Hi bulldinkie: I'm so sorry to hear the news, I hope & wish for the best for your husband. A few days ago I got the news from my friend whose ex. is the same age as me, 52, but dying from cancer in CA.

I no longer buy regular chicken, since it's enhanced in a solution of salt. I buy Organic chicken with no salt, no hormones, no antibiotics. Walmart has that at same price as regular chicken, and the Organic is always sold out.

We join Sam's club for the reason their frozen shrimp has less salt than elsewhere. Sam's has very fresh no-salt raw frozen fish. Meijer has good frozen shrimp, but it's a long drive. I used to work for Meijer in Grand Rapids, Fred, the founder, is a great guy .. he picked up dirty diaper in the parking lot & friendly to everyone.

I like the friendly touch of Penzeys spice. Ordered 8 spices from them, got the 9th one free. All for $32, free shipping, salt-free. When I opened the jars ... they literally exploded with flavors. So much better than Ms. Dash (reeks of harsh garlic), way better than McCormick spices. Penzeys has such fresh spices, that I don't miss out the salt. That was the best steak I ever had in my life, with Penzeys' Ruth Ann Muskegon Ave. seasoning.

MSN health page: the DASH diet was rated the best. We use "lite salt" potassium chloride for the past 20 years, and both of our blood pressure is low. I used to load up my food with olive oil for flavor, but I'm cutting out the oil, and put more herbs. I notice that when I was skinny, I used very little oil in cooking.

I feel your pain and frustration! Having to watch and vet everything for my HG is a challenge especially with each of his 5 doctors and various nurses giving contradictory instructions and advice. I consult my kitchen PC frequently as I plan and prepare food, but as we know, there is conflicting information on the internet. Like Strawberry, I rely a lot on spices.

It's a big responsibility and requires a lot of attention, that's one of the reasons that while I am on the CF daily, I can't contribute much.

Good luck.

I'm so sorry, Bulldinkie.

Yes, there are foods that naturally have sodium in them, but I don't think that's a reason to avoid them if you're on a low sodium diet. I'm not a medical expert, but I'd be very cautious about trying to eliminate all sodium from the diet, if that's what you're doing.

When I use foods that I know are high in sodium, such as cheese, I'll not add salt to those dishes. Actually, I used to never add salt when I was cooking, but I started to when I learned that it adds a different level of flavor than adding salt after it's served does. But, I don't know if that's true or not.

I hope your hubby has a quick recovery.

Sally

Hi Bulldinkie: Forget to mention the "China Study" book, plus another study I read in Runner's World (my husband is a marathon runner) .. that study tested runners in 3 groups: 1st group with higher-salt, high-potassium diet (lots of bananas). Second group with low-salt, low-potassium diet. Third group with regular-salt, low-potassium. Surprise result: 1st group has the best blood pressure. Potassium is just as important as the amount of salt one consumes.

Runners sweat out salt while running .. but with normal people, low-salt, and high-potassium would be best.
Here's an excerpt from Wikipedia on China Study (plant-based diet, high in potassium): "American President Bill Clinton became a vocal supporter of The China Study. In 2010, after years of living with heart disease, he undertook the diet, eating legumes, vegetables, fruit and a protein shake every morning, effectively living as a vegan.[3] Within a short period he said that he had dropped 24 pounds, returning him to his college weight.[34] Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, said in his documentary The Last Heart Attack in August 2011 that The China Study had changed the way people all over the world eat, including Gupta himself.[35]

*** From Straw: My sister, 68 years old, reversed her diabetes through the "China study" diet. She's skinny & healthy under 100 lbs.

Here is a link that might be useful: The

This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Tue, Jan 14, 14 at 10:04

Any drastic changes to ones diet is always a challenge. A consultation for you AND your hubby with a good nutritionists may help you out, and there are so many great cookbooks available (check your public library) that you may find helpful. 'Hubby' needs to understand his new food options, too, not just you. I had to plead with my mother-in-law after her heart attack, to go to a nutritionists, but she was glad she did. I also gave her several new cookbooks and some low-sodium food items to help get her started.

