How to Help a Salt Addict?

[bvdr]

Bob, I really watch my salt and find that I use lemon or lime juice to add the little zip needed to soups or sauces. It has helped a lot. In fact, my husband has actually been instructed by his doctor to supplement his sodium intake. He is supposed to drink boullion or something every day. His pressure runs too low otherwise. I'm so accustomed to lower salt that I often find that some restaurant foods are just too salty to eat.

Just be patient with your DW. Changing habits is not easy but it can be done...especially when it HAS to be done.

How is your knee feeling?

 

[marky]

This may have already been said.. but lots of spices and herbs.. will add tons of flavor without the sodium!
Stay away from processed and pre-packaged.. TONS of hidden sodium in there..
Make sure to eat a lot of natural diuretics to help alleviate water retention
and drink TONS of water.. with a little nat'l lemon helps too.

 

[aussigal]

I dont know if Garlic is popular in USA but we use it alot and it is also very heart healthy...and if both of you indulge you wont notice the garlic breath!

Good luck on kicking DW's salt habit...I have never known of salted watermelon. I hope Allyne is feeling better.

 

[Guest]

I use spices more than salt. When we have sandwiches, I buy Boar's Head brand (not sure if available where you are) because they have heart healthy meats...I'm sure there's salt in there somewhere but the deli labels say "heart healthy, American Heart Assoc". If you use canned veggies, drain the can, rinse them and then add a can of water to the pot to heat.

 

[Superbob]

I really appreciate all the good ideas. One revelation so far has been potassium chloride in place of salt in the shaker. To me, it gives a taste similar to salt (DW seemed to agree) and I assume the potassium may be good for you. Or at least not bad. Anyone know if there are any drawbacks to the potassium chloride?

Allyne is up and around -- but very tired. And no I haven't been scolding her -- she's trying very hard to make the modifications that will help prevent a major stroke like the one she had in '96, or worse.

 

[njean]

I really appreciate all the good ideas. One revelation so far has been potassium chloride in place of salt in the shaker. To me, it gives a taste similar to salt (DW seemed to agree) and I assume the potassium may be good for you. Or at least not bad. Anyone know if there are any drawbacks to the potassium chloride?

Allyne is up and around -- but very tired. And no I haven't been scolding her -- she's trying very hard to make the modifications that will help prevent a major stroke like the one she had in '96, or worse.

I'd rethink that SD if I were you..... I googled Potassium chloride & one of the precautions is:

Precautions
Orally it is toxic in excess; the LD50 is around 2500 milligram/kg (meaning that a person weighing 75 kg (165 lb) would have to consume about 190 g (6.7 ounces) which equivalent to 38 tea spoons; table salt is about as toxic). Intravenously this is reduced to just over 100 mg/kg but of more concern are its severe effects on cardiac muscles; high doses can cause cardiac arrest and rapid death. A massive overdose of intravenous potassium chloride is used to stop the heart in capital punishment by lethal injection.

Like the article says however, that 38 tsp is toxic even in table salt! I think you & your DW are better off just cutting back on the salt, period!

 

[AgilityDog]

No one has mentioned lemon juice as a salt substitute! I keep packets of dehydrated lemon juice on the table, next to the Mrs. Dash. I also use ff sour cream on my potatos or pasta - it only has about 15 mg per 1/4 cup serving, so that's not much, and the tang helps replace the salty flavor.

 

[Nancy]

Agree with Norma-

Stay away from any potassium substitutes. They are not good for you, and could be dangerous to certain people.

 

[cday]

On the no-salt substitute - the only I looked at stated NOT TO USE IT WITHOUT DOCTOR'S PERMISSION.

Maybe you could take some favorite recipes and cut the salt in half and keep lowering the amount until you are at an acceptable level -- I used that method myself for going from sweet tea to unsweetened. This took me about 2 weeks.

Another thing I tried is placing a day's allotment of salt in a ramekin and let my husband use it as he desired. Then I didn't use the salt while cooking.
Many good southerners like a lot of black pepper and pepper sauce (that can mask anything else that would be missing).

Be very careful with chicken broth -- most of them list salt as the first ingredient.

And BTW - Salt on watermelon is very common in the Deep South (Sweet Home Alabama). And, of course, we put salt on corn and grits are inedible without it.

 

[Superbob]

I'd rethink that SD if I were you..... I googled Potassium chloride & one of the precautions is:

Precautions
Orally it is toxic in excess; the LD50 is around 2500 milligram/kg (meaning that a person weighing 75 kg (165 lb) would have to consume about 190 g (6.7 ounces) which equivalent to 38 tea spoons; table salt is about as toxic). Intravenously this is reduced to just over 100 mg/kg but of more concern are its severe effects on cardiac muscles; high doses can cause cardiac arrest and rapid death. A massive overdose of intravenous potassium chloride is used to stop the heart in capital punishment by lethal injection.

Like the article says however, that 38 tsp is toxic even in table salt! I think you & your DW are better off just cutting back on the salt, period!

Thanks, she has a follow-up appointment with the doctor and I will ask about it. I would add that we're talking just a sprinkle on some foods, not 38 teaspoons worth. I believe the stroke care coordinator actually recommended mixing it with salt in the salt shaker. Not planning to cook with it or anything.

 

[catwoman]

Bob:

Nearly 30 years ago, I had a co-worker who had a congenital heart defect.
Tommy was on a very low-sodium diet. He loved McDonald's french fries and said that he had to call ahead so he could get unsalted ones.