Comments on Cranky Fitness: Pass (on) the Salt

I am a salt scofflaw. I like the stuff. I use it ...

2009-11-07T15:06:45.435-05:00

I am a salt scofflaw. I like the stuff. I use it freely in cooking. And there's the hitch: I mostly eat food I made from scratch at home, mostly healthy and nutritious. Even using salt to taste I am still giving myself less salt than if I ate pre-made packaged foods.

My BP is low-normal, I'm fit and healthy, and I get a good sweat going at least a few times a week.

So, I just don't worry about salt.

I totally agree. Love your blog.

2009-11-06T16:32:20.213-05:00

I totally agree. Love your blog.

I love the informative but confession blog you hav...

2009-11-05T19:52:26.770-05:00

I love the informative but confession blog you have going here. Isn't that what blogging is all about. We are always confessing about how crapy we ate or how we hate to workout. The biggest question you hear after Halloween is "do 10 MINI snickers equal one big one." DO you know that the average person gains 10 LBS during the hoildays. Holy Crap!!! Who wants to be average?? Dang it I paid $200 for those designer jeans and I am going to wear them through the Holidays.

i have low blood pressure... so low it didn't regi...

2009-11-05T19:14:03.707-05:00

i have low blood pressure... so low it didn't register once. salt is my friend.

You guys crack me up!! Diana, you'll get the same...

2009-11-05T17:38:40.030-05:00

You guys crack me up!!

Diana, you'll get the same enjoyment, just with less salt!

Joshua, hopefully the flu shot for you will be like buying insurance, then never needing it. As for your BP, I think you are fine at 120/80 Actually, for most people it's always higher in the doctor's office, so yours is probably lower in the real world!

I always check the sodium content but I admit to n...

2009-11-05T16:43:55.265-05:00

I always check the sodium content but I admit to never knowing what the actual milligram amount per day was supposed to be. Although, a nutritionist once told a running group I was in that if you're running and sweating a lot then you don't need to be as concerned with your sodium intake since you need to replenish what you sweat out. And since I sweat a lot AND don't particularly like the taste of salt, I don't mind too much when it's hidden.

Well then, I guess I'm screwed. At least I know th...

2009-11-05T14:01:30.115-05:00

Well then, I guess I'm screwed. At least I know that 120/80 is high for me, plus I had just driven 20 miles to get a shot, and I hate shots.

Oh well.

-Joshua

Great information! How sad though. Really, some of...

2009-11-05T13:50:13.766-05:00

Great information! How sad though. Really, some of that stuff is favorites. But, good point from Dr. J. I hope to re-train my body to not like it.
Thanks :)

If it "doesn't taste salty," even if the label say...

2009-11-05T13:39:35.028-05:00

If it "doesn't taste salty," even if the label says it's in there it's because you are addicted to salt!
Once you break the addiction, you will find salt very bitter, and have no trouble tasting it, and being careful in the future.

PS I advice people to check the new guidelines for BP. 120/80 is so yesterday. Now that value is considered pre-hypertensive :-(
Sorry about that, I just report the news.

Guilty. I love salty foods. I've gotten much bette...

2009-11-05T13:19:08.544-05:00

Guilty. I love salty foods. I've gotten much better, but I love me some salt. Blood pressure's been just fine, though. It was, quite literally, 120/80 yesterday when I got my flu shot. Right on the money.

-Joshua

My dh used to salt everything...without even tasti...

2009-11-05T11:16:01.889-05:00

My dh used to salt everything...without even tasting it first, but I've broken him of that habit over the years but upping the variety & amount of herbs and "non-salt seasonings" when I cook.
I've slowly backed away from cooking with added salt & rarely find myself reaching for salt anymore. A pinch here, a dash there is more than enough for an entire dish...and some don't need it at all.
It does take time for your tastebuds to adjust but it goes both ways. We tried something the other day & I couldn't believe how overly salty it tasted - something that I never would have thought 6 months ago.

Love the camel example. ;)

Salt is that evil, silent underminer, isn't it? R...

