What Are You Eating?

By Kiara Tatum

One of the many hardships when dealing with Pulmonary Hypertension is the diet and nutrition.  As young adults, we tend to be on the go and just grab something that's quick and easy.  However, as you are aware, most of us have to restrict our diets to either low carb diets, low sodium diets, and we have to watch our vitamin K intake.  It's uncomfortable to be at out with friends knowing that you can't eat and enjoy majority of the foods listed on the menu.  Since the holidays are upon us and many of us have been eating since Thanksgiving, I would like to share some tips to eating that have helped me to watch my sodium levels during this holiday season.

1. Limit your fast food.  As I have been doing my holiday shopping, I have been out for hours.  I try to eat before I go out and bring a granola bar with me.  This way I'm not eating at fast food restaurants while out and about.  Although if you do have to eat out, look at the nutrition menu for the restaurant.  I find that a hamburger and small fry no salt is high in sodium; however, not as bad as Chinese food or a cold cut sandwich.  If you can eat one slice of pizza, then you can also do that as well.  As a drink for each meal out, get a bottled water.  No extra sodium to worry about counting with water.

2. Don't add salt.  Don't use the salt shaker after a meal has been already cooked.  And if your cooking your own meal just don't add salt.  In fact, I stopped buying salt years ago.  I only use Mrs. Dash to add flavor to my foods, and I don' miss the salt. Also cooking with onions and peppers as well as different fresh herbs adds flavor to your food instead of salt.

3.  Say no to processed foods.  This means no mac and cheese, flavored noodled soups, flavored rice, etc.  And don't put cheese on your burger or your sandwich.  It will save you a lot of sodium. A slice of cheese can be almost 340mg of sodium alone.  There are some snacks you can find that have no or little sodium.  I found potato chips that have 15mg per serving of sodium and with a sandwich and a bottled water, I have very filling and tasty meal.

4.  Do your own cooking.  It's hard to cook especially if you're only cooking for one person, but leftovers are good if probably stored.  Using meat that isn't already seasoned or meat that isn't already cooked is best since most of those meats will have higher levels of sodium.  I've also found ways to make a low sodium pizza meal that isn't too bad.  Cooking my own meals allows me to be creative and learn more about cooking healthy meals that my eyes, taste buds, and stomach will all find savory.

5. Read food labels.  It's very important to read food labels for the amount of sodium that's listed.  This will help you in all areas of nutrition and eating healthier not just with sodium levels.  I found a spaghetti sauce that's 40mg of sodium per serving.  So with whole wheat spaghetti, ground beef and spaghetti sauce, I have a meal that's about 120mg of sodium.

6. Use a smaller plate.  If you are going to a holiday party or dinner at family's home, then ask for a smaller plate.  Especially since you won't be sure what was added to the meal for flavor.  Most plastic plates are smaller than a dinner plate, so if they are plastic plates, then you should be okay.  And don't pile up your plate with lots of food.  If you put food all over the smaller plate, then your eyes will think you have a lot of food.  Either way your stomach will get nutrients and be full.  And don't go back for seconds.  Wait 2-3 hours before eating again, which means no dessert right after you eat dinner.

These are just some of the tips that I have learned over the last years about eating healthier and keeping low sodium levels in mind.  For more information about pulmonary hypertension and diet and nutrition visit PHA website.