Re: Good food with low salt and new sodium question

[Guest guest]

Sounds like the accutane deal. A depressed, sad, challenged senators kid takes his own life and it's the medicines fault (and never the parents-but then do politicians ever do anything wrong?) and while all meds have their risks, accutane at least seems to work so well in horrible acne that it may just be one of the life changing meds for people in a good way. But let congress get a hold of something and ruin it.

I have Blue Cross Blue shield. A dietitian was covered as soon as I tested glucose intolerant (175 on the 2 hour test). I was officially diagnosed pre-diabetic. I called them and found out that I could have my Endo refer me to a dietitian based on the prediabetic official diagnoses. It is worth calling your insurance about.

> > > Isn't it easier just to look at ways of cooking that don't use salt at all rather than trying to find substitutes for old favourites? So use potatoes and rice as carbs instead of pasta or bread (or make your own). Then if you start with straight meat or fish and veg or fruit, I don't get how zero salt can

> be so challenging. You just don't add it.

>

> > > Virtually

>

> > > >> anything can be zero salt if you cook from scratch - casseroles, pies, meat with veg (and sauce), same for fish, veggie dishes. Really the only thing that is hard to make without sodium is things that need to rise (dough, cakes) and if everything else in your diet is so low on salt, that shouldn't put you over the totals. > > > > Clearly this isn't complete dashing because then you have to boost the potassium part too but low sodium alone is really not hard unless I've missed a trick. > > > > H > > > > --- InÂÂÂ

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[Guest guest]

And if you paid out of your pocket you might be even more motivated. Tiped sad Send form miiPhone ;-)May your pressure be low!CE Grim MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertension

It's the cost. If one is not diabetic there is likely no chance of seeing a nutritionist or getting insurance to cover it. Like all medical professionals whether holistic or not they don't come cheap - at least a good one doesn't. Same with personal trainer. Though I sure agree that if we can, having someone to help motivate us (should say keep us on track) in the the right direction can only help.Subject: Re: Good food with low salt and new sodium questionTo: hyperaldosteronism Date: Friday, April 22, 2011, 4:43 PM

Most important thing to keep in mind. I went to a dietitian recommended by my Endocrinologist at the time. I had regular check ups and the dietitian could have changed carb and calorie intake if things were not working. My insurance covered the dietitian because it was a referral from the Endo.

I highly recommend getting a trained professional to help determine the right amount of calories and the right mix of targets (carbs, K, sodium, protein, fat, etc). The right diet can vary quite a bit depending on current conditions and health history. For example, the dietitian had me eat a certain mix of protein and fat to promote higher testosterone. It was actually necessary for me to up my fat % to increase testosterone. I found healthy ways to do this by including almonds, walnuts, pistaccios. Oddly enough, we also found that consuming raw onions on salad and burgers helped get my testosterone back on track. That was a tip from the dietitian. It worked.

The dietitian most importantly gave me accountability. I tracked my food on myfooddiary.com and gave my dietitian my log in info. I knew she could check in on me, so I logged my food and ate better than I would have on my own.

> > > Isn't it easier just to look at ways of cooking that

don't use salt at all rather than trying to find substitutes for old favourites? So use potatoes and rice as carbs instead of pasta or bread (or make your own). Then if you start with straight meat or fish and veg or fruit, I don't get how zero salt can be so challenging. You just don't add it.

> > Virtually

> > >> anything can be zero salt if you cook from scratch - casseroles, pies, meat with veg (and sauce), same for fish, veggie dishes. Really the only thing that is hard to make without sodium is things that need to rise (dough, cakes) and if everything else in your diet is so low on salt, that shouldn't put you over the totals. > > > > Clearly this isn't complete dashing because then you have to boost the potassium part too but low sodium alone is really not hard unless I've missed a trick. > > > > H > > > > --- InÂÂ

> > >> >

> > >>

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Cause you were eating enough. Give someone 1000 calories a day of rice they will feel hungry and lose WT even though all carbs. Tiped sad Send form miiPhone ;-)May your pressure be low!CE Grim MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertension

The body doesn't like to not have energy. Your brain needs carbs. You need carbs to work out and have energy to stay active. Everything started to kick into high gear.

The carbs also help you not to get as hungry. If you balance your carbs throughout the day it can help avoid sugar spikes or crashes which caused me to feel like I was starving and eat like a competitive eater. Once I balanced carbs to around even each meal, I started to not feel as hungry.

