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I have recently developed edema. I am used to joint swelling with the Lupus but this has become pretty pronounced [and may I add - it hurts like a son of a *ahem* ::Waving - Hi God!::] We have decided that the best way to combat this is with some medication, elevating my legs and sodium reduction.
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And Lupus has picked salt for me! I don't have a choice but to make it the full 40 days. [Is that cheating? Using something I have to do anyway?]
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As a rule I don't season with salt in my cooking or salt table food because Pooldad [and SR, my ex] both have battled high blood pressure. Imagine my surprise at just how much salt we do actually eat in one day! I thought I was doing pretty well - but, um, nope. Normal intake per day is 2300 mg while I have been restricted to 1000 mg.
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To give you an idea of what a day looks like on my new menu:
Breakfast:
1/2 grapefruit
4 oz grapefruit juice [I like grapefruit, what can I say?]
0 mg
Lunch:
1 mini plain bagel 230 mg
1/2 oz. cream cheese 50 mg
cup of unsweetened applesauce 0 mg
1 banana 0 mg
6 oz banana/strawberry yogurt 80 mg
360 mg
Snack:
1/2 serving low sodium soup 190 mg
Dinner:
1 boneless skinless chicken thigh 160 mg
2 cup steamed spinach 0 mg
1 slice low sodium [HA] whole grain bread 110 mg
[I would have had a starch but I didn't have anything to make tonight]
270 mg
Snack:
Jello - orange 65 mg
TOTAL SODIUM: 885 mg
TOTAL CALORIES: 835
All in all not a bad day. The sodium is on target and I am stuffed, so that is all good. The calories are too low to maintain my weight - so I have to work on that, but we need to go grocery shopping to replace a lot of the sodium rich foods in our home. I already miss saltines.
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Then again this is what was on our menu a few weeks ago:
Total sodium in this one meal? 910 mg
860 for the ham and 30 mg for the cheese sauce
sweet potato and broccoli are free
Wow! Honestly I wasn't surprised by the ham [duh!] but was thrilled the cheese sauce was so low. Who knew? Still...that dinner isn't bad if you are on a normal sodium diet - it still leaves 1390 mg for snacks, lunch and breakfast.
Hope everyone has a wonderful season. I am off to have another little talk with God. :D
12 comments:
You will be SO glad you reduced your sodium intake. Once you get used to food without salt, you taste every grain of salt that's in everything. You'll never go back, after Lent, after Lupus.
(I gotta say, tho, that picture of last week's dinner looked soooo good.)
My mother has Lupus. She has had it for 32 years. 8 ears ago it was so advanced that they gave her 5 ears at the most to live. Then she went into remission for a few years, now she has "attacks". I personally don't know what you are going through, but I have watched m mother for awhile now, and I know it is difficult at times.
Good luck with the no salt, I know it sucks. And my thoughts are with you and you family.
Basically, if you avoid using salt at the table or in cooking and avoid processed foods of all kinds, you should be good. Diane is so right that you will taste the salt more when you haven't had it.
Good for you with the sodium reduction... FYI there is tons of sodium in colas & diet drinks too ...don't know if you are a soda drinker, but I know I was shocked when I found that out.
Make sure you get more calories in... you need the calories! Maybe some protein in the morning?
Right now? Sucks to be you for sure. But 800+ calories for one day? Definitely need to work on that one, sweetie.
Word verification: bopcup. French for much/many.
Maybe you could roast a fresh ham.
I don't do well with sodium, either. I had onion soup last night and woke up with puffy fingers today. It's my own fault.
Good luck on limiting the salt. It's not always easy and some foods are just too bland without.
I agree about the caloric intake. I know you probably know this, but to calculate what your body needs just to do the basics (regenerate cells, breathe, blink, provide a little energy, etc.), try Lance's site:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/80260-daily-calorie-requirements/
Well I thought I wanted that bagel & cream cheese, but then I scrolled down and saw that ham dish. yeee-haaa!
Gimme that! And I will try to do it salt-free. I like Mrs. Dash. It's good for going salt-less.
Hi guys! Thanks for all the comments and support.
Diane - I don't cook with nor salt my food, never had it is just the normal things I eat [lunch meat, canned soups for lunch, saltines] that shocked me at how much salt they had. That is why the menu was so sparse yesterday - I need to go shopping! lol Thanks.
Phelan - Good for your Mom! I will happily take 32 more years [& then some :)] Lupus just has some diverse side effects depending on the person/type...but I happy your Mom is still with us and Doctors are stoopid. Thanks for the kind words.
Jeannie - Thanks Jeannie - been doing that for years since hubbies both have [had] high blood pressure. It is all the other stuff we have hanging around that is dangerous [that I don't cook, just eat]
Barb - I did not know that and I will miss my green bottle cokes :( but am happy with ice tea [homemade] which is my second fav' drink. Couldn't afford a 6 pack of green bottle cokes anyway - $6.50 here! And they are only 8 oz each. So they go along with Lent too. heehee And I am trying to get more calories - but it is hard.
Linda - Did you even read what I wrote in the post? LMAO [j/k]- Yes, Not My Mom - I KNOW 800 calories is too little, but I have to go grocery shopping! I need bopcup calories with low sodium, mais oui?
Rudee - I just found Lance's site this week and it is neat. I know I have to watch my potassium too - as in get enough - so I am working on that. Thank god I don't have a job....this is amazing busy work LOL. Fresh ham, huh? That sounds good. I think I may need to find a butcher if I decide on ham again. But boy I am going to miss bean soup, ham and eggs and quiche off of one spiral ham. sigh. Thanks for the link to the article. Awesome.
Yum - I have a whole ham frozen - where should I send it? lol and thanks for the Mrs. Dash suggestion I have never tried it.
Thanks again gang. Your wishes and hints are greatly appreciated. Love ya and have a great weekend.
I have gotten used to not adding salt to things, too. I have Meniere's Disease and increase sodium causes swelling, which causes me vertigo problems. Ron has the chronic kidney disease problems so he's limited in his sodium and his potassium.
I don't miss the salt in my food and actually have to tell waiters when we're out to not add any seasoning to my meat - even though they say it's not salt they don't understand that most of them are salt-based with other ingredients. Salt is the cheapest ingredient. If I forget to mention it, I just can't eat the food.
Good for you. I am shocked at the amount of sodium in things.
However, I tend to be a salt aholic. Steve is constantly getting on me for the amount of salt I put into things. I have goten better.
Have a wonderful weekend.
I am terrible with sodium! It is in EVERYTHING! I was just talking about this on my blog, actually. I need to cut down, that's for sure!
Mmmm...salt.
I think I'm the lone salt lover here. Seriously, I love the stuff and put it on everything. I could carry around a salt lick with me. Especially when you get to the bottom of a bag of tortilla chips or pretzels. Mmmm...pure salty goodness.
I love Mrs. Dash, though my problem with it is the lack of salt, which is a good thing in your case. :) It's the only seasoning I grew up with (my mom wasn't too adventurous).
Good luck with the low sodium diet. As the rest have said, it's apparently quite good for you. :)
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