My Doctor Said to Reduce My Sodium-Now What?

Let's jump right in. Below are ten easy ways to incorporate changes in your daily routine while reducing your sodium intake. Discuss these options with your doctor, first! These options are for normal, healthy individuals. These are the author's opinions, who is not a medical professional.

1...Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Hydrate yourself so your body can work more efficiently. You'll feel better and be more inclined to make better food choices. 2...Add Whole Foods to your list of go-to grocers. Whole Foods is a natural foods supermarket. They offer the best in organic and non processed foods available on the market today. Whole Foods stores are located nationwide in the U.S., and in major markets in Canada and the United Kingdom. 3...Skip the deli. Cold cuts are notoriously high in salt, sodium nitrates, and sodium nitrites-a very unhealthy trio. 4...Talk to your doctor about using Mortons Lite Salt as a tool in your sodium reduction efforts. Morton Lite Salt contains 50% sodium than regular salt. Morton's lite salt is not for those who are on sodium or potassium restricted diets. 6...Start by earmarking one side dish a week and go saltless (vegetables are easiest). 7...Choose a flavorful dish and go saltless....here's a winner! Cook a mixture of your favorite shellfish (shrimp, clams, crab legs, mussels etc.) in-shell. Cooking shellfish in the shell-in seasonings-is heavenly! 8...Buy breads from a bread bakery. Many of these bakeries use very little salt, preservatives or unnecessary additives. Check farmer's markets and Italian markets. 9...Keep fresh fruits and vegetables at the ready. Live fruits and vegetables (uncooked) are known to combat cancer. At first you may find yourself throwing away the uneaten spoiled produce, but keep at it. Soon you'll find yourself eating more fruits and vegetables. You'll even start to request them. This is based on the principle that in scientific studies, subjects accepted options (even unpopular options) that were repeatedly made available to them. Make yours healthy! 10...Don't "diet" your salt away. Diet equates to temporary change and we all know the followup... you think, "After my diet, I'm going to..." Instead make lifestyle changes. Make gradual changes you can live with over the long-term. This has the most lasting effect and just like with playing the piano or any other tasks, practice makes perfect.

Remember: Eat to live, progress beyond living to eat.

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