> > > Isn't it easier just to look at ways of cooking that don't use salt at all rather than trying to find substitutes for old favourites? So use potatoes and rice as carbs instead of pasta or bread (or make your own). Then if you start with straight meat or fish and veg or fruit, I don't get how zero salt can be

> so challenging. You just don't add it.

> >> Virtually

> >> >> anything can be zero salt if you cook from scratch - casseroles, pies, meat with veg (and sauce), same for fish, veggie dishes. Really the only thing that is hard to make without sodium is things that need to rise (dough, cakes) and if everything else in your diet is so low on salt, that shouldn't put you over the totals. > > > > Clearly this isn't complete dashing because then you have to boost the potassium part too but low sodium alone is really not hard unless I've missed a trick. > > > > H > > > > --- InÂÂÂ

> >> >> >

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> >> >

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> >>

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[Guest guest]

In my opinion, the best medicine was being active. As I started to eat healthy,

I was able to walk faster and for longer periods of time. The first month

walking I must have looked pretty out of shape. It took me the entire 45

minutes to walk a 2 mile track I picked out in my neighborhood. Everyday I got

a little faster. The most important thing in my opinion was walking the 2 mile

track every single day. The days it rained or was too cold I went to the mall

and walked for 45 minutes (free as long as you don't buy a pretzel/snacks).

The calories helped, but eating balanced carbs helped me to eat balanced

calories throughout the day as well. Most of my meals averaged 400-500

calories. The snacks were between 100-300 calories. Before I started I would

overeat many meals.

The other advantage of limiting carbs to 60g per meal is that it limits salt by

default. Most fast food meals have a lot of sodium. They also have a lot of

carbs. To stay under 60g per meal, I simply avoided fast food.

> > > Isn't it easier just to look at ways of

cooking that don't use salt at all rather than trying to find substitutes for

old favourites? So use potatoes and rice as carbs instead of pasta or bread (or

make your own). Then if you start with straight meat or fish and veg or fruit, I

don't get how zero salt can be so challenging. You just don't add it.

> > > Virtually

> > > >> anything can be zero salt if you cook from scratch - casseroles, pies,

meat with veg (and sauce), same for fish, veggie dishes. Really the only thing

that is hard to make without sodium is things that need to rise (dough, cakes)

and if everything else in your diet is so low on salt, that shouldn't put you

over the totals. > > > > Clearly this isn't complete dashing because

then you have to boost the potassium part too but low sodium alone is really not

hard unless I've missed a trick. > > > > H > > > > --- InÂÂ

> > > >> >

> > > >>

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

HI ,

I see lots of comments about HCTZ (dyazide) which I was on for five

years. I am wondering if that is a common link for some of us.

Kellie

 

BP is one

thing but what about your potassium? HCTZ for many

of us threw the K down so far it was getting

dangerous at times. And I say this speaking from

my situation, and I realize we're all different,

but now that I look back over the past few years

it was, in my humble opinion, my potassium that

was the big link in how I was immediately feeling.

Tired, cramps, leg pain, headaches, brain fog and

on and on with the symptoms. Unfortunately my

potassium always being low just never put the red

flag up for anyone. But now that it is near

normal  I feel so much better.

A better diet and energy to exercise is helping,

but if the potassium drops so do I.  I bet the

potassium being low in many of us - whatever the

cause - often gets skipped over or not taken

seriously and while we are looking for some other

autoimmune disorder or answer for our symptoms the

low K seems to be too simple a cause for us the

patient and the provider to think it is the "why"

we are feeling like we do.

Just a thought and caution.

Looks

like my wife

subscribes to

your ideas

Hester. Very

seldom does

she make

things that

need to rise,

she said we

were too fat

anyway! Most

meals are from

scratch and

she never adds

salt. Salt

shakers are in

the cupboard

and never come

out unless we

have company.

For fun I

asked her

where the box

was and she

didn't know! I

found it way

in the back of

the pantry. It

was a box my

daughter

brought home

when she moved

out of her 1st

appartment

when she was

in college

(2005 I

think). It was

absolutely

full! At some

point we

bought a

Mediterranean

Salt Mill and

then my wife

found out that

salt is salt -

it is half

full and has

an exp. date

of 08/24/08!

By the way the

Mrs. Dash's

exp date is

04/10 and it

is half full!

We raised 3

children and

they ate what

we ate, they

just learned

to eat low

salt and

appear to

practice it

now. Thinking

about that

makes me

wonder if my

low salt is

why my BP

responded so

well when I

started Spiro.

