How to Lower Sodium Levels With Diet

According to information from Choices' Nutritional Consultants, a low-sodium diet can be prescribed for any number of medical conditions, including diabetes, hypertension or renal disease. A low-sodium diet generally places a ceiling on your daily sodium intake (usually around 2,000mg), under which you should remain to reap the benefits therefrom. While reducing sodium from your diet might seem difficult at first, before long you will be able to keep your intake under your daily limit with ease.

Things You'll Need

• Notebook

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Instructions

• 1

  Consult with your supervising physician to determine exactly how low you should attempt to reach with your low sodium diet. This figure can vary, so it is best to receive an official recommendation before embarking on a diet of sodium restriction. If you are engaging in a low-sodium diet without prompting from your doctor, the 2,000mg/day diet is a good starting point, and recommended by the Cleveland Clinic.

• 2

  Maintain a constant food journal in which you list the foods you consume and their overall sodium intake. Beyond ensuring that you manage to remain under your sodium ceiling for the day, this practice will familiarize you with the sodium content of a variety of foods. Before long you will not even need to keep a food log; you will simply know which foods (and food combinations) will allow you to remain within your required parameters. But for beginners to a low-sodium diet, a food journal is crucial.

• 3

  Follow these simple tips to easily cut back on the amount of sodium in your diet. First, never use table salt, as just one teaspoon of salt contains more sodium than you are allowed in an entire day. Second, avoid consumption of salty meats such as pork, bacon, and ham, along with avoiding all salt-added products like pretzels and chips. Third, eliminate your intake of processed and frozen foods, as these often contain sodium as a preservative. Finally, never consume canned items, as these also have sodium added. Always stick to fresh fruits and vegetables to ensure that your daily intake of sodium remains low.