PH Awareness Month - Post #26

Many PH patients are told by their specialists that they should go on a low or no sodium diet. Why is this? Salt regulates the balance of fluids in the body. A high increase of salt in the diet can cause water retention. Water retention can cause an increase in PH symptoms, especially shortness of breath. So, a decrease of salt in the diet would help with water retention. Every PH patient is different. For one PH patient, getting rid of salt in the diet completely is needed, whereas another might need to limit it less.

Cutting back on sodium seems like it is so hard! Salt is in almost everything, so how does one do it?? Here are 5 tips found here on the PHA website on how to cut or limit salt in foods we eat:

1. Throw out your salt shaker. Do not use it in food preparation or at the table.

2. Check the serving size on processed foods when adding up your sodium intake. Purchase products with no more than 200 mg per serving.

3. Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.

4. Watch out for sodium in non-food items including medications and water softeners.

5. Decode your food labels...
**“Sodium-free” means less than five mg of sodium per serving.
**“Very low sodium” means 35 mg or less per serving.
**“Low sodium” means 140 mg or less per serving.
**“Unsalted” and “no salt added” mean only that no extra salt was added; they are not
necessarily low sodium foods.
**“Healthy” means less than 360 mg of sodium per serving.