Are You Addicted to Salt?

I confess. I'm a salt addict. I grew up asking for kosher dill pickles for snacks, and I survived college final exams by eating my way through boxes of Wheat Thin crackers (topped with salty feta cheese and Greek olives).

When I developed high blood pressure in my 30s, though, my doctor gave me a lecture on the dangers of salt to my heart. "Follow this low-sodium diet," said Dr. Bones, "exercise regularly, and we'll re-check your blood pressure in three months. If it's gone down, you won't need medication. If it stays this high, though..."

Well, I had great intentions. But when my friends and I ate at a Chinese restaurant, I was the one at the table asking for more soy sauce (extremely high in sodium). And when my boyfriend brought me a pizza with extra pepperoni, how could I say no? Not to mention the salted popcorn at the movies, and my mid-afternoon vending machine ritual of a package of salted nuts.

In three months, Dr. Bones took my blood pressure and looked at me. "Either you haven't been following that diet, or you're just not salt sensitive," he said. Either way, the prescription was the same.

I marched out of his office, annoyed at myself. And with the weapon of self-anger, I decided to take action.

Here are my tried-and-successful low-sodium strategies:

1. You do not need a salt shaker in your house. If you have a cute one that you love (I do!), empty it completely, then refill it with a salt-free mixture of herbs, such as garlic powder, onion powder, basil, and thyme.

2. You do need to read the labels carefully. "Low in sodium" is not the same as "salt-free," and the amount of sodium in common products such as soups, bread, cereals, sauces, and even sweets such as pudding can vary dramatically.

3. When you eat out, be sure to request that the chef refrain from adding salt to your food, Order an item, such as a sandwich or salad, that allows you to specify ingredients as well as preparation. For example, you might want to request a chef's salad made with turkey and low-fat cheese, no ham, and a light or fat-free salad dressing on the side.

4. Check your local community college's open to the public classes and your city's parks and recreation adult classes, as well as adult education. Look for a cooking class with a title such as "Healthy Heart" cooking. That way, you'll meet others sharing your goals and learn some tasty recipes made the low-salt way.