I say I'm not

DASHING but

maybe I should

look into it,

I might be

closer than I

think! 

>  > > Isn't it

easier just to

look at ways

of cooking

that don't use

salt at all

rather than

trying to find

substitutes

for old

favourites? So

use potatoes

and rice as

carbs instead

of pasta or

bread (or make

your own).

Then if you

start with

straight meat

or fish and

veg or fruit,

I don't get

how zero salt

can be so

challenging.

You just don't

add it.

Virtually

anything can

be zero salt

if you cook

from scratch -

casseroles,

pies, meat

with veg (and

sauce), same

for fish,

veggie dishes.

Really the

only thing

that is hard

to make

without sodium

is things that

need to rise

(dough, cakes)

and if

everything

else in your

diet is so low

on salt, that

shouldn't put

you over the

totals. >

> 

> >

Clearly this

isn't complete

dashing

because then

you have to

boost the

potassium part

too but low

sodium alone

is really not

hard unless

I've missed a

trick. >

> 

> > H

> >  > > --- In 

[Guest guest]

I was on it for 5 or 6 years. I think it's one of the first HTN meds prescribed

because it's cheap and generally recognized as safe.

It made my K tank to dangerously low levels, and caused my cholesterol,

triglycerides, and blood sugar to rise - not good for the PA or for the insulin

resistance!

-msmith1928

45, female, 5'3 " , 120 lbs, 1cm left adrenal nodule, supine aldosterone

28.5/renin 0.2, potassium <2.9 (when not taking supplements); 25mg spiro caused

gynecomastia; no HTN meds; current meds are 20MEQ K 2x/day, singulair 10mg,

norethindrone .35mg, cyclobenzaprine 5-10mg when needed; low sodium, fructose-

and grain-free diet

>> > Isn't it easier just to look at

> >>>> ways of cooking that don't use salt at all

> >>>> rather than trying to find substitutes for

> >>>> old favourites? So use potatoes and rice as

> >>>> carbs instead of pasta or bread (or make

> >>>> your own). Then if you start with straight

> >>>> meat or fish and veg or fruit, I don't get

> >>>> how zero salt can be so challenging. You

> >>>> just don't add it. Virtually anything can

> >>>> be zero salt if you cook from scratch -

> >>>> casseroles, pies, meat with veg (and

> >>>> sauce), same for fish, veggie dishes.

> >>>> Really the only thing that is hard to make

> >>>> without sodium is things that need to rise

> >>>> (dough, cakes) and if everything else in

> >>>> your diet is so low on salt, that shouldn't

> >>>> put you over the totals. > >> > Clearly

> >>>> this isn't complete dashing because then

> >>>> you have to boost the potassium part too

> >>>> but low sodium alone is really not hard

> >>>> unless I've missed a trick. > >> > H > >> >

> >>>> --- In

> >>>

> >

>

[Guest guest]

HCTZ comes up alot on here, most likely because it is the first recommendation for controlling HTN by the powers that be so it is given frequently, and also yes, many on here have the same story about using it and K goes bye bye. I tried it here and there when they asked me to - I got accused of trying to doctor myself all the time so I played the game like a good patient and did as they asked - not knowing of course what my issue was for certain at the time and everytime it shot my K down to the point where I ended up in the hospital.

Looks

like my wife

subscribes to

your ideas

Hester. Very

seldom does

she make

things that

need to rise,

she said we

were too fat

anyway! Most

meals are from

scratch and

she never adds

salt. Salt

shakers are in

the cupboard

and never come

out unless we

have company.

For fun I

asked her

where the box

was and she

didn't know! I

found it way

in the back of

the pantry. It

was a box my

daughter

brought home

when she moved

out of her 1st

appartment

when she was

in college

(2005 I

think). It was

absolutely

full! At some

point we

bought a

Mediterranean

Salt Mill and

then my wife

found out that

salt is salt -

it is half

full and has

an exp. date

of 08/24/08!

By the way the

Mrs. Dash's

exp date is

04/10 and it

is half full!

We raised 3

children and

they ate what

we ate, they

just learned

to eat low

salt and

appear to

practice it

now. Thinking

about that

makes me

wonder if my

low salt is

why my BP

responded so

well when I

started Spiro.

I say I'm not

DASHING but

maybe I should

look into it,

I might be

closer than I

think!

> > > Isn't it

easier just to

look at ways

of cooking

that don't use

salt at all

rather than

trying to find

substitutes

for old

favourites? So

use potatoes

and rice as

carbs instead

of pasta or

bread (or make

your own).

