How to Cut Back on Sodium for Improved Blood Pressure

At your last visit to the doctor, you found out your blood pressure was high. Now, you’re on a quest for ways to lower that blood pressure without resorting to medication just yet.

The good news is there’s a simple way to help reduce blood pressure: lower your sodium intake.

Like many things, although the concept is simple, the execution can be more difficult. Here at Phillips Family Medical, Dr. Pamela Phillips and our team have helped many patients lower their sodium levels. Here are a few tips on how you can start to cut back.

How does sodium affect blood pressure?

Your body does need sodium to function properly. It helps control your body’s fluid balance, and it plays an important role in the function of your nerves and muscles.

When you have excess sodium in your body, though, the increased concentration causes your body to retain water, which can make you bloated and puffy, causing weight gain. In addition, the excess sodium in your bloodstream pulls more water into your arteries and veins, increasing the amount of fluid in those blood vessels.

With more blood flowing through your blood vessels, your blood pressure may increase, and high blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

How much sodium do you need?

According to the American Heart Association, adults keep their sodium consumption to no more than 2,300 mg of sodium a day. Ideally, you should keep a lower limit of about 1,500 mg a day, especially if you do have high blood pressure.

The problem is that nine out of 10 Americans allow too much sodium into their bodies each day — the average adult eats more than 3,400 mg.

How can you limit your sodium intake?

Many people think sodium and salt are the same, but that’s not quite true. Sodium is a naturally occurring mineral that makes up about 40% of table salt. We do ingest sodium through salt, but most sodium in our diets comes from processed foods and restaurant food. Here are a few ways to lower your intake.

Avoid processed foods

Foods with high levels of sodium to watch out for include burgers, burritos and tacos, deli meat, pizza, pasta dishes, savory snacks, soups, and more. If you’re buying these kinds of prepackaged or processed foods, check the labels first. Look for the words “sodium,” “soda,” or “Na” — these indicate sodium in the food.

You can fight this problem by looking for no- or low-sodium alternatives, which is often indicated on the packaging. You should also eat more fruits and vegetables; if you’re going the canned route here, look for “low sodium” on the packaging and avoid any sauces that have been added.

For snacks, look for unsalted nuts and seeds. Also use unsalted or low-sodium broths and bouillons.

Watch the menu when eating out

As mentioned, restaurant food is high in sodium. You don’t have to stop eating out, but you do need to plan ahead. Look on the menu ahead of time for low-sodium options. You can also request that the chef prepare your dish without salt, and you can order vegetables with no salt added.

To season your food, skip the salt shaker and go with pepper. You can also use lemon juice instead of salt to season your fish and vegetables.

Use alternative spices

Plenty of flavorful options are available to spice up your food besides salt, so take the salt shaker off your table and start exploring. Garlic, turmeric, and paprika are three great options to get started, and here’s a great list to give you plenty more ideas. Some of these spices even have additional health benefits.

If you need to check your blood pressure or you’d like some professional help in lowering your sodium levels, Dr. Phillips and our team are here to help. Just call our DeSoto, Texas, office at 972-861-1151 or use our online scheduler to book your own appointment anytime!