Wellness

[On It]

On another current thread about high blood pressure, salt was mentioned as needing to be reduced in the diet. I have my own problem with salt unrelated to my high blood pressure.

Salt triggers my acid reflux about as badly as anything I consume. I wanted to warn those of you who are having occasional bouts of acid to watch your salt intake to see if it is also a trigger for you. I have found many good products that if eaten in moderation I can tolerate. Lightly salted Planter's cashews, Lay's Lightly salted potato chips, and Hint of Salt Wheat Thins are three I keep on hand. I had bought No Salt Kettle Chips which were surprisingly good, but they are no longer available in our grocery store.

The other thread mentioned omitting salt while cooking and adding it at the table. It works. I will tell my husband he may want to add salt, but he says it tastes good without it.

[catter70]

When my mom had such trouble with her BP, she stopped adding salt to her cooking and we added it after, if needed.

[chickenbutt]

I'm not sure if this is helpful or not, as I haven't had a salt issue, but many, many years ago I switched out the iodized salt for Kosher salt.   The thing is, you use way less of it, so maybe that's something. 

Of course, I still use the iodized salt for baking but you use so little that it doesn't get in the way.  But for regular cooking Kosher is really good and takes so much less to get the desired effect.

[CherryHugs]

When my Dad got high BP we stopped using salt, my Mom no longer cooked with it etc.  I kept this up and do not even keep salt in the house now.

[hckynut]

@On It 

While Asymptomatic years ago I had my 1st Endoscopy. I thought they got my results mixed up with another patient.  My results:

GERD

INFLAMED ESOPHAGUS 

HIATAL HERNIA

BARRETT'S ESOPHAGUS SYNDROME 

I have lost count of my number of Endoscopies now. Because of Barrett's Esophagus, I was having one done every 3 months, then to every 6 months, now to once a year.

I quit adding salt decades ago and it was the same way I have quit other things like smoking and drinking, Cold Turkey. That is the only way to success for me.

I do not have high BP, and am no longer on BP meds. I told that story in the other thread you mentioned. What I found out recently,  while in the hospital for 4 broken ribs and a punctured left lung, was this. I have a low sodium level. 

Will that change anything for me? I will stick pretty much to the same way of eating, no adding salt to anything I eat. My wife eats different chips and crackers, all salted, so I may grab 1 or 2 of them on occasion. Will have my sodium checked on my next 6 month blood readings. 

One thing i suggest to those cutting sodium from the things they eat, read labels. I was surprised when I read a Skim Fat Free Milk had sodium listed. Never had given that a thought.

Not much, if anything bothers my stomach, as having GERD and not even having symptoms. Now I have downed 20 gallons of the Colonoscopy Preps Go and NuLytely since 2008. Only 1 time did it come close. I was in the hospital and they moved my time to drink it up 2 hours. So instead of 4-6 hours to drink it, it became 2 hours. That came pretty close to me finding out about things coming up.

Glad you have found things that make things easier for you in connection to foods.

hckynut 

[Susan Louise]

"Every cell in your body needs salt, and without enough salt your cells can't function properly. Salt is not a decadent want, it is a physiological need. All mammals need salt daily."

Youtube video - google this title:

7 Signs You Need More Salt (2021)

Since living a keto/low carb lifestyle, I have added salt, not removed it. As for the debilitating GERD/Acid Reflux I had, it went completely away within weeks of removing most carbs/sugars from what I was eating.

Rather than trying to explain it all again, here is a link to a thread I posted back in early 2019. I go into great detail about it midway through the LONG OP.

https://community.qvc.com/t5/Wellness/For-those-that-believe-in-low-fat-diets/td-p/5353543

[kaydee50]

I don't have high blood pressure but I never add salt to anything.  IMO, there is enough salt in foods anyway, no need to add more.

[Susan Louise]

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@kaydee50 wrote:

I don't have high blood pressure but I never add salt to anything.  IMO, there is enough salt in foods anyway, no need to add more.

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@kaydee50  That depends on what one is ingesting...

Since losing weight and my BP dropping to close to normal...last reading was 132/85, adding more salt has not effected my BP whatsoever. 

[qbetzforreal]

Too much sodium is hard on the kidneys.  Best to either avoid/limit processed foods.

[GenXmuse]

I don't add salt to anything because I'm sensitive to it and it causes bloating. I use No Salt and it tastes just like it.  I don't have a blood pressure issue but my kidney (the one I have) is compromised. I now can't stand the taste of salty foods. It hides the true flavor of the food which if there's too much.