Sodium is still an essential nutrient - you can't completely remove it from your diet. Interestingly enough, no matter how high the natural sodium level of some whole foods is (such as celery), the level found in processed foods is nearly always higher, so choose low-sodium whole foods over processed foods as much as possible. If you look, you will find a low-sodium substitute for nearly everything these days.

Keep in mind it's the TOTAL amount of sodium for the day - whatever that number is for you.

Since you mentioned celery, and if you like the flavor of celery, use only a small amount. Try a small amount finely chopped to extend the flavor throughout the dish. And if you choose to avoid it because of it's sodium count, try a small amount of celery seed instead. A whopping one-tablespoon of celery seed = 10 mg sodium - and only a sprinkling is needed for the flavor.

I'd also suggest using tomato powder. 100-grams (about 1/2-cup) has 134 mg sodium. It takes 1 T. (plus 3-4 T. water + Italian/Pizza seasonings and a little vinegar if you'd like at 0 mg sodium) to make enough sauce for a 12-inch pizza. Believe it or not, a finely grated Fit & Active Mozzarella String Cheese (.83 oz.) will lightly cover that homemade pizza and will only add 140 mg sodium to the entire pizza. I make all my tomato-based foods with tomato powder - sauce, paste, juice......

Buyer beware.... Even low-sodium commercial food products can have so many "ingredients" in them they are barely "food". "Natural Cheese Flavored Sauce Base" may be low-sodium, but I'd rather choose a small amount of REAL (low-sodium) cheese than a large amount of a "fake" cheese product.

If you don't already have one, a kitchen scale may help you to control serving sizes.

You'll learn some new tricks. You don't necessarily have to do without as much as you think, but you WILL need to do "different". You can make vegetable "chips" (we like sweet potato chips) in the microwave without any added salt and no fat. I dehydrate zucchini slices and add different salt-free seasoning blends, and we use them for "chips".

If you normally used a whole slice of cheese on a sandwich, you can use MUCH less (maybe only 1/4-oz.) if you use shredded low-sodium cheese, and get the same flavor and look as when you used a whole slice.

Don't forget to get sodium-free baking powder (HAIN - use the same amount as regular baking powder in recipes) and sodium-free baking soda (Ener G - you need to use double the amount of the sodium-free baking soda).

When your taste buds adjust, you won't believe how great food tastes! BTW, we do these low-sodium choices without having any health challenges.

Good luck on your new food adventure.

-Grainlady

Hi, I am new to this site but when I saw your post about your husband I just had to put my 2 cents in for what it is worth. :-)

I have CHF (congestive heart failure) and am on a restricted salt diet. If your husbands Doctor didn't tell you yet he needs to weigh himself every morning. If he has a 2 to 5 pound gain from the previous day, he is using to much salt and is retaining water. There is no such thing as a TOTALY salt free diet. Yes, salt is found naturally in many foods, that is what makes them taste so good. But you don't need to add salt to any foods you are cooking. At first you will think the food is bland but I guarantee you that after the first 2 weeks you will not notice the difference. Your taste buds will readjust and everything will taste as it should. In fact after you have been off the salt for awhile some foods, like chips will taste too salty. Morton does put out a salt substitute but the first time you taste it you won't like it. However, Just keep using it and your taste buds will change and think it is salt. But be careful with it if he eats a lot of bananas as both have a lot of potassium and to high a level of potassium can cause heart problems. Don't get stressed out over the salt free diet. Cook like you always do just don't use any salt. Read labels at the grocery store, even meats and buy only the ones with low salt content and you will be just fine.

