Following a low sodium and low calorie diet can help you lose weight, lower your risk of heart and kidney disease, control high blood pressure and eliminate hypertension. If you think that it's too complicated to try to figure out which foods to eat and what to avoid, there are several low sodium, low calorie diet plans available that you can simply follow.
DASH Diet
The DASH diet has been proved to lower blood pressure in studies by the National Institutes of Health. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, is rich in fruits and vegetable and low in sodium. There are different calorie options, and the DASH low calorie plan includes 1,600 calories per day. It includes six servings of grains, eight servings of fruits and vegetables, two servings of low fat dairy, two servings of lean protein and two servings of fats each day. It is endorsed by the American Heart Association and forms the basis for the USDA food pyramid.
The Body Ecology Diet
The Body Ecology Diet, written by nutritionist Donna Gates, is an eating plan that eliminates foods high in sugar and simple carbohydrates to help balance a body's natural ecosystem, replenishing good gut flora and ridding the body of yeast overgrowth. Not designed as a low calorie, low sodium diet, it emphasizes fresh whole foods, lean meats, lots of vegetables, and fermented foods, and ends up being a diet low in calories and sodium. General health, not weight loss, is the target of the Body Ecology plan, but most people do lose weight.
Nutrisystem
If you don't have the time to cook and are too confused by the myriad low calorie and low sodium options, then Nutrisystem may work for you. Nutrisystem is a meal delivery diet plan that ships food directly to your house, although you'll still need to supplement the deliveries with fresh fruits and vegetables. All food on the Nutrisystem plan is low calorie, low sodium, low fat and low on the Glycemic Index. There is also support available on-line or by phone. This is the most convenient, but not necessarily the most affordable, option.
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