a day diet with out giving up much but fast food (and who misses that anyway?)

When I was first told that my blood pressure was high ( 160/95) and labeled as having hypertension, I decided at that moment to do some serious research into what had created this "new-to-me" health concern. I wanted to find a permanent solution to lower the numbers to an acceptable, healthy range without taking medication.

\"Salt Free Diet\"

As I reflected on where I was in life at the moment, mid-life, not overweight, but not exercising regularly either, I began making small changes in my day-to-day lifestyle. I was not going to give in to hypertension.

The Benefits of a Low Sodium Lifestyle

First, I bought a nutritional handbook that lists most foods and their nutritional content. I decided to try and stay under 500mg of sodium daily. This took some work, but it paid off very well. I had lowered my count to 150/89 in two weeks. But my doctor still was concerned and wanted to see me begin medication, so I went back to the drawing table. And I put off the decision to going on medication for another 30 days.

I found that magnesium is an excellent combatant for excess sodium. I added figs, sunflower seeds and other magnesium rich foods to my daily intake. Yes, this was working, I was now at 140/85. And dropping. Dropping.

Now, when I added a daily aerobic routine of 30 minutes each day I was really making progress. Three months out and I was reading 135/79. Huge advances!

Did I mention that all this time I rarely ate out? When I did find myself in a restaurant, ordering was tricky, but not impossible. Nervous that salt would be added to anything prepared, I would order a salad, no cheese and oil and vinegar on the side. Boring, boring, boring.

I was feeling so good and healthy I began to slip a little, just a little. I ate out a little more often, still I didn't cook with salt at all, but I abandoned my daily "health breakfast" for pancakes and granola. (I was eating slow-cook oatmeal with figs and seeds topped with soymilk every morning, and loving this tasty creation) I actually forgot about my grand plan. Then, I had my bp read. I was climbing. And I knew that I needed to get back on track, and fast.

Having a culinary background, I cook most everything my family eats. This includes all breads, sauces, everything. And you know what I discovered? Food tastes BETTER with little or NO salt. You can actually TASTE the good food. I have posted many of our favorite recipes at Low Salt Recipes at Cooking-for-Compliments.com And daily updates are added with new and exciting recipes for successful low sodium cooking.
So, now, 10 months out and feeling great. I'm a steady 135/75 and holding! I adhere strictly to under 1000mg of sodium daily, and walk everyday for at least 45 minutes.

I eat well, get outside often and I am enjoying life. It was just a matter of thinking in a new direction, and taking action.

Certainly, you need to consult your doctor with any medical concerns you may have. This article is not meant to be taken as medical advice. Lowering your salt intake is a first step in treating hypertension, and I hope to provide you with delicious recipes to help you obtain your goals, too.

To your health!

Please consider this article for publication in your newsletter or on your website. Permission is granted to reprint for free with resource box and byline intact. Please send me a copy of your publication if you choose to include my article. Thank you.

The Benefits of a Low Sodium Lifestyle

Betty Ziegler is the writing host for Cooking-for-Compliments.com

B@cooking-for-compliments.com

http://www.cooking-for-compliments.com/low-sodium.html

Salt Free Seasonings Offer Help Living With a Low Sodium Diet

Salt free seasonings are the key to living with a low sodium diet. Low sodium diets do not have to be bland. You need good quality salt free seasonings. The seasonings need to be fresh with good aroma and you need a variety of them. You will be surprised how quickly you can become tired of the same flavors day in and day out, without salt.

For example you wouldn't put the same seasoning on fish that you would put on a steak. Fish is more delicate and would need a lighter seasoning whereas a steak would need a stronger seasoning blend to get enough flavor to keep it from being bland. This is not to say you couldn't use a grilling seasoning on both. As a rule though, you will find that by using different salt free seasonings for different foods, you will achieve more flavorful results.

\"Salt Free Diet\"

What's interesting is that when you cook with salt, you can pretty much use the same seasonings year in and year out on everything and you are perfectly happy. This is because you are really just getting the salt taste with very little flavor. This is what you like because this is what your taste buds are used to. Take the salt out and the food will be bland and boring as everything starts tasting the same.

Salt Free Seasonings Offer Help Living With a Low Sodium Diet

Learning to live on a low sodium diet or a salt free diet is about getting the salt and sodium out of your food and getting flavor in. Besides salt free seasonings, you will be adding more vegetables to your cooking, like onions, carrots, celery, bell peppers, chilies, etc. An assortment of vegetables along with your salt free seasonings will add a lot of flavor and don't forget to use fresh garlic and you can always add some fresh herbs and freshly ground black pepper.