Thank you, BounceSir on the precaution of high potassium. I checked with WebMD and here's their excerpt: "Healthy people shouldn't have any problems from eating a high-potassium diet or taking potassium supplements as directed. But people with kidney problems or certain other conditions such as the following need to be cautious about potassium intake:
Acute renal failure
Chronic kidney disease or dialysis dependence
Use of medications that increase potassium levels, including spironolactone (Aldactone), triamterene, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim), and some ACE inhbitors

How much potassium should you be eating? The easiest thing to do is to increase the amount of high-potassium fruits and vegetables in your diet. If you really feel like counting, the USDA recommends 4,700 milligrams of potassium per day." WebMD

*** From Straw: 1 cup of boiled pinto bean has 746 mg of potassium, and 1 banana has 422 mg of potassium. To meet the USDA recommendation, one need 4 meals of such. The only time that I got under 100 lbs and perfect doctor's check-up at mid-forty was when I loaded on fiber: whole-grains, beans, veges, fruits. High-fiber stuff are also high in potassium.

Here is a link that might be useful: WebMD: Potassium and your heart

Bulldinkie,
I have little to add. Just want to wish your husband and you the best. I hope he recovers comfortably and well.

Bulldinkie, I hope Sue, (Shamboo) chimes in here. Sue changed to a low salt diet a few years ago for her husband's health.

Here is a link to her blog, Please DON'T Pass the Salt.

I hope your husband has a full recovery and you both have an easy transition with the new diet.

~Ann

I can't add anything useful about your hubby's diet, but lots of good wishes for him - and for you. Not a good way to start a new year :-(

Well his dr said stay away from salt substitutes,I was too see I cant have a lot of potassium Im waiting for a kidney transplant.so ill have his diet and mine now to consider
.Yes I know you need some salt I was just commenting a lot of foods you wouldn't think have much salt are loaded.I also found out when label says less salt that could only mean 5 grams its still salty.Its like mashes ham they advertise less salt but the last few times Ive had it ,it was salty.

I want to add my best wishes for your husband's recovery too. As Ann mentioned, my husband has been on a low sodium diet for several years now. It is a challenge but not impossible. Grainlady mentioned one of my favorite products -- Hain's sodium free baking powder.

The Hain Featherweight sodium free baking powder is a lifesaver. I can make muffins, scones, biscuits, coffee cakes, pancakes, waffles -- the list goes on & on -- without any sodium in the baking powder and eliminating the salt in the recipe. This means good tasting "stuff" for breakfast.

As others have said, even the low sodium products in grocery stores are not necessarily low enough for someone who has to watch sodium intake. That's why you have to check labels diligently. I definitely recommend checking out Healthy Heart Market, an online source for low sodium products. Even if you don't buy from them, you may find the products on Amazon or even at your local grocery stores.

If you check out the link to my blog that Ann listed above, you'll find the link to Healthy Heart Market and also to two great websites. I can't say enough good things about both the Mega Heart and Low Sodium Cooking sites. They're run by men who offer great recipes, information, and even free online newsletters. For avant garde type recipes along with a lot of helpful hints, check out Sodium Girl's blog.

My husband was advised to avoid salt substitutes, so I've never even bothered trying any. There are all kinds of ways to make your food tasty. Eventually you become very sensitive to overly salted food. However, unlike other, I definitely notice the missing salt in the food I make. Don't get me wrong. Everything tastes fine; it's still good food. It's just different. Does it bother me? Not at all. It's a reality that I willingly accept because I know what too much sodium does to my husband.

Again, living a lower sodium lifestyle is a challenge. But good tasting food is not a thing of the past. Good luck.

Sue

bulldinkie, I also want to send my best wishes and thoughts to your husband for a quick and complete recovery.

I know you have health challenges of your own, so this adds a lot to your responsibilities. The only thing I can add that hasn't been said is to diligently read the labels. That "flavor enhanced" chicken or pork, that means injected with salt and water, one of my pet peeves. Cottage cheese has a surprising amount of sodium too, it's in places you just wouldn't think of.

Sue/Shambo does have a great blog and has been working on the low salt/no salt thing for quite some time, so she's got some great ideas. I know there have been at least a couple of discussions here about low salt broths and seasonings. Elery likes Penzey's Mural of Flavors very much and it's salt free, so you might like to check Penzey's, they have several salt free flavorings.

Good luck!

