If you’ve been told you need to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet, there are a number of things you can do. The first thing is to stop using the salt shaker at home, and to pay close attention to food labels. Here are some things to keep in mind:

At the grocery store:

• Choose fresh, frozen, or canned food items without added salt.
• Select unsalted nuts or seeds, dried beans, peas, and lentils.
• Limit the amount of salty snacks you eat, like chips and pretzels.
• Avoid adding salt and canned vegetables to homemade dishes.
• Select unsalted, fat-free broths, bouillons, or soups.
• Select fat-free or low-fat milk and low-sodium, low-fat cheeses, as well as low-fat yogurt.
• Read food labels!

When you’re out for a meal:

• When dining out, specify what you want and how you want it prepared. Ask for your dish to be prepared without salt.

When you’re cooking at home:

• Use spices and herbs to enhance the taste of your food.
• Use fresh lemon juice or lime juice.
• Ask your doctor if you can use a salt substitute.

When you’re at the pharmacy
Some drugs contain high amounts of sodium. Carefully read the labels on all over-the-counter drugs. Look at the ingredient list and warning statement to see if the product has sodium. A statement of sodium content must be on labels of antacids that have 5 mg or more per dosage unit (tablet, teaspoon, etc.). Some companies are now producing low-sodium over-the-counter products. If in doubt, ask your doctor or pharmacist if the drug is okay for you.