Studies have shown that a
low-sodium diet has the same effect as 1.5 to 2 blood pressure medications," says Dr.
'Go on a
low-sodium diet for seven to 10 days before the onset of your period to offset water retention,' advised Dr.
Relationship of heart failure patients' knowledge, perceived barriers, and attitudes regarding
low-sodium diet recommendations to adherence.
They cite Sir George Pickering, regius professor of medicine at the University of Oxford, who wrote more than half a century ago: "The rigid
low-sodium diet is insipid, unappetising, monotonous, unacceptable, and intolerable.
The take-home message: Work with your healthcare team to optimize your blood pressure by getting regular exercise and following a
low-sodium diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
Similarly, a study from the University of California, San Diego found that people who were taught how to incorporate spices (and herbs!) into their cooking consumed on average 966 milligrams less sodium per day than those who were simply urged to eat a
low-sodium diet.
The primary treatment includes changes in lifestyle, including adopting a low-fat,
low-sodium diet and getting regular exercise.
The announcement came just as new research suggests that combining DASH, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, with a
low-sodium diet has the potential to lower blood pressure as well as or better than many anti-hypertension medications.
After four weeks on the DASH diet, participants had an average 11 mm Hg reduction in their systolic blood pressure, but those who combined the DASH diet with a
low-sodium diet had an average reduction of 21 mm Hg.
A
low-sodium diet is a necessary component of heart-failure therapy.
Bread without salt was provided for the
low-sodium diet. The amount of sodium/day in the low- and high-sodium diet was -40 and 200 mEq, respectively, promoting -160 mEq sodium/day difference between the two regimens.
"It's an important message to patients that they can get a lot of mileage out of adhering to a healthy and
low-sodium diet."