Nutrition For Everyday Series- Lesson 3

1. Nutrition For Everyday Series- Lesson 3 Sodium and Potassium in Your Diet The role it plays in high blood pressure Information Provided To You By: JFHQ Occupational Health Office

2. Why Should I Care About High Blood Pressure? I Don’t Feel Bad… Well, because it is one of the Coronary Risk Factors Adult Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator- Check out what your BMI number is. You may be shocked! http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi Did you know if you have one of these factors, you are likely to develop more than one of them over time? They tend to travel in packs…

3. What is High Blood Pressure (B/P)? Normal B/P= 120/80 High B/P= 140/90 or higher If you are already prescribed medication for high blood pressure, it can be controlled if taken according to Doctor’s orders. Did you know that if you follow the above guidelines, you could PREVENT High B/P?

4. The Sodium-Potassium Relationship… Sodium: Increases blood pressure by retaining fluid. Potassium: Decreases blood pressure by reducing blood volume with the excretion of water through kidneys, which reduces the strain or “pressure” on the arterial walls. But how? The kidneys regulate potassium levels. The more potassium in the body, then the more sodium to be excreted. If a person has low potassium levels, the existing sodium is more likely to hold on to the water in the body, therefore aggravating some medical conditions.

5. What are my choices when it comes to Potassium in foods? K sources *Most fruits & veggies have high potassium content* So, why are only 33% of Americans meeting the recommended daily allowance of 4,700mg of potassium each day? Because we are getting our potassium from processed foods, which are less healthy sources and we are not eating enough fruits and vegetables. According to the American Dietetic Association

6. Where’s The Potassium? • Vegetables • Potato, 1 medium, 926mg • Sweet Potato, 1 medium, 540mg • Spinach, cooked, 1/2 cup, 290mg • Zucchini, cooked, 1/2 cup, 280mg • Tomato, fresh, 1/2 cup, 210mg • Kale, cooked, 1/2 cup, 150mg • Romaine lettuce, 1 cup, 140mg • Mushrooms, 1/2 cup, 110mg • Cucumber, 1/2 cup, 80mg • Nuts, seeds, and legumes • Cooked soybeans, 1/2 cup, 440mg • Cooked lentils, 1/2 cup, 370mg • Cooked kidney beans, 1/2 cup, 360mg • Cooked split peas, 1/2 cup, 360mg • Almonds, roasted, 1/3 cup, 310mg • Walnuts, roasted, 1/3 cup, 190mg • Sunflower seeds, roasted, 2 Tbsp, 124mg • Peanuts, roasted, 1/3 cup, 120mg • Fruit • Banana, 1 medium, 420mg • Apricots, 1/4 cup, 380mg • Orange, 1 medium, 237mg • Cantaloupe chunks, 1/2 cup, 214mg • Apple, 1 medium, 150mg • Low-fat or fat-free milk products • Milk, 1 cup, 380mg • Yogurt, 1 cup, 370mg • Lean meats, fish, and poultry • Fish (cod, halibut, rockfish, trout, tuna), 3 oz, 200-400mg • Pork tenderloin, 3 oz, 370mg • Beef tenderloin, chicken, turkey, 3 oz, 210mg

7. Where’s The Sodium? • Whole and other grains and grain products • Cooked cereal, rice, pasta, unsalted, 1/2 cup, 0-5mg • Ready-to-eat cereal, 1 cup, 0-360mg • Bread, 1 slice, 110-175mg • Vegetables • Fresh or frozen, cooked without salt, 1/2 cup, 1-70mg • Canned or frozen with sauce, 1/2 cup, 140-460mg • Tomato juice, canned, 1/2 cup, 330mg • Fruit • Fresh, frozen, canned, 1/2 cup, 0-5mg • Low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products • Milk, 1 cup, 107mg • Yogurt, 1 cup, 175mg • Natural cheeses, 11/2 oz, 110-450mg • Process cheeses, 2 oz, 600mg • Nuts, seeds, and legumes • Peanuts, salted, 1/3 cup, 120mg • Peanuts, unsalted, 1/3 cup, 0-5mg • Beans, cooked from dried or frozen, without • salt, 1/2 cup, 0-5mg • Beans, canned, 1/2 cup, 400mg Lean meats, fish, and poultry Fresh meat, fish, poultry, 3 oz, 30-90mg Tuna canned, water pack, no salt added, 3 oz, 35-45mg Tuna canned, water pack, 3 oz, 230-350mg Ham, lean, roasted, 3 oz, 1,020mg

