Many women experience swelling and water retention during pregnancy which can lead to dangerously high blood pressure. In addition to regular activity and possible medical treatment, a low-sodium diet may help to alleviate the symptoms and risk associated with water retention and the resulting high blood pressure.
Put Down the Shaker
Sodium is a component of table salt. The amount of sodium in the diet affects the functioning of the kidneys and determines how much water the body will flush out and how much it will keep in circulation. Try using seasonings like herbs and spices and black pepper to enhance the flavor of food at the table rather than adding more salt.
Read Labels
On a usual day, before starting a low-sodium diet, write a list of everything you eat and drink over a 24-hour period. Food and drink items are labelled to include the milligrams of sodium they contain. A low-sodium diet is considered to be less than 1,200 mg in 24 hours whether you are pregnant or not. If you are already within these guidelines, talk to your doctor before restricting sodium any more, our bodies do need some in our diets and over-restricting is not good.
HIgh Sodium Choices
Avoid fast foods and processed foods. Even though these quick and tasty foods do not always taste salty, they almost always have a high sodium content. Anything that comes in a box, can or package usually has more sodium than you need and much more sodium than the fresh version. Choose fresh vegetables instead of canned and if you do eat out, choose salads and soups more often.
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