-If you are under a doctor's care, I would check with them and possibly get with a nutritionists for some guidelines as well as all the great information shared here. -Do you have a sodium limit or is this a do-it-yourself project? The average American Diet often as much as 3,500 mg of sodium in it. There's a big difference in a low-sodium diet of 1,000 mg sodium per day and a restricted diet of 500 mg sodium, so you may want to understand the numbers to begin with. Our bodies need between 180 and 500 mg per day. It is an essential mineral and easy to get from whole fresh foods. Your drinking water may have as much as 30 mg of sodium per quart in it, as just one of those unexpected sources. -Make a trip to your local public library and check for low-sodium / low-salt cookbooks. -Choose recipes that have the nutritional information so you know how much sodium is in them, especially if you have to restrict your sodium to a specific amount. -Choose fresh and frozen whole foods over highly-processed prepared foods. -Put the salt shaker away. -If you normally use canned foods, like green beans, rather than buying the low-salt version (which I think you will find unpalatable in comparison), use something entirely different like frozen or fresh green beans instead. There are all kinds of tips and options that will make the switch to a low-sodium diet more pleasant. Good luck on your new diet challenge. -Grainlady

Here's one, Rita, I think it could be filled with nearly anything from fruit to ice cream. It takes no leavening at all, just those whipped egg whites. I'd leave out that 1/8 tsp of salt, I can't see how it could possibly make a difference. This one doesn't use applesauce in place of fat because it has no fat other than in the eggs. You could also leave out the walnuts and cut the fat even further. I'm thinking it would be good with a cherry filling, like Black Forest Cake. Double-Chocolate Cream Roll From Light & Tasty INGREDIENTS 1-1/2 teaspoons shortening 5 eggs, separated 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup plus 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar, divided 3 tablespoons baking cocoa 1/8 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 cups cold fat-free milk 2 packages (3.3 ounces each) instant white chocolate pudding mix or 2 packages (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed 3 tablespoons fat-free caramel ice cream topping, divided 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, divided 1 tablespoon fat-free hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed SERVINGS 12 DIRECTIONS Coat a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; line with parchment paper, coated with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in vanilla. Combine 1 cup confectioners' sugar, cocoa and salt; gradually add to egg yolks. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Spread into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert the cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with remaining confectioners' sugar. Gently but quickly peel off parchment paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack. In a small mixing bowl, beat milk and pudding mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Set aside 1 cup. Unroll cake; spread remaining filling evenly over cake to within 1/2 in of edges. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of caramel topping; sprinkle with 6 tablespoons of walnuts. Roll up again. Spread reserved filling over cake roll. Drizzle with hot fudge sauce and remaining caramel topping. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12 servings. NUTRITIONAL INFO Nutritional Analysis: One slice equals 227 calories, 8 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 89 mg cholesterol, 301 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 5 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1-1/2 fat. Annie

My Dad has the same problems as your Dad. You should make your own bread. Bread has lots of sodium and you can make it sodium free. Milk has lots of sodium. You can buy soy or other grain milks but they have lots of sodium also. But, you can make rice milk real easy and not add salt and either drink or use it in your receipes and it is sodium free. If a salad dressing calls for oil, use water and thicken with cornstarch or arrowroot. I use Fetherweight Baking powder (no sodium), EnerG egg replacer (0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 5 mg. sodium), EnerG baking soda (no sodium). I create my own receipes for my Dad. I gave him a low sodium cookbook (uses less than 500 mg. sodium in a days meals). I cannot remember the name of it. E-mail me and I will let you know.

Whole wheat processed into flour is still high carb and turns to sugar instantly in the mouth. However, whole wheat grains like farro are fine. You should also avoid soda pop even with artificial sweeteners. There is evidence that artificial sweeteners are as bad or even worse than sugar. And juice of any sort is out as is beer. It's liquid carbs straight down without any fiber to slow down the insulin spike. If you like orange juice, eat the whole orange.