1. < Heart & Blood Health

Salty Facts – Heart Failure and Sodium

Posted by Kanaaz Pereira, Connect Moderator @kanaazpereira, Feb 25, 2019

Dietary sodium restriction is one of the most common self-care behaviors suggested to patients with heart failure. Although putting less salt on foods is a step in the right direction, it isn’t enough. There is so much hidden salt in foods that people aren't aware of – more than 75 percent of sodium Americans consume is estimated to come from processed foods – not the salt shaker. In this video, Mayo Clinic cardiologist, Dr. Farris Timimi discusses ways patients with heart failure can more effectively control their sodium intake.

How do you monitor how much sodium you're consuming? Reducing your salt-intake can feel like a balancing act – what challenges do you face while trying to regulate sodium?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart & Blood Health Support Group.

Mentor
Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor | @rosemarya | Mar 3, 2019
In reply to @lioness "@rosemarya I think when we overdue anything that's when we get into trouble You have to..." + (show)
@lioness

@rosemarya I think when we overdue anything that's when we get into trouble You have to ,be your own health advocate in everything from Dr.s meds, to food I think . To much food has a lot of salt in it ,sugar in it, fat in it, so we need to read labels those that don't are in for trouble I say

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@lioness, You have made me smile because I am the gal who wears her eyeglasses to the grocery store! I can't believe the people tell me that they don't read labels because they don't want to wear glasses (make them look too old). They simply and dangerously select their preferred labeled brands!
Thanks for your support.

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2 replies
lioness | @lioness | Mar 3, 2019
In reply to @rosemarya "@lioness, You have made me smile because I am the gal who wears her eyeglasses to..." + (show)
@rosemarya

@lioness, You have made me smile because I am the gal who wears her eyeglasses to the grocery store! I can't believe the people tell me that they don't read labels because they don't want to wear glasses (make them look too old). They simply and dangerously select their preferred labeled brands!
Thanks for your support.

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@rosemarya Your welcome a pleasure I feel the same way

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Mentor
Dana, Volunteer Mentor | @danab | Mar 3, 2019
In reply to @contentandwell "@danab My husband and I both love beef, I generally serve it one time a week...." + (show)
@contentandwell

@danab My husband and I both love beef, I generally serve it one time a week. Why should it be well done though? I was under the impression that was true of ground beef because when it is ground what was on the outside is now throughout, but I thought with steak that since the outside gets pretty well cooked that it was not a problem if you had it medium or medium rare. I don't have heart problems but I am immunosuppressed so have to be careful of bacteria but no one has told me I have to have steak well-done. If that happens I may as well give it up.
JK

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@contentandwell that's what i was told actually all meats to at least 160 deg it can be med to well but even the mayo guides that i got post transplant talk about it. And red meat only once a week

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1 reply
JK | @contentandwell | Mar 3, 2019
In reply to @lioness "@mxhp1988 It cooks out the fat and the fat is bad for you arteries for one..." + (show)
@lioness

@mxhp1988 It cooks out the fat and the fat is bad for you arteries for one thing .

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@lioness I only use 92% lean ground beef, and I generally buy a small tenderloin steak for myself because there is so little fat on it. My husband eats a fattier, tastier cut. I can't change him. As I have commented before, he's 83 and takes no medications, is in excellent health. When I try to get him to improve his eating habits he says he got to his age doing as he's doing, so it's futile for me to try to change him. Just great genes I guess, surely not his diet, although he does eat sweets very judiciously despite, or maybe because, his father was a pastry chef!
JK

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1 reply
lioness | @lioness | Mar 3, 2019
In reply to @contentandwell "@lioness I only use 92% lean ground beef, and I generally buy a small tenderloin steak..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@lioness I only use 92% lean ground beef, and I generally buy a small tenderloin steak for myself because there is so little fat on it. My husband eats a fattier, tastier cut. I can't change him. As I have commented before, he's 83 and takes no medications, is in excellent health. When I try to get him to improve his eating habits he says he got to his age doing as he's doing, so it's futile for me to try to change him. Just great genes I guess, surely not his diet, although he does eat sweets very judiciously despite, or maybe because, his father was a pastry chef!
JK

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@contentandwell I do look for 92% when I buy gr.meat going to get a rump roast Harriet has made me hungry for one At home I use to buy a block dump but they don't have them here ,I haven't seen one anyhow He must have good genes then

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JK | @contentandwell | Mar 3, 2019
In reply to @scardycat "I hear ya but my cardiologist still says butter is not good?!! Do you use butter?" + (show)
@scardycat

I hear ya but my cardiologist still says butter is not good?!! Do you use butter?

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@scardycat I do not use margarine generally, I use olive oil for cooking, even fried eggs, and if I have toast or and low-cal english muffin I use a little low-fat cream cheese. I have recently bought some fake butter though -- I can't believe it's not butter, vegan -- because I have apparently developed lactose intolerance. Someone suggested that. Of course, I use it very infrequently, but it is tolerable. Nothing compares to real butter though, and I prefer unsalted butter.
JK

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JK | @contentandwell | Mar 3, 2019
In reply to @rosemarya "@lioness, You have made me smile because I am the gal who wears her eyeglasses to..." + (show)
@rosemarya

@lioness, You have made me smile because I am the gal who wears her eyeglasses to the grocery store! I can't believe the people tell me that they don't read labels because they don't want to wear glasses (make them look too old). They simply and dangerously select their preferred labeled brands!
Thanks for your support.

Jump to this post

@rosemarya I wear my reading glasses in the supermarket too. I check labels all the time unless it's something I buy regularly.

@lioness You remind me of something my dear mother-in-law used to say "all things in moderation, nothing in excess". She was a wonderful lady.
JK

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mlmcg | @mlmcg | Mar 3, 2019

I have been reading labels for years, the first thing I check is the number of servings and the amount of sodium per can, bag, or container, Frozen vegetables do not have added sodium unless they are in a sauce. Celery is naturally high in sodium. I have found that with some items even if the sodium per serving is under 50mg that all I taste is salt, so reading labels does not always help. I have found some breads with no added salt in them. Happy eating with less sodium.

mlmcg

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JK | @contentandwell | Mar 3, 2019
In reply to @danab "@contentandwell that's what i was told actually all meats to at least 160 deg it can..." + (show)
@danab

@contentandwell that's what i was told actually all meats to at least 160 deg it can be med to well but even the mayo guides that i got post transplant talk about it. And red meat only once a week

Jump to this post

@danab Thanks, that's interesting. 160 isn't too bad, but a bit more cooked than I prefer for beef. I do use a meat thermometer in the oven for poultry and cook it to at least 165.
As much as I love beef, when you use 92% ground beef and cook it well, it is not juicy. 🙁
JK

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654321 | @654321 | Mar 4, 2019

This was a great informational tool. The dr . Did a great job speaking.

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