Congestive heart failure is marked by the heart's inability to deliver the quantity of blood the rest of your body needs. One cause of this condition is linked to chronic high blood pressure. A high intake of sodium can increase your blood pressure and lead to congestive heart failure or worsen your prognosis. Your doctor may tell you to follow a low-sodium diet when you have congestive heart failure.
Significance
When you eat too much sodium, as a response, your body retains water. This water retention increases your blood pressure due to the increase in volume of fluid inside your body. A larger volume of fluid and a higher blood pressure makes your heart work harder. When you have congestive heart failure, your heart is already struggling to keep up with the demand of delivering blood to your body. Making it work harder may result in a worsening of your condition.
Low-Sodium Diet
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH diet, is an effective way to improve your cardiovascular health. This diet, introduced to by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, limits your intake of sodium to improve your cardiovascular health. It is especially beneficial for people who suffer from heart disease, like congestive heart failure. On the DASH diet, limit your sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day for the most benefit to your cardiovascular system.
Reducing Salt Intake
When you are on a low-sodium diet, you must be aware of everything you eat. It is easy to consume a large amount of sodium each day because sodium is in almost everything. The key to reducing your sodium intake is to choose low-sodium foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables are very low in sodium, so you can eat plenty of these. Low-sodium proteins include fresh meat, poultry and dried legumes. Avoid legumes in cans as the canning process usually involves adding sodium. When cooking, season your foods with no-salt blends of spices or fresh herbs.
Food Labels
Though cooking for yourself is the best way to avoid excess salt, if you are eating prepared meals or foods, read food labels. All food labels show the sodium content. Compare the amount of sodium listed on the label with the serving size. Be aware of the portion you will be eating in relation to the serving size and the amount of sodium. Most people eat a larger portion than the serving size of a food. According to the University of California San Francisco Medical Center, foods that contain 350 mg or less of sodium are the best choices.
