A LOT!!! Just for fun try finding something in your pantry that isn't loaded with salt. I think this is going to be harder than I thought. At first when the doctor said to avoid salt/sodium I just nodded my head and thought "okay great...no more crackers and chips, reduce my cheese intake, okay...I get it." No problem, right?
Then today I had a bit of trouble finding food to eat for lunch. Normally I would have a weight watchers meal or a diet bagel, toasted with ham and cheese, v-8 or low cal yogurt and carrots or apple...most of these are now off limits... To the pantry I go. Soup...no, risotto...no, sandwich...without cheese and cold cuts, what's the point? Weight watchers frozen meals...oh, my no...salt, salt, salt. I ended up making a rolled whole wheat tortilla with a small amount of peanut butter and dried cranberries. Not filling, so I am in the kitchen again looking for food. Carrots, yes, banana bread...kind of okay, and lots and lots of water!
All day I have been thinking about how I love to cook and how that will all change...or at least how I will be cooking will change. I was also thinking about all the salty foods I have eaten lately...Thanksgiving (gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole), Chinese food (soy sauce, fried rice), Olive Garden (soup and bread sticks) even some salads with the dressings and sunflower seeds.
I'm not really even in mourning about reducing my dairy (yet) because I am so overwhelmed by checking the labels for sodium. I spoke with my Nephrologist on the phone today and he told me my blood work came back fine (checking for abnormal parathyroid). I asked to be referred to a dietitian to help sort this all out and he was going to get back to me. Until then, I feel like I am just not sure what is really "safe" to eat. This frustration is all very much compounded by my on-going quest to "eat right" and loose weight.
Really it all boils down to this...I'm going to have to make most of my food from scratch. Packaged food is made up of so much chemical garbage and TONS of sodium... and I'm going to have to eat more fruits and veggies for crunchy snacks instead of crackers or popcorn.
Sorry I am rambling on tonight...this was mostly intended to be therapeutic for me. Kudos to you if you have actually read this whole mess!!!
2 comments:
Alyssa, I have not added salt to anything that I cook for years, I use other spices to give bland food more flavor, but many foods really taste good without any help from salt or anything else.
Your mother likes salt, so she puts it in everything, and you probably have gotten use to that from eating here for many years. I sometimes have her fix two separate things, one with salt for her and one with out for me. That is one of the reasons I make my breakfast and lunches for myself.
Unfortunately from birth just about we have salt added to everything we eat. Up until recently baby food was so full of salt and sugar, not for the baby, but so when the adult tasted it it tasted good to them.
You probably will not want to eat anything out of a can or anything pre-prepared,i.e. frozen dinners, processed meats, deli selections or the like.
Remember moderation is the key!
It is not easy, especially when you go out to eat, but it can be done.
Good luck,
Dad
hang in ther friend...I have been there (and should still be there as I have been getting dizzy again) But honestly the best I have felt in my life was when I was watching my salt and carb intake. And your right, you end up eating a lot of fruits and veggies and salads, with some protein...and you get used to popcorn with no salt on it (do it on the stove it tastes so much better)
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