Annie

The good news is that your tastebuds adjust and after a rough period where things taste bleah, they start to taste good again. Food often is salted up to hide the fact that it's not very fresh or to hide poor quality. Once you stop eating salty foods, you can really taste the natural salt in your food. Most any foods that are prepared are going to have salt. My dad had heart surgery and has had to change his whole diet. I was so happy he didn't have a stroke. Eating out is almost impossible. Watch saturated fats hiding in raw nuts and things like that.

I'm glad he is alive and will be feeling better now. The body will heal and eating well will heal it. The important thing is to see eating well as a gift of life and not focus on unhappiness about the old foods that were taken away.

I hope he recovers soon and well!

good luck to you and dh, best wishes for a good recovery..

Wishing your husband a smooth recovery. Ask for both you and your husband to meet with a nutritionist on the hospital staff and that should help you straighten out the conflicting diet info.

Bulldinkie, I, too, want to send positive thoughts and prayers your way.
For you & your husband, both.

There really isn't anything I can add to the advice you've gotten here.
Most of it is very good,
And it is all well intentioned.
Use your own common good sense,
and read ALL labels diligently.

Due to kidney and blood pressure problems,
I was put on a very low sodium diet 45 years ago.
It was hard at first,
But I slowly learned.
Just mentioned this so you know I can really understand
what you are going through now.
I am also on a med (Benazepril) that affects potassium,
So I have to be careful about my consumption of it.

Most salt substitutes are
(or were 45 years ago) loaded with it.
Plus I never could stand the taste of them.
I find there are other seasonings that I like for somethings.
But mostly I just leave the salt out.
You do get used to it eventually!

Good luck to you and your husband,
Sincere best wishes for improved health soon!

Rusty

Annie brought up something that's really important: "That "flavor enhanced" chicken or pork, that means injected with salt and water, one of my pet peeves." It's one of my pet peeves too. Be sure to look for fresh chicken and pork that are not enhanced in any way. You may end up having to use strictly organic labelled chicken just to avoid the saline injections. (I've always purchased Foster Farms, but they're having so much trouble right now, I'll probably switch to organic myself.)

Also, the convenient frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts are all injected with saline solutions. So that's definitely one convenience food that doesn't work with low sodium diets.

Along with checking labels, be sure to follow portion control. If a 2 oz serving of low sodium honey ham is 460 mgs sodium, then I weigh the slices before making a sandwich. My digital scale is one of the best kitchen tools I've got.

Annie also said, "Cottage cheese has a surprising amount of sodium too..." That's for sure. But I've found a salt-free cottage cheese at Safeway: Lucerne brand. It's great for lasagna, stuffed shells, spanakopita, omelets, tuna salad, etc. I mainly use it in cooking, but it can also be eaten by itself. It just needs a generous sprinkle of some sort of spice blend.

Things have changed quite a bit since my husband's diagnosis. There are many truly low sodium products available now in local grocery stores. And that's good news. About three times a year I place an order with Healthy Heart Market. They've got great products and very good customer service. In fact, I'm getting ready to place an order sometime this week. (They've got the lowest sodium soy sauce I've ever been able to find.)

We've found several locally owned restaurants and "joints" that have no problem preparing salt-free steaks and hamburgers for us. So we can eat out or have french fries from time to time. Our family cooperates completely with my husband's sodium restrictions. For example, my daughter-in-law made a lovely stuffed pork roast for Thanksgiving without adding any salt. A couple of weeks before she made pizza using a no-salt-added jarred marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella (much lower in sodium than regular mozz). Our son-in-law made a rib roast with gravy & mashed potatoes for Christmas. He didn't salt the roast and used unsalted butter and beef broth. When I cook for the whole family, I follow the low sodium restrictions but place a salt shaker on the table. So far, no one has complained.

As has been said before, low sodium cooking is a challenge. But it's doable. For me, any loss of taste is preferable to having my husband wheezing and gasping for breath because of fluid buildup in his lungs.

I wanted to stop in and say I'm sorry for your DH's and your health issues. Dealing with diet changes is always difficult.

Hate to add more to your plate, but water quality is something to consider too.... My DH has low kidney function and we found his potassium was getting too high...turns out it was from the potassium salts we added to our water softener, so we talked to our water people who put in an additional filter that takes care of most of the hardness without chemicals. We've switched away from the potassium back to sodium which is better for him, and the usage of the product is so so much less than it was with the additional filter.

