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[sakura yuna]

Hi Everyone!
It's been quite some time since I've last posted anything worth mentioning. Earlier back on December 28th of 2012 I had a mild kidney bleed due to a ruptured cyst. Since being discharged on January 4th. I have dropped between 13-15lbs. due to being on a low sodium diet. My problem now is finding low sodium things to eat. Everything I've ever liked is pretty much banned. All fast food, most major candies, all soda. I am down to water and green tea. So, any help at all is much appreciated. Thank you!

[emmisu]

My recommendation is to cook and substitute when possible!

For example, if you want to have toast, mash up an avocado and spread that on toast with a little black pepper and it makes a delicious replacement for butter. (Avocado has no sodium)

It is also possible to sub in avocado for butter when baking, as long as you are making something a little more flavorful than sugar cookies.

Always try using some ground black pepper in place of salt, it gives you a little something extra without the sodium, and besides that it can be nice to use Rosemary as a main spice. I put rosemary in baked or mashed potatoes and it's amazing.

Good luck, hope this helps a little

[sakura yuna]

@emmisu: Yeah, that helps. Thanks! I never knew avocado could substitute in for butter. Will need to remember that for later.

Oh yeah, my doctor says I need to stay within 1500-2000 sodium level. So, can anyone recommend any brands that are low sodium for me to try? I've wandered the food isles at my local grocer and it's difficult to get something relatively healthy without all the fat, carbs, and extra preservatives that should not be going into my body.

[Kaliza]

On the plus side, a lot of companies are coming out with lower sodium versions of things now, however what they consider "lower" sodium can still be high... It can be difficult but really 2000 is not a lot lower sodium than what the recommended daily amount is for women.
What kinds of foods do you like? Have you tried checking out health food or natural food stores, they tend to have more lower sodium options available and if you find things you like there you might also find it at a regular store once you know the brand/item you are looking for(I've found that something is the case).

[DowagerAtWork]

It's going to sound painfully simple, but you just need to start eating whole foods. The best way to limit one's sodium intake is to simply avoid packaged food as much as possible. I used to eat terribly, and it was definitely a learning process to figure out how not to do that.

Wander around your local grocery or health food store for a while (on a full stomach) and look at what they have. Start adding veggies and fruits in your diet. Avoid frozen meals and soups as much as possible (frozen meals have a TON of sodium). And get yourself a cookbook from the bargain section of your local bookstore. The easiest go-to for me is salad and smoothies. They keep me full, give me nutrients, and make it easier for me to stand the ten or so minutes it takes to make a meal (when I get hungry, I do not feel well at all). If you can, ask whoever lives with you to limit the unhealthy snacks they bring into the house.

It seems overwhelming at first, especially since none of us was really taught what to eat, but you can do it. You just have to commit. Remind yourself of why you're doing it.

[The Hag]

Originally Posted by Kaliza

On the plus side, a lot of companies are coming out with lower sodium versions of things now, however what they consider "lower" sodium can still be high...

So true. Always check the label. Worst offenders that you may not think about are salad dressings and soups. Even the "low sodium" soups are very salty. Anything pre-made or in a can is likely to have a lot of salt.

Originally Posted by Kaliza

What kinds of foods do you like?

Yes, knowing this would make it easier to make suggestions.

Originally Posted by DowagerAtWork

It's going to sound painfully simple, but you just need to start eating whole foods. The best way to limit one's sodium intake is to simply avoid packaged food as much as possible.

Absolutely! This would also be a good opportunity to learn to cook, if you don't already. Anything that you make at home is going to be better for you than packaged or processed. Unfortunately, it is more time consuming. :/ Still, fresh fruits and vegetables and raw nuts are quick and easy snacks.

On the bright side - salt is definitely an acquired taste. After a while, you won't even miss it. Things that you used to eat will seem super salty to you. And there are lots of other seasonings to give things variety - garlic, ginger, lemon, curry, etc. Some mixes (like curry and chili powders) have salt added, so check the label. Penzeys has lots of fabulous salt-free spice blends.

[sakura yuna]

@Kaliza: Yeah, that is good that companies are starting to realize that the general public wants "low sodium" products. However, that is the downside of things. The sodium in those products would probably top what I should be eating anyways.

@DowagerAtWork: I do drink smoothies, and I eat fruit and vegetables. I pretty much banned all fast food, processed foods, and sodas. So, I did do the smart thing by not eating it anymore.

@TheHag: What foods do I like? I have a little bit of a sweet tooth, I also terribly miss things like Teriyaki Chicken and Beef. I am moderate on my snacks but I like those as well. Anything like chips or bars of any kind. Crackers were another of my favorites. So difficult to let some of these things go.

[Kaliza]

If you like chips, you can try making oven chips at home and using other spices instead of salt to season them. You can also make tasty oven chips with other veggies like Brussels sprouts, kale, carrots, etc... There are lots of recipes online.

You can find a few lower sodium teriyaki/soy sauces out there(check the labels, though, for amount, they are still be pretty high) or it is possible to make your own teriyaki or soy sauce substitutei (you can find recipes online). It won't taste quite the same of course. Another option for something like this is to use the lowest sodium variety you can find, and have it as an occasional treat, keeping your sodium very low for the rest of the food you eat that day to compensate and avoid going over your daily allowance.