Then if you

start with

straight meat

or fish and

veg or fruit,

I don't get

how zero salt

can be so

challenging.

You just don't

add it.

Virtually

anything can

be zero salt

if you cook

from scratch -

casseroles,

pies, meat

with veg (and

sauce), same

for fish,

veggie dishes.

Really the

only thing

that is hard

to make

without sodium

is things that

need to rise

(dough, cakes)

and if

everything

else in your

diet is so low

on salt, that

shouldn't put

you over the

totals. >

>

> >

Clearly this

isn't complete

dashing

because then

you have to

boost the

potassium part

too but low

sodium alone

is really not

hard unless

I've missed a

trick. >

>

> > H

> > > > --- In

[Guest guest]

And any good medical student would make the dx by now. Tiped sad Send form miiPhone ;-)May your pressure be low!CE Grim MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertension

I was on it for 5 or 6 years. I think it's one of the first HTN meds prescribed because it's cheap and generally recognized as safe.

It made my K tank to dangerously low levels, and caused my cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar to rise - not good for the PA or for the insulin resistance!

-msmith1928

45, female, 5'3", 120 lbs, 1cm left adrenal nodule, supine aldosterone 28.5/renin 0.2, potassium <2.9 (when not taking supplements); 25mg spiro caused gynecomastia; no HTN meds; current meds are 20MEQ K 2x/day, singulair 10mg, norethindrone .35mg, cyclobenzaprine 5-10mg when needed; low sodium, fructose- and grain-free diet

>> > Isn't it easier just to look at

> >>>> ways of cooking that don't use salt at all

> >>>> rather than trying to find substitutes for

> >>>> old favourites? So use potatoes and rice as

> >>>> carbs instead of pasta or bread (or make

> >>>> your own). Then if you start with straight

> >>>> meat or fish and veg or fruit, I don't get

> >>>> how zero salt can be so challenging. You

> >>>> just don't add it. Virtually anything can

> >>>> be zero salt if you cook from scratch -

> >>>> casseroles, pies, meat with veg (and

> >>>> sauce), same for fish, veggie dishes.

> >>>> Really the only thing that is hard to make

> >>>> without sodium is things that need to rise

> >>>> (dough, cakes) and if everything else in

> >>>> your diet is so low on salt, that shouldn't

> >>>> put you over the totals. > >> > Clearly

> >>>> this isn't complete dashing because then

> >>>> you have to boost the potassium part too

> >>>> but low sodium alone is really not hard

> >>>> unless I've missed a trick. > >> > H > >> >

> >>>> --- In

> >>>

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Yes one of the classical clues to dx of PA as first noted by Dr Conn is a fall in K on diuretics. Every HTN guideline ever published notes this and often on medical certification tests. Tiped sad Send form miiPhone ;-)May your pressure be low!CE Grim MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertension

HI ,

I see lots of comments about HCTZ (dyazide) which I was on for five

years. I am wondering if that is a common link for some of us.

Kellie

BP is one

thing but what about your potassium? HCTZ for many

of us threw the K down so far it was getting

dangerous at times. And I say this speaking from

my situation, and I realize we're all different,

but now that I look back over the past few years

it was, in my humble opinion, my potassium that

was the big link in how I was immediately feeling.

Tired, cramps, leg pain, headaches, brain fog and

on and on with the symptoms. Unfortunately my

potassium always being low just never put the red

flag up for anyone. But now that it is near

normal I feel so much better.

A better diet and energy to exercise is helping,

but if the potassium drops so do I. I bet the

potassium being low in many of us - whatever the

cause - often gets skipped over or not taken

seriously and while we are looking for some other

autoimmune disorder or answer for our symptoms the

low K seems to be too simple a cause for us the

patient and the provider to think it is the "why"

we are feeling like we do.

Just a thought and caution.

Looks

like my wife

subscribes to

your ideas

Hester. Very

seldom does

she make

things that

need to rise,

she said we

were too fat

anyway! Most

meals are from

scratch and

she never adds

salt. Salt

shakers are in

the cupboard

and never come

out unless we

have company.

For fun I

asked her

where the box

was and she

didn't know! I

found it way

in the back of

the pantry. It

was a box my

daughter

brought home

when she moved

out of her 1st

appartment

when she was

in college

(2005 I

think). It was

absolutely

full! At some

point we

bought a

Mediterranean

Salt Mill and

then my wife

found out that

salt is salt -

it is half

full and has

an exp. date

of 08/24/08!