Sending good thoughts your way.

I don't have much to add except complimenting all of you ladies for taking care of your loved ones. Just want to ask that you tell him every day that you love him and help boost his ego because they need it. Also, don't forget to take care of yourselves. Been there and done that. Barb

Not much to add except to compliment you ladies for doing what you are doing and ask that you tell your husbands every day that you love them. Their egos have taken a punch and they deserve that. Also to tell you that you must take care of yourselves also. Been there and done that.

From Barb_roselover_in

I understand how scared & overwhelmed you are. BTDT. I urge you to speak to your husband's Cardiologist about a referral to a Nutritionalist that is qualified to address both your dietary needs -- in conjunction with your medications and each of your issues!! Also Cadiac Rehabilitation - It really helped him/us tremendously. Didn't know about it the 1st time - maybe could have avoided the 2nd had he been in this program).
Saturated fat is Bad -- and anything hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated should not be eaten. The nutritionist should be able to teach you how to read the labels and what to look for (AVOID).
I think the food companies are not completely truthful in disclosure and make it difficult.
Your husband should be part of this learning curve.
I know it feels like you are afraid to cook / eat anything. With education and an understanding of exactly medically (from his blood workup) what his issues are, you will be able cook and eat with more confidence.
My quick advice for cooking:
Chicken or Turkey - white meat only - no skin.
Ground turkey breast only (not just ground turkey) If you have a Trader Joe's they carry an excellent ground turkey breast - read the labels carefully) I use this as a sub for ground beef everywhere -- chili, tacos, burgers, etc. I make my own Italian sausage for spaghetti,and some other dishes.
Olivio (butter) - cooks and tastes like butter
Fage 0% Greek Yogurt - sub for sour cream
Skim Milk
Make your own Chicken broth - refrigerate - and skim every bit of fat - I pour thru a fine mesh sieve.
Egg Beaters -- they cook like eggs -- I know people pooh-pooh Egg Beaters, but if you are serious about limiting Cholesterol intake, you should make the switch.
Salmon and fish - limit shrimp
Lots of fruits and vegetables.
Salt is not the only culprit regarding Heart Attacks. My DH has never had High Blood Pressure, he is thin, active, but apparently has bad heart genes. He looks younger and healthier than most people, but we got dumped on this Bad Heart road 4 years ago, and I struggle every single day to make interesting, delicious, meals--but I do it!
BTW-Somewhere I read that Bread has the highest amount of hidden salt.
Good Luck, and I hope for a full recovery for you both.

Hey, Bulldinkie. Hope the hubs is doing better and has a full recovery. Good luck with the new diet. It will be good for both of you!

Magothrivergirl- I wish I had this forum when my husband had his heart attack. We had six months trying to figure this out before he died after open heart surgery. This was 1976 though and I surely struggled trying to figue this all out while trying to work and raise a nine year old boy. We had zilch help. There should be support groups for people like this. When I was in the hospital this last year and had to go on a low sodium diet, all I got out of my nutrutionist was "stay out of fast food restaurants , do your own cooking
besides reading labels." I live in a small town though and these things just aren't available here. Would love to know how you made your Italian sausage. I'm not that smart. However,, people like you are a Godsend for people that need the help. God bless you. Barb
Barb_roselover_in

Barb, your advice "you tell him every day that you love him and help boost his ego because they need it." Very thoughtful and hit home. I am sorry for your loss.
The Italian Sausage Seasoning recipe. I make the seasoning and store in a jar in the cabinet to use as needed. Easy - amazing how good it is. We like it hot.
Combine:
1/8 cup salt - Omit for salt sensitive - I use much less or none

1/4 cup garlic salt - I use Garlic Powder

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup ground paprika

1 tablespoon anise seed

1 tablespoon fennel seed

1/8 cup red pepper flakes - Omit if you do not like Hot

Sprinkle generously on ground turkey breast -- handle the turkey as little as possible. Put back in refrigerator for 20 mins to a few hours.
Use to make meatballs or brown in a skillet using a light olive oil to prevent sticking. Do not overcook!
I usually cook/brown about 2 - 3 lbs at a time. Cool. Separate into individual portion sizes & put in zip lock bags and freeze. Use in any pasta dish that requires Italian Sausage. I also use in a White Bean Chili recipe.
You could also stuff in casings - I don't.
Hope this helps!

