I have been diabetic for years and have learned what I can and cannot eat. And I think I have adjusted well to that and check my blood sugars about four times a day. Adding a heart healthy diet to that has made things more complicated. But then I had to go on coumadin and that has added all sorts of additional restrictions including limiting green vegetables and especially salads.
But one of the biggest challenges has come from sodium restrictions. We should all limit our sodium intake to less than 2,305 mg a day. But with a heart problem it should be less than 1,500 mg a day. Incidentally, a teaspoon of salt alone is about 2,300 mg! Now I have seldom added salt to my food so I assumed that this wouldn't be a big challenge. Wrong. Start examining packages and you will see what has surprised me. Almost everything we normally eat is loaded with sodium. Seriously, check it out.
The Cleveland Clinic has said you should avoid garlic salt, onion salt, MSG, meat tenderizers, broth mixes, Chinese food, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, barbecue sauce, sauerkraut, pickle relish, bacon bits, croutons, canned soups, pasta, rice mixes, frozen dinners, instant cereals, puddings, gravy and sauce mixes. Wow! So, is there anything left to eat?
The American Heart Association advises you to avoid their "Salty Six". (1) Bread, rolls, bagels; (2) Cold cuts and cured meat; (3) Pizza; (4) Poultry; (5) Soup; (6) Sandwiches. Poultry shocked me but they claim some chicken is actually injected with sodium.
Now we don't generally visit fancy restaurants. If you do, go online and look at their nutritional facts. If you are like me, you will be stunned by the amount of sodium involved. Now our favorite place to go is Chick fil a. The basic meal that we have purchased there of the chicken sandwich and fries has 1,570 mg. of sodium. If I replace it with the more expensive grilled chicken it is 980 mg. Using barbecue sauce inflates these numbers. And I may not have mayo because of the coumadin. Of course, I could eliminate the fries or not eat anything more the remainder of the day. But then that wouldn't be good for my diabetes.
Our second favorite place is Olive Garden. Our favorite item is the soup and salad combo, with the chicken gnocchi soup. Total? 2,110 mg without using any dressing on the salad. Of course one could order their chicken ptarmigan and salad. That would be 3670 mg without salad dressing - enough for two days.
We have gone to Ruby Tuesdays frequently for their salad and minis combination. That's 4,308 mg, not counting the salad bar. How about MacDonalds? Quarter pounder with cheese, no fries - 1,100 mg. Add nuggets without sauce, 900 mg. Arbys? Roast Beef sandwich, Arby Sauce, Fries - 2,090 mg. They do have a good turkey salad, only 870 mg, but their low fat Italian dressing adds 720 mg. Wendy's? Their 4 for $4 deal - 1,560 mg without any sauce for nuggets. And their good small chili - 780 mg. Burger King? Whopper without mayo, onion rings without dipping sauce - 1,630. Your meal for the day. And they've now added grilled hot dogs - 960 mg without anything else. Oh I love and miss hot dogs but I guess they are gone forever,
Now I could go on and on and talk about foods from the grocery store, such as soups. Amazing and very disheartening. Maybe "disheartening" in many ways. This is a major challenge for my wife. It is just hard to find a really healthy diet. And sodium is just one item. I haven't discussed calories or fat or sugar or any of the other items that one should consider.
So I may be frustrated, but I am learning and adjusting, I guess. One solution - just give up eating. Another - forget it and speed up your trip to heaven where meals will no longer be a problem. Hopefully there is a middle ground. Take care and watch what you eat!
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