If you have high blood pressure how much sodium can you have in a day

Your : Your doctor is in the best position to give you this answer but i can offer some background and some information that may be helpful. Some people have hypertension that is very sodium sensitive while for others sodium intake does not have as large an effect. The magnitude of the blood pressure problem, the number of medications being used, the day to day variability in blood pressure, as well as the patient's sodium sensitivity, are all important factors to consider. What is particularly important to know is that sodium is often found in places where people don't expect it. Virtually all canned and processed (pre-packaged) foods are high in sodium. This is especially true of soups, frozen dinners and other convenience foods, as well as dehydrated powders for making sauces and salad dressings. Other foods high in sodium include soy sauce, catsup, worcestershire sauce, chili sauce, mustard, pickles and relishes, sauerkraut, olives, and many cheeses. Hidden sources of sodium include baking powder, baking soda and most baked goods (which contain these ingredients), canned or frozen vegetables in sauce, frankfurters, cured ham, sausages and other lunch meats (including deli turkey breast), salted nuts, chips and other snack foods, and any food additive with the word "sodium, " such as sodium benzoate (a preservative), sodium phosphate (an emulsifier and stabilizer), monosodium glutamate (msg), sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite. It is worth emphasizing that foods with the highest salt content include soups, canned goods, fast food, frozen dinners, condiments (especially barbeque and asian sauces), pickles, bacon, salsa, cheese, processed meats (cold cuts), tomato juice and v-8 juice. It is necessary to read the sodium content on the labels. Advertisers often use marketing gimmicks and even some foods labeled as “low sodium” actually have very high levels of sodium. Even natural foods such as milk, meat, and vegetables contain sodium. A cup of milk contains 375 milligrams of sodium, a half-cup of cottage cheese has 475 milligrams, and a glass of tomato juice has 441 milligrams. The amount of sodium is listed on every food label, and there is no substitute for looking at the facts. Finally, it is important to know that restaurant meals can have very high levels of salt. Salt adds flavor and helps to preserve certain foods. Processed foods are used by most restaurants, and even when fresh ingredients are used they may add unnecessary amounts of salt to dishes. It is appropriate to ask the server about low-sodium options. If the server seems puzzled by the question, then it is best to ask to speak to the manager. I generally recommend that the total intake of sodium for patients with sodium sensitive heart conditions be kept to no more than 2000mg per day.

2000 MG: Recommended sodium intake is 2000 mg a day. Lifestyle modification including increased exercise, weight loss and sodium restriction can all be helpful on controlling blood pressure. There also a specific diet called dash dietary approach stop hypertension which has been well studied.