I did a study over a couple years where I kept track of estimated daily sodium intake. I read labels at grocery stores and took notes. This upset staff as they began to see me as a Secret Shopper spying at their store. I found NutritionalData.com and that solved some of those issues. I entered my daily estimates on a spreadsheet and gradually worked my sodium to 3,000 mg per day. My cardiologist was not impressed as he wanted 1,500.

I have since improved my results to 2,000 mg daily intake. I eat out frequently and have devised ways to estimate what the meals contain. Michelle Obama pressed the issue of sodium and many restaurants now have nutritional data websites. One family restaurant I liked had three times the sodium I estimated; they must really use the salt shaker.