Heart failure is a chronic condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's demands. High cholesterol, poor diet, family history, coronary artery disease, alcohol consumption and irregular heartbeats are risk factors that can lead to heart failure. Heart failure can cause complications such as narrowing of the arteries and high blood pressure, leaving the heart weak and unable to fill and pump efficiently. Congestive heart failure is irreversible; however, dietary changes such as a sodium restriction can augment your longevity.
Symptoms
Heart failure is a progressive deterioration of the heart's pumping ability that gradually worsens over time. An important aspect of your treatment is to monitor your symptoms carefully. Initially, your may experience tiredness and shortness of breath after performing daily tasks. Other symptoms may include swelling of your extremities, a persistent cough or wheezing, the reduced ability to exercise, lack of appetite, nausea, rapid heartbeats weight gain and fluid accumulation. As symptoms become more intense, it is likely that your heart failure is worsening.
Stage 3 Heart Failure
According to the New York Heart Association Heart Failure Classification System, there are four stages of heart failure. Diagnosis is based on the extent to which your symptoms limit your functional capacity, or the ability to perform basic physical tasks. Stage 3, or moderate heart failure, is distinguished by a marked limitation of physical activity. You may be comfortable at rest, but minimal physical activity can cause tiredness, heart palpitations or shortness of breath.
Sodium Restriction
Excess sodium in your diet contributes to water retention in your body. If you have heart failure, your body will hold onto fluid; therefore, consuming too much sodium causes more fluid buildup. The extra fluid makes your heart work harder, causing your symptoms to worsen. If your heart failure is advanced, as with stage 3, the primary diet intervention includes a sodium restriction. According to MayoClinic.com, the daily recommended amount of dietary sodium is no more than 2,000 mg daily for those with heart failure. This is less than 1 teaspoon of table salt per day. However, the American Heart Association recommends that everyone aim to consume less than 1,500 of salt daily.
Low Sodium Diet
Following a low sodium diet can improve your symptoms, help your heart medications work more efficiently and improve your overall health. A 1,500 to 2,000 mg sodium restriction includes salt added to foods at the table, during cooking and when processed. To limit your sodium intake, you should choose foods that are naturally low in sodium, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, remove the salt from the table, replace salt with herbs and spices when cooking, experiment with low sodium recipes and be sure to read food labels before purchasing food. Be cautious of other terms for sodium-containing compounds such as sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, sodium benzoate and monosodium glutamate.
Foods to Avoid
Your sodium intake can add up quickly. Consequently, there are certain high sodium foods you should avoid. These include processed, cured and smoked meats, bouillon, broth and canned soup, milk products such as buttermilk and cheese, snack foods like potato chips and pretzels, frozen entrees, prepared dinners, some vegetables including sauerkraut, canned vegetables, tomato juice and tomato sauce, seasoning mixes and condiments like soy sauce, ketchup and prepared salad dressings. Read product packing and look from products labeled "low sodium." However, it is best to choose fresh, homemade foods with no added salt whenever possible. It is difficult to change your eating habits and it will take time to adjust to a sodium restriction. Overtime, as you eat low sodium foods, your taste buds will adjust.
