Drinking more water will not flush excess salt from the body. It remains in the kidneys.
The DASH-Sodium diet modified sodium levels in the base DASH diet. “DASH-1 contained 3,000 mg of sodium daily, which is pretty typical for the average American. In DASH-Sodium we tested three levels: the original 3,000 mg, 2,400 mg, which is generally recommended, and 1,500 mg,” says McCarron.
The sodium obstacle
Not surprisingly, the 1,500 mg diet did the best job of lowering blood pres- sure. “I have to be honest, that level is harder to achieve,” says McCarron. Even keeping your sodium level to the generally recommended 2,400 mg daily is tough. “There is about 2,400 mg of table salt in one teaspoon. You can get half your day’s allotment of sodium in one dill pickle,” says Doris Henning, R.D., chief dietitian for Erickson Health.
She recommends aiming for about 1,800 mg daily, but adds that is generic. “It can vary by gender, activity level, and other factors,”says Henning.
Finding hidden sodium
It can be especially hard for older people to avoid higher levels of salt because many rely on easily prepared foods. “Frozen meals and canned soup are both staples in many older adults’ diets—and they generally contain large amounts of salt,” says McCarron.
It isn’t always easy to spot sodium. Besides fairly obvious sources, like MSG (monosodium glutamate), soy sauce, and most BBQ sauces, there are many other ways salt creeps into our system. “Quick breads have baking soda, which contains sodium bicarbonate. Antacids have sodium. Most canned tomato products contain sodium,” says Henning. Also avoid cured meats, like ham and bacon.
Bringing salt down
“At Erickson, we cook with low-sodium soup bases. We figure you can always put salt in, but you can’t take it out,” says Henning. Over and over, experts recommend learning to cook with spices besides salt.
“Look for low-sodium breads. They are generally now available in most major supermarkets, but they are more expensive. Choose shredded wheat and oatmeal—the 5-minute kind, not instant—for cereal. Make salad with oil and vinegar dressing,” says McCarron.
What about when you are going out? “Balance is key. If you are going out for lunch and it will be hard to control the sodium content, choose that shredded wheat for breakfast,” says McCarron.
Once out, try making better food choices. Consider these options at the Chinese restaurant. “Choose steamed brown rice, instead of white. Ask to have the food prepared with no MSG and very little sauce, then avoid adding soy sauce,” says McCarron.
“Go for veggie dishes, or something steamed. Fried food is not only high in fat, it has salt in the batter,” she adds.
Be accommodating
“Initially it is hard to get used to a lower-sodium diet, because you’ve acquired the taste for salt. We did a taste menu here at Erickson that the DASH experts prepared—and people asked for some salt,” says Henning.
One of the keys is to move away from salt slowly. “We did a study on older people and were able to reduce their sodium intake. The key is a gradual reduction. If you do it abruptly, you will have problems,” says Appel.
“It takes about six weeks to bring down your salt level to about half of what you were used to. Then if I give you something you used to eat, you are likely to say, ‘My goodness, this is salty,’” he concludes.
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