2009-11-05T11:10:44.162-05:00

Salt is that evil, silent underminer, isn't it? Recently, I learned that the organic, otherwise "healthy" cottage cheese that I was paying big bucks for contained tons more sodium than Breakstones or other popular brands. Whaaaa....?

We get bottled veggie juice because the hubs cannot bring himself to just eat his vegs. He then switched to low sodium. He about gagged. He just drinks it really fast now.

Potassium is oh so important, especially for the ladies. Orange juice has a good amount as does yogurt.

Eep...it's an issue up here in Canada. Apparently ...

2009-11-05T10:07:35.963-05:00

Eep...it's an issue up here in Canada. Apparently a lot of things here (even cereal) ahve WAY more salt.
I usually cut out salt as mucha s I can and have found the flavour of foods to be so much fuller and better. It's odd to see when my parents (salt fiends) come to visit though - they put salt on their food without even tasting it first! I have a salt shaker just for them when they visit...

I do find I crave salt every once in a while still (mmm...jerky and pretcels...) but it's amazing how much less water I can retain when I keep an eye on the salt.

Your water-retention examples totally cracked me u...

2009-11-05T09:45:47.708-05:00

Your water-retention examples totally cracked me up.

I too find the sodium thing totally frustrating! I'm lazy and would love to eat more take out and "convenience" foods, but the high sodium levels freak me out.

I can't seem to wean myself down to low enough levels without things tasting bland. One trick, if you can stand the slightly metallic tastes, is to use a light salt that's half potassium. I got used to that and use it for cooking and on the table.

Great wake-up call. Thanks for the link. I'll be...

2009-11-05T09:45:03.135-05:00

Great wake-up call. Thanks for the link. I'll be more mindful of labels.

I notice when I eat something really salty, then I want to eat something really sweet and v.v. If I can start eating somewhere in the middle of the two extremes, maybe I can get my sweet tooth under control. I'll have to ponder that one.

Word verification: taint

I find most everything too salty these days. I've ...

2009-11-05T09:12:51.633-05:00

I find most everything too salty these days. I've noticed it since I started eating oatmeal for brekkie and at the same time decided to see what would happen if I cut out butter. I no longer crave salty snacks and my sweet tooth went dormant. It's kind of scary now as I don't know what to eat for lunch anymore.

Aha! A lightbulb moment. Just come back from a hol...

2009-11-05T09:04:36.938-05:00

Aha! A lightbulb moment.
Just come back from a holiday with much less control over the sodium in my diet. Happy and relaxed but feeling 'bellyful' and bloated again.
That's it - thanks - you've just flagged up why for me. It's the salt!!! Back to the fresh fruit and veg for this fat lass. Get those sodium molecules out of my path!

ahhhh my beef jerky loving downfall. salt.

2009-11-05T09:01:35.581-05:00

ahhhh my beef jerky loving downfall.

salt.

So true! Even foods that you'd think are low on so...

2009-11-05T08:59:05.079-05:00

So true! Even foods that you'd think are low on sodium are packed with it--breakfast cereals, cookies, and other sweets. The worst offender? Mexican food. I love chips and salsa and tacos but eating out at a Mexican restaurant causes my hands to swell like a water balloon!

I am a big label reader.. I don't really eat froze...

2009-11-05T08:43:58.815-05:00

I am a big label reader.. I don't really eat frozen or packaged food very often & I am not a salt user either.. I use the non salt seasonings. BUT, reading labels, I always look at sodium too.

Now, saying that, I do have to be careful as I do work out pretty hard & you still need some sodium in your bod so it is something to know about if you are one that cuts back on salt big time! I know a guy that fainted & that went back to his sodium levels being to low.. he was too strict! Now, I realize this is the exception but for those that work out intensely & watch all this stuff, just something to think about...

I really like shopping at Hannaford's for this ver...

2009-11-05T07:59:54.079-05:00

I really like shopping at Hannaford's for this very reason. They have a starring system on foods in their store and it is more stringent than the FDA's. So at least when buying convenience foods and your eyes bug out at least the starring is right there on the shelf to tell you how it rated.