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FOODS

Foods you should stay away from include: any prepared foods without nutrition labels; fast foods; pizza; cold cuts, like bologna and salami; cheeses, including cottage cheese; barbecue foods like hot dogs; condiments like barbecue sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic salt, mustard, relish, and Worcestershire sauce; pickles and olives; all canned foods unless they say “no sodium;” frozen foods like TV dinners or anything with a sauce; salted snacks like popcorn, pretzels, chips, crackers, and nuts; and packages of instant pudding, cocoa, and oatmeal. Again, the key is to check the nutrition label if you’re not sure.

It can be very hard to change your diet and the way you’ve been eating for so long – but you will get used to eating low-sodium foods, and your tastes will even change to start to like the natural flavors of food. We only enjoy salt because we’re used to it, so it just takes some time to get used to NOT eating it – be patient, and don’t give up!

There are lots of foods that you can enjoy that are low in sodium or don’t have any sodium at all in them. You should try to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats (such as chicken), fish, baked or boiled potatoes, whole grains (such as barley, wheat, and brown rice), and any unsalted snacks, pasta, or oatmeal. You can also use spices like garlic (but not garlic salt), pepper, or Mrs. Dash to give your foods more flavor, or even fresh herbs and lemon if you can get them.