You can also sprinkle your salt free seasonings on the food and let it sit for a while. This is a dry marinade, or rub them into the meat and this would be a dry rub. Traditionally a dry rub has salt and sugar, but this does not have to be the case. Using the dry rub technique, gives the seasonings time to get into the food and not just sit on the surface.

Add a water or a little oil, (oil works better), to the seasonings and you have a paste. You can apply the paste to make a thicker layer of seasoning to the meat.

You can also marinade your meats or vegetables. A marinade is really just using an acid like (wine, vinegar, or lemon juice), oil and seasoning. A marinade does not have to have salt in it, it just needs to be flavorful. A marinade helps break down the tissue, or fibers and lets the meat take in the flavors. A marinade also naturally tenderizes meats especially without salt. Salt can actually draw out moisture. Salting meat and dehydrating it is how jerky is made. This is also why many folks salt their eggplant, to draw out the moisture. You may actually notice a more tender meat or steak because you are not using salt.

Note: A marinade can be used for 10 to 30 minutes or for the best results, several hours or overnight. You need to watch the marinating time when adding acid, especially fresh lemon or lime juice to fish, because these will start to cook the fish. This is what is called ceviche.

By using really good salt free seasonings you'll find a low sodium diet can be heart healthy, delicious and be a low sodium diet you can live with.

Salt Free Seasonings Offer Help Living With a Low Sodium Diet

If you like this information and would like to know more, I am inviting you to sign up for our FREE Season It Newsletter when you visit Benson's Gourmet Seasonings at http://BensonsGourmetSeasonings.com In this newsletter there is helpful information teaching you how to get more flavor, especially into a low sodium diet. A low sodium diet is cooking differently. For most, it's like learning to cook all over again.

Click here to get more helpful information including low sodium cooking tips, salt free seasonings, and low sodium recipes. You'll learn how you can use salt free seasonings, fresh herbs, different spices, about certain foods and different cooking techniques to flavor your food without adding salt and sugar. You'll find out how to get more flavor than you ever thought possible.

Debbie Benson, owner of Benson's Gourmet Seasonings with over 30 years experience promoting salt free seasonings. Loving to cook and cooking salt free most of her life by choice, she has learned a lot of tips and tricks to create flavor without the salt and sugar that seems to be in everything these days.

Pregnancy Low Sodium Diet

During pregnancy, a low sodium diet may be required for some women who are holding extra water in their bodies. This condition is called pregnancy-induced hypertension, and can be very dangerous to the mother and the baby. In many cases, a low sodium diet is recommended to help relieve the condition. Sodium, or salt, as it is more commonly called, causes the body to retain water, which in turn increases blood pressure.

If you have been placed on a low sodium diet during your pregnancy, or if you just want to improve your health before or after pregnancy by following a low sodium diet, then read on for some indispensable clues to following your low sodium diet!

\"Salt Free Diet\"

The first step to compliance with a low sodium diet is to analyze what your usual diet contains. For at least 24 hours, write down everything that you drink and eat, as well as the sodium content of these foods. Ideally, you should be under the sodium limit that your doctor has given you. Under 1,200 mg of salt is considered to be a low sodium diet, in or out of pregnancy.

Pregnancy Low Sodium Diet

Chances are that you ate much more sodium that was recommended. In or out of pregnancy, most people do not naturally follow a low sodium diet. We tend to eat a variety of high sodium foods, some of which do not even taste salty! A good place to start for your pregnancy low sodium diet is to try not to eat fast food. Fast food is inherently salty; fast food may be some of the saltiest food on the planet!

Another huge source of sodium in the diet is from processed foods. Processed foods include most of the foods that come packaged in boxes, cans, or bags. Many people eat exclusively processed foods throughout the day; this does not help them to stay on their pregnancy low sodium diet.

To decrease your overall intake of sodium throughout the day, focus on eating fresh foods instead of packaged foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables are fantastic, low sodium options that are good for you and your baby. If you fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables before you eat other foods, chances are that you will have much less room for all of the high sodium foods that you used to put on your plate.

The next simple step to follow your pregnancy low sodium diet is to avoid adding extra salt to foods. Try a sodium-free seasoning mix like Mrs. Dash, and pile on the flavor!

A few small changes can help you to have a healthy pregnancy! A low sodium diet will help you to lower your blood pressure to a healthy level.

Pregnancy Low Sodium Diet

Milos Pesic is an expert in the field of Pregnancy and Fertility and runs a highly popular and comprehensive Pregnancy [http://pregnancy.need-to-know.net/] web site. For more articles and resources on Pregnancy and Fertility related topics, early Pregnancy Symptoms, Infertility Treatments and much visit his site at:

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