Doctor said no more salt! Help!

stacymarks

I just got home from my dr. appt tonight, and I gained 6lbs this past month.  Doctor said he's fearful that I might be on my way to hypertension since my blood pressure is fluctuating upwards too.  Scared of developing preeclampsia. No more salt for me.  Can anyone give me any advice?

MrandMrsAndrews

Are you able to talk to a nutritionist or dietician? 

Through my work, we are able to get in contact with different health coaches - and one of them happens to be nutrition.  

rachael898

My husband and I cut out a lot of salt a while ago because of his high blood pressure and it's not too bad unless you have to cut it out all together.  There are a lot of recipes online for making things from scratch.  Like taco seasoning for example.  My husband loves tacos but the taco kits are loaded with sodium so I went online and found a taco seasoning that is salt free and I just mix it up myself.  Super easy.  I know the grocery store also has a brand of spice kits that are salt free, they just cost a bit more than just buying the spices and making them yourself.  It's nice that a lot of companies are conscious of these diets now and you can find a lot that is low sodium or sodium free.  Just compare labels and get the ones with the least amount of sodium.

Epeter1

my mom found this salt substitute tastes like salt but it isnt  literally called "No Salt" or something simple like that

atizon

yikes!! No salt. I have a friend that uses the subsitute for salt supposedly it's not really salt. you should ask your Dr if you can use that.

Karen1998

There are quite a few salt substitutes from Mrs. Dash to ones that are technically a "salt" but are not the type that typically heightens your BP.  I also agree with the pp about consulting a dietitian and/or nutritionist. 

You will also need to cut out all processed foods, as well as stop eating out.  It's also time to thoroughly read labels.  Find out if your doctor wants you literally on a no salt diet, or if he wants you to do a low sodium diet, such as the American Heart Association one.  A low sodium diet is much easier to follow than a no sodium diet.  Keep in mind that just about everything has sodium in it, including milk.  Check your prenatal label as well as it may have sodium.  

forensicmama

Mrs. Dash (as previously mentioned) has no-salt seasonings that are delicious. Steaming veggies is healthy and yummy (especially with green beans).

mama_duck

Go visit Penzey's online.  They have a TON of salt-free spices that are awsome!  You won't even miss it!  I promise.  Arizona Dreaming is my favorite!

www.penzeys.com

eclark721

Studies actually show that pregnant women should include as much salt in their diet as they want. I know it sounds crazy, but trust me. Try the Brewer diet: https://www.drbrewerpregnancydiet.com/id96.html. The main goal in this diet is to get plenty of protein -- at least 70 grams of protein per day is shown to ELIMINATE preeclampsia. Do check out the link, though.

 

Good luck to you! 

rainlily

Agree that you should try salt substitutes and talk to a nutritionist.  Ask your doctor if you will need a prenatal supplement with iodine in it for baby's thyroid.  As far as your blood pressure going up, I would ask if light to moderate exercise would help the bp issue.  Also, you may want to do some yoga/light stretching at night for relaxation. 

Monsieur_et_Madame_Ha

I find the easiest way to cut down on salt (and a lot of other crap, too) is to cut down on processed food and eating out and focus on cooking from scratch as much as possible. Other than that, I also think you have nothing to lose by talking to a dietitian.

Amanda&EricB

Monsieur_et_Madame_Ha:

I find the easiest way to cut down on salt (and a lot of other crap, too) is to cut down on processed food and eating out and focus on cooking from scratch as much as possible. Other than that, I also think you have nothing to lose by talking to a dietitian.

This was exactly what I was going to say. Processed foods have a LOT of salt in them- including canned and frozen foods. If you are unsure, go to the store and do some comparisons, and you will get a better idea.

If you haven't already, increase your water intake. That will help with swelling and hypertension.

And I agree that finding out if you can visit with a nutritionist or someone similar would be a huge help. They always have a vast amount of information.

Good luck!