About 6 years ago, my husband (age 50, then) also had a heart attack. He had a stent put in and was put on all sorts of meds. He's now on about 4. High blood pressure was never his problem (instead, that's mine!), but the cardiologist still recommended that he cut back on his sodium and fat intake. He doesn't always do it, but that's his problem. Like some here, his issues were genetic -- his dad, grandpa and great-grandpa all had heart issues early on.

I'm on a low-sodium diet (1500 mg or less), which is tricky. I find, though, if I make things from scratch (rather than use rice mixes, potato mixes, etc), I can keep the sodium down a LOT. Like Rusty above, I have to watch my potassium intake -- same Benazepril! Lots of fruits and vegies, and watch salad dressings. Eating out is the hardest (look for my thread on cooking when traveling).

Reduced-sodium everything is the way I buy things. I hadn't heard of the chicken issue, so I'll have to check into that. Is beef the same way?

Best wishes to your husband! Mine seems healthy now, but one never knows.

Donna

I thought we were eating well,I cook from scratch always have,dont eat in fast foods you don't feel good afterwards..I make lots roast veggies all sorts,not a lot red meats,alot fruit love fruit,things changed a lot after my lapband surgery to get ready for kidney transplant.I cant eat a lot of things .so we havekidney dialysis diet,low salt diet no fat,then my lapband diet,my head is spinning

Bulldinkie, So sorry for all you are delaing with, hoping your man is doing well and has a speedy recovery.

(Also hoping you can get your health issues resolved very soon).

I have nothing to add to all of the great advice the others have offered about diet. Just wanted to send my well-wishes.

Linda

Bulldinkie, one of the resources I mentioned is Sodium Girl's blog. She faced kidney failure so she's on a lower potassium and lower salt diet. She's very inventive and creative, coming up with all sorts of tasty foods that fit her health requirements. You might get some encouragement by taking a look at her blog and reading her story.

Again, wishing you and your husband the very best.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sodium Girl

Bulldinkie, my prayers are going out for you and your husband. My husband had his first heart attack, that we knew of, in 1987 when he was 38. He was extremely athletic, got a lot of the right things for exercise, not overweight, never smoked, didn't drink, minimal fast food, low cholesteral, but blood pressure a little high and did everything they tell you to do to avoid heart attacks. He wound up having 5 by pass surgery but never really got back to normal. At that time we did start to follow a healthy heart diet. About 2004, he had another heart attack while we were laying the foundation for our house. Got him to the hospital and it lasted for three days. We never imagined a heart attack could last that long without killing you. The team of doctors from IU said there was nothing they could do for him and wouldn't put him on the transplant list, but his cardiologist at the VA wouldn't give up and did manage to get him on the heart transplant list. A year and a half later, he got his transplant. My DH changed his diet himself. He became a vegetarian while waiting for the transplant. We think it was the only way he made it while waiting. He cut out salt himself and now if anything has the salt in it, he can taste it and doesn't like it. He's eight years out from his transplant and everyone is surprised he made it past the first seven as a lot don't. He doesn't eat many sweets, his diet is extremely low in fat, but I do use olive oil occasionally and his salt intake is primarily what is natural in food, not what is added. He does eat salt on his eggs and potatoes, but a minimal amount. He's healthy and happy. His doctors think he's a miracle for many reasons. Don't give up and don't let him give up. You'll both benefit from the salt free diet and you'll not even miss it.

Hang in there, Bulldinkie. Some things just happen. If you hadn't been doing those things, it might have been much worse.

Sally

What Sally2 said! Thinking of you Bulldinkie, wishing you well as you face these tough challenges! I am so sorry you have to go through all this!