{"id":58,"date":"2023-05-03T15:49:53","date_gmt":"2023-05-03T15:49:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kidneychef.com\/love-and-care-for-your-heart-and-kidneys-tips-to-cut-the-sodium-in-your-diet\/"},"modified":"2023-05-12T23:23:30","modified_gmt":"2023-05-12T23:23:30","slug":"love-and-care-for-your-heart-and-kidneys-tips-to-cut-the-sodium-in-your-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kidneychef.com\/love-and-care-for-your-heart-and-kidneys-tips-to-cut-the-sodium-in-your-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"Love and Care for your Heart and Kidneys:\u00a0 Tips to Cut the Sodium in your Diet"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Stephanie Legin, RD, LDN Did you know that our taste for salt is acquired? \u00a0 We are not born with an affinity for salt. As infants grow and are fed foods that contain salt, their taste for salt develops. \u00a0 As children continue to mature and consume more and more foods high in sodium (sodium is found in salt), their preference for these foods increases.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n By adulthood, the average American consumes ~3400mg sodium per day.\u00a0 This is well above the American Heart Association\u2019s recommendation to limit sodium to 1500mg per day.\u00a0 The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends no more that 2300mg (which is the equivalent of ONE teaspoon of salt) of sodium per day.\u00a0 The average Canadian consumes ~2760mg sodium per day. Health Canada recommends aiming for sodium consumption to be 1500mg per day with a maximum of 2300mg per day.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 <\/span>=\u00a0 \u00a0 2300mg Sodiu<\/span>m<\/p>\n Over the last several decades, the evolution of food development and manufacturing has led to the over-consumption of sodium in the diet.\u00a0 Prevalence, ease of accessibility, and affordability to prepackaged, canned, and highly processed convenience foods has contributed to our increased consumption of sodium.\u00a0 Consuming too much sodium in the diet increases your risk for developing high blood pressure. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major contributor to the development of heart disease and kidney disease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n According to 2019 statistics, heart disease is the number one killer of Americans and the number two killer of Canadians.\u00a0 Dietary choices play a huge role in disease prevention and management.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You can make wiser food choices that can help control blood pressure and reduce your risk for developing heart and kidney disease or help manage existing disease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The following tips can help lower the salt in your diet and reduce your risk for or manage existing high blood pressure.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Avoiding too much sodium in the diet is one of the most important things you can do to love and care for your heart and kidneys.\u00a0 Salt preference is an acquired taste that can be reversed! It takes about 6-8 weeks to get acclimated to eating a lower sodium diet but once you do, you\u2019ll find it\u2019s hard to tolerate foods like deli meats or chips because they taste way too salty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For more informative articles on how to cut the sodium in your diet, please reference these articles on KidneyChef.com:<\/span><\/p>\n Basics to Limiting Sodium in the Diet for Individuals with Chronic Kidney Disease(Part I)<\/a><\/p>\n Beyond the Basics: Tools to Limiting Sodium in the Diet for Individuals with CKD (Part II)<\/a><\/p>\n Flavoring Foods Without Salt\u2014The Kidney Patient\u2019s Guide to Herbs and Spices<\/a><\/p>\n The content of this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. KidneyChef urges you to seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding any medical condition. KidneyChef advises you to never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the Website.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or local emergency service immediately. KidneyChef does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the website. KidneyChef does not guarantee the accuracy of information on the Website and reliance on any information provided by KidneyChef is solely at your own risk.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.kidney.org\/newsletter\/top-10-tips-reducing-salt-your-diet<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jama\/article-abstract\/386982<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/6854815<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/1990-27920-001<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/public-health\/services\/publications\/diseases-conditions\/fact-sheet-cancer-canada.html<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/fastats\/leading-causes-of-death.htm<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
\nRenal Dietitian |<\/span><\/p>\nFebruary is National Heart Month<\/span><\/h3>\n
Love and Care for your Heart and Kidneys:\u00a0 Tips to Cut the Sodium in your Diet<\/span><\/h2>\n
Sodium Consumption<\/span><\/h3>\n
Tips to Cut the Sodium in your Diet<\/span><\/h2>\n
Shop the Perimeter of your Grocery Store.\u00a0 <\/span><\/h3>\n
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\nFoods that have >=400mg sodium or >26% Daily Value <\/span>per serving<\/span> are considered \u201chigh sodium\u201d foods. Avoid these!<\/b>
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The Inner Aisles<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Achieving Flavor Without Salt<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Home Cooked Meals<\/span><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span><\/li>\nDisclaimer<\/h4>\n