By the way the

Mrs. Dash's

exp date is

04/10 and it

is half full!

We raised 3

children and

they ate what

we ate, they

just learned

to eat low

salt and

appear to

practice it

now. Thinking

about that

makes me

wonder if my

low salt is

why my BP

responded so

well when I

started Spiro.

I say I'm not

DASHING but

maybe I should

look into it,

I might be

closer than I

think!

> > > Isn't it

easier just to

look at ways

of cooking

that don't use

salt at all

rather than

trying to find

substitutes

for old

favourites? So

use potatoes

and rice as

carbs instead

of pasta or

bread (or make

your own).

Then if you

start with

straight meat

or fish and

veg or fruit,

I don't get

how zero salt

can be so

challenging.

You just don't

add it.

Virtually

anything can

be zero salt

if you cook

from scratch -

casseroles,

pies, meat

with veg (and

sauce), same

for fish,

veggie dishes.

Really the

only thing

that is hard

to make

without sodium

is things that

need to rise

(dough, cakes)

and if

everything

else in your

diet is so low

on salt, that

shouldn't put

you over the

totals. >

>

> >

Clearly this

isn't complete

dashing

because then

you have to

boost the

potassium part

too but low

sodium alone

is really not

hard unless

I've missed a

trick. >

>

> > H

> > > > --- In

[Guest guest]

Yes it is a classic tipoff that you have PA Tiped sad Send form miiPhone ;-)May your pressure be low!CE Grim MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertension

HI ,

I see lots of comments about HCTZ (dyazide) which I was on for five

years. I am wondering if that is a common link for some of us.

Kellie

BP is one

thing but what about your potassium? HCTZ for many

of us threw the K down so far it was getting

dangerous at times. And I say this speaking from

my situation, and I realize we're all different,

but now that I look back over the past few years

it was, in my humble opinion, my potassium that

was the big link in how I was immediately feeling.

Tired, cramps, leg pain, headaches, brain fog and

on and on with the symptoms. Unfortunately my

potassium always being low just never put the red

flag up for anyone. But now that it is near

normal I feel so much better.

A better diet and energy to exercise is helping,

but if the potassium drops so do I. I bet the

potassium being low in many of us - whatever the

cause - often gets skipped over or not taken

seriously and while we are looking for some other

autoimmune disorder or answer for our symptoms the

low K seems to be too simple a cause for us the

patient and the provider to think it is the "why"

we are feeling like we do.

Just a thought and caution.

Looks

like my wife

subscribes to

your ideas

Hester. Very

seldom does

she make

things that

need to rise,

she said we

were too fat

anyway! Most

meals are from

scratch and

she never adds

salt. Salt

shakers are in

the cupboard

and never come

out unless we

have company.

For fun I

asked her

where the box

was and she

didn't know! I

found it way

in the back of

the pantry. It

was a box my

daughter

brought home

when she moved

out of her 1st

appartment

when she was

in college

(2005 I

think). It was

absolutely

full! At some

point we

bought a

Mediterranean

Salt Mill and

then my wife

found out that

salt is salt -

it is half

full and has

an exp. date

of 08/24/08!

By the way the

Mrs. Dash's

exp date is

04/10 and it

is half full!

We raised 3

children and

they ate what

we ate, they

just learned

to eat low

salt and

appear to

practice it

now. Thinking

about that

makes me

wonder if my

low salt is

why my BP

responded so

well when I

started Spiro.

I say I'm not

DASHING but

maybe I should

look into it,

I might be

closer than I

think!

> > > Isn't it

easier just to

look at ways

of cooking

that don't use

salt at all

rather than

trying to find

substitutes

for old

favourites? So

use potatoes

and rice as

carbs instead

of pasta or

bread (or make

your own).

Then if you

start with

straight meat

or fish and

veg or fruit,

I don't get

how zero salt

can be so

challenging.

You just don't

add it.

Virtually

anything can

be zero salt

if you cook

from scratch -

casseroles,

pies, meat

with veg (and

sauce), same

for fish,

veggie dishes.

Really the

only thing

that is hard

to make

without sodium

is things that

need to rise

(dough, cakes)

and if

everything

else in your

diet is so low

on salt, that

shouldn't put

you over the

totals. >

>

> >

Clearly this

isn't complete

dashing

because then

you have to

boost the

potassium part

too but low

sodium alone

is really not

hard unless

I've missed a

trick. >

>

> > H

> > > > --- In