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DIET AND WEIGHT

Two of the most important things about living well with CHF are to lower salt intake and to weigh oneself every day.

First, let's talk about salt and sodium- two words that mean the same thing when we are talking about a CHF diet. There is a magic number of 1,500 here: a total of 1,500 milligrams of sodium in food is the most to have every day. If your loved one have more than this number in his or her food, more than 1,500 milligrams a day, his or her CHF will get worse.

Sodium is a magnet for liquids. Another way to picture sodium is as a sponge: the higher sodium intake, the more the body soaks up liquids. With CHF, since the heart isn't working as well as it should be, fluids may already be building up in the body. So, if a lot of sodium is consumed, more fluids can accumulate.

The first thing you should do to help your loved one is to take the salt shaker off the table. In fact, ONE teaspoon has more than the TOTAL amount of sodium allowed for the whole day!

A low-sodium diet is about more than whether or not the salt shaker has been removed - sodium can hide in certain foods - for instance, fast foods such as hot dogs, pizza, and Chinese food. Fast foods are very dangerous and are considered the skull and crossbones for a CHF patient's diet. They are VERY high in sodium, and can cause fluid buildup and swelling.

You can help loved ones purchase foods that are low in sodium by shopping for them or taking them along with you to the grocery store. Reading nutrition labels is a great way to know how much sodium is in the foods we eat. Always keep in mind the magic number of 1,500 milligrams of sodium, and that no more should be had in a day.