The Salt War Chronicles - Part I

The Salt War Chronicles describes one woman's epic quest to reduce her daily sodium intake, live healthy and get more exercise.  Once upon a time in a land far far away.............

Just kidding folks.  A few weeks ago, I embarked on a quest to be healthier.  After reading How to Reduce Salt Intake to Lose Bellyfat on Lance Armstrong's website, I was convinced that living strong and being healthy is the right thing for me.  Starting with a reduction in sodium intake seemed like a logical starting point.  

Step one - internet research.  I started with Google and read lots of nutrition information for some of my favorite fast food eateries.  Now don't get me wrong, I know fast food is not healthy.  What I didn't know is how bad it really is!  The recommended daily intake of sodium for a person on a 2,000 calorie diet is less than 2300mg/day.  2300 mg of sodium equals about one teaspoon of table salt.  That's all the sodium most adults need.  Yes, my jaw fell open after reading that little bit of information!  Comparing my daily intake with the recommend amount of sodium for adults left me stunned.  Here's a small sample of what I found:

* McDonald's Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit - 1400mg per biscuit.
* Velveeta - Serving size = 1 oz.  440mg/per serving
* Subway Roasted Chicken and Noodle Soup.  940mg/ cup
* Burger King Caesar Salad w/ Grilled Chicken.  1610mg/salad
* McDonald's Ceasar Salad w/ Grilled Chicken.  1320 mg/salad

Flabbergasted doesn't come close to describing my shock.  Why are so many foods are LOADED with sodium?  I truly wonder if MSG, sodium based preservatives, and other chemicals are really necessary.  Companies routinely sell fast, frozen and prepared foods knowing the sodium content exceeds the recommended daily intake.  In recent years, low sodium options have increased significantly - and that's a good thing.  As more people choose a healthy lifestyle, I hope more companies recognize the need to provide truly healthy options.

My estimated sodium intake was 3,000 -3,500 mg daily before I started researching nutrition information.  I thought it was enough to just pick healthy items on the menu.  I was so very wrong.  This is not rocket science.  Too much sodium now = health problems later.  I made the change to reduce my sodium almost immediately. I gathered my internet research and went on the attack by eliminating as much sodium as possible from my daily diet.  'Twas not easy at first.  After 3 weeks, I am happy to report I feel better and have lost several pounds.  My research continues as I learn how to make healthy choices that matter.

Don't wait until you have a health problem or develop a chronic condition to exam your diet and how its affecting you.  Being healthy means finding balance for you and your family.  We know diets don't work, but healthy lifestyles do.  Be diligent, study
and understand the challenges you are facing.  Live long and live strong (as Lance might say).