What you should know about sodium

By Michelle Ishakov….

Ever wondered how sodium affects your diet and how potassium can help? Everything you buy that is not fresh at the supermarket is loaded with sodium and ingredients that are unhealthy for you. Most Americans eat packaged and processed foods which contain a lot of salt (sodium). High sodium intake is linked to high blood pressure. Consuming less salt is a good way to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and decrease risk of heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and kidney damage. In addition to eating less processed foods and more organic foods, eating foods that are rich in potassium will help prevent high blood pressure. A diet rich in potassium helps to counterbalance some of the harmful effects of sodium on blood pressure.

To stay away from foods with sodium can be a challenge, which is why it’s important to balance out your meals with potassium. It is easy for people to buy packaged foods as not everyone has time to prepare meals or money to spend on organic foods. If this is the case, you must balance your diet with an equal amount of potassium.

Potassium is a mineral that works with sodium to maintain the body’s water balance. It is essential for good nutrition and health. It is required for keeping heart, brain, kidney, muscle tissues and other important organs of the body in good condition. It also helps with anxiety and stress among many other things! High amounts of potassium are found in fruits and vegetables such as potatoes, plums, prunes, raisins, bananas, tomatoes, artichokes, lima beans, spinach, nuts and seeds, avocado, and garlic. Other foods with substantial amounts include fish, meat, poultry, whole grains, and yogurt. Eat a variety to get the recommended amount. While sodium is added to most processed foods, potassium isn’t always. If it is, it is usually a low amount in relative to sodium. Meeting the minimum requirement isn’t a challenge if you eat a variety of foods like the ones listed above or by taking it as a supplement.

Here are some simple guidelines to follow. You should not consume more than 2,300-3,000 milligrams of sodium daily. You should not consume more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium daily if you have health problems such as the ones I mentioned earlier. Monitor the sodium and potassium content on the Nutrition Facts label. Use the Daily Value to help limit your intake. 5% your daily value or less is low and over 20% is high. When preparing meals, use herbs and spices as alternatives to flavor your food, avoiding adding salt. If you try this for a while, you won’t miss the taste of salt as it will decrease. Salt is addicting, so the more you consume, the more you will feel the “need” to add more.

For more helpful tips, please visit me at Nutriway in the Promenade Shops of Aventura or email me at mishakov@