8. Tips to Reduce Salt Intake We should not exceed 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day This adds up to approximately 1 teaspoon (tsp)! AND… • Think Fresh • Reduce the processed foods in your diet. • Replace your usual side dishes, with a vegetable or fruit at every meal. • Fresh or frozen are good choices. • Enjoy home-prepared Foods • You will know what is in your food. • It will allow you to control how much is in your food. • Ask for low-sodium foods when you eat out • Restaurants can prepare them upon request. • They can serve sauces and dressings on the side, so you can use less. • Choose dairy & protein foods with lower sodium • Cheeses have more sodium than fat-free/low-fat milk or yogurt. • Choose unsalted nuts and seeds. • Fresh meats have less sodium than deli meats, sausages, and canned products. *REDUCE to 1,500 mg per day, if you meet any of the following criteria!! Did you know McDonald’s Big Mac has 1007mg Sodium?

9. More Tips… Boost Potassium (K) Intake: Doing so, may drop your Blood Pressure (B/P). • Adjust your taste buds • Cut back slowly and pay attention to the natural tastes of various foods. • Your taste for salt will lessen over time. • Skip the salt when cooking • Take the salt shakerOFF the table and kitchen counter. • Experiment with spices, herbs, garlic, vinegar, or lemon juice or use NO Salt seasoning mixes. • Read the Label • Nutrition Fact Labels on foods are helpful. • Look for “low sodium”, “reduced sodium” or “no salt added”. • Pay attention to condiments • Soy sauce, ketchup, pickles, olives, salad dressings, and seasoning packets are high in sodium. • Buy the low sodium versions of your favorites. • Use a portion of the flavor packet instead of the entire one. • Substitute carrots or celery for olives or pickles.

10. Read the Food Label An Example- --Helps you choose foods lower in sodium, as well as calories, saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol. The label tells you: • Number Of ServingsThe serving size is in cups. The package contains about 3 servings. • Amount Per ServingNutrient amounts are given for one serving. If you eat more or less than a serving, add or subtract amounts. For example, if you eat 1 cup of peas, you need to double the nutrient amounts on the label. • Percent Daily ValuePercent Daily Value helps you to compare products and tells you if the food is high or low in sodium. Choose products with the lowest Percent Daily Value for sodium. • NutrientsYou'll find the milligrams of sodium in one serving.

11. Food Labels Have A Language Of Their Own Phrase • Sodium free or salt free • Very low sodium • Low sodium • Low-sodium meal • Reduced or less sodium • Light in sodium • Unsalted or no salt added What It Means- Less than 5 mg per serving 35 mg or less of sodium per serving 140 mg or less of sodium per serving 140 mg or less of sodium per 31/2 oz (100 g) At least 25 percent less sodium than the regular version 6. 50 percent less sodium than the regular version 7. No salt added to the product during processing (this is not a sodium-free Taken From: Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure With DASH

12. Tips For Getting Started- Don’t Forget The Exercise! • It only takes 30 MINUTES a day • 30 minutes daily of brisk walking could keep you off B/P medication • Exercise helps your medication to work better • If you do not have high B/P, but are inactive, you are more likely to develop it Don’t think you have 30 minutes? Just take a detour on the way to your mailbox and go around the block instead.

13. Catch us for Healthy Recipes! Tune In Every Wednesday at 1130 on DCO • We will bring healthier versions of your favorites through this education series in the near future. Questions?

14. REFERENCES: • Your Guide to Lowering High Blood Pressure, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. • 10 Tips; Nutrition Education Series, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. • Hungry Girl’s Death by Chocolate Cupcakes, Hungry Girl Inc, http://www.hungry-girl.com , 18034 Ventura Blvd. #503, Encino, CA 91316.