Conference rocks::weight_control

    
         And be careful of things marked 'low-sodium'. I own a bottle of
    reduced-sodium soy sauce that is marked low-sodium because it contains
    less that x ( I've forgotten what x is ) mgs of sodium per serving.
    That's the key -- the serving size is 1/2 or 1/4 teaspoon. 

        Some frozen vegetables are extremely high in sodium, as well as
    baking powder and baking soda. 

    And the best way to avoid excess sodium is to never eat packaged
    foods.  Sounds kind of impossible, but over the years my hubby and
    I have slowly converted to preparing all our food fresh; he even
    makes our own salad dressings, we make our own soup stocks from
    bones and leftovers.  (We do eat lots of leftovers this way, it's
    true--we usually make dishes in large batches and store them for
    brown-bagging or later dinners.)  I bake all our biscuits, muffins,
    etc., from scratch (takes about 10 min longer than doing them from
    prepared mixes).  
    
    This way we are free to leave salt out of everything.  Which we
    usually do.
    
    Marcia

    
    Below ~75mg = Low Sodium
           35mg = Very Low Sodium
    
    30% less sodium than the average sodium content of that type of
    food = Reduced Sodium.
    
    This is a per serving value, on some soups, a serving is half a
    cup!
    
    							--- Neal

    
    
    Regarding .2
    
    Don't forget you need some salt to survive.  It is especially 
    important in the summer months because it helps keep you from sweating
    all of your body water away.  You may notice that you perspire much
    more easily.
    
    A few years ago I got heat stroke at the beach...the first thing
    the paramendics did was start me on saline (salt water) because
    I was so dehydrated.... I now have to bring salt water with me because
    I am more succeptible to heat stroke.
    
    Remember...too much of anything (either way) is not good.

    Re -1 - Right.  I have had salt cravings at times since I
    started weight-training.  I work out 4 days a week for about
    2 to 2 1/2 hours per session (including bike time).  Even in
    the winter the gym is warm, and especially while I'm biking
    I lose a lot of salt from sweating.  I haven't had water
    retention problems, that's for sure!
    
    Also, there's lots of sodium in natural foods, including some
    you wouldn't expect, like canteloupe (musk melon)!  The book
    I just reviewed in the last note I wrote, "Rock Hard! Super-
    nutrition for bodybuilders", includes a chart of foods
    naturally high in sodium.  Some of the surprises for me were
    melons, lots of veggies including most of the cabbage family
    (kale, broccoli, cabbage, chard etc), milk products, and wheat
    germ.  Most meats and ocean fish are high also.
    
    Good book (no, I don't get royalties ;-)).
    
    --Louise

    I have a question.  I probably consume more salt than is considered
    advisable.  I do not, however, have high blood pressure, nor do
    I retain excessive amounts of water.  Since everyone's body is
    different, can I asume (as I have been) that I am not getting too
    much salt for me?
    
    Marion

    Yes, that might indeed be the case.  I consume more fat in my diet
    than most books say is advisable, and my cholesterol level is in
    the low 140's with HDL being 85% of total.  I watch that indicator
    carefully, but it is nice to know that that's one thing I don't
    have to be hyper-vigilant about.  I don't go mad gobbling down fatty
    food at every opportunity, but don't feel that I dare not ever put
    a piece of beef or a single egg in my mouth.
    
    If you ever do start to retain water or see other indications that
    your salt intake salt should be cut back, then make the necessary
    changes.
    
    Marcia

The whole salt issue often gets blown out of proportion by the 
media. As a result, people are prone to gross over generalizations.
It is true that Americans eat much more salt than what is
required by their bodies. In *some* people this *may* 
*contribute* to high blood pressure. There are some forms of hypertension
that are not helped at all by salt reduction. But since that is 
fairly rare, doctors will always tell you to reduce salt consumption
if you have high blood pressure because unless you overdo it, it
can't hurt you to do that and it *may* help.
Therefore, eating too much salt does not mean that you will necessarily
get high blood pressure. There are many other factors involved in hypertension,
most of which are considered MUCH more important than salt intake, for example
obesity (some of us better watch out for that one!!) and family-history.

Also, even if an individual's blood pressure is affected by salt, it's 
not really the amount he takes in that's the problem. Instead, it means
his body is not as good at eliminating the salt from his system as someone
else.
Also, I've heard that when doctors put people on low-salt diets it is
usually part of some more general diet plan, aimed at reducing fats
and calories as well. So the resulting blood pressure drop is more likely
due to the weight loss and lower fat content than the salt itself.

You may wonder about my sources of info. Well, I used to work in medical
research, in an endocrinology lab that was quite interested in high
blood pressure and diabetes (among other things). I actually used to measure
the blood pressure of rats in sodium studies, if you can imagine that!

-Carol Gallagher

	I heard (not completely) on the radio today that the New England
	Journal of Medicine says that some folks who have normal blood
	pressue may be at risk for heart related diseases if they limit
	they sodium intake too much.

	I have always had normal blood pressure and at the present time I
	try to buy food products with no salt added or very low sodium
	and I never add salt to home prepared dishes.

	I would say that I roughly have 500 mg. of sodium or less a day.
	Should I be concerened or did I mis-hear what was said?  I realize
	moderation is always a factor in a lot of these rules/recommendations.

	Thanks,
	- Jim