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My family will tell you in a loud voice that I used to be a salt-aholic. 

I would grab for the saltshaker without even tasting my food. Not a good habit. Most are in agreement that your daily intake of salt should be kept to a minimum—in fact, our daily intake should be only a teaspoon.  This includes all the salt that is hidden in most processed foods.

Since starting my new way of eating, I have cut back and frankly have put my saltshaker on vacation for the last several weeks. I use a lower sodium hot sauce if I feel the need to flavor my food.

I haven’t really given it much thought until this weekend when I was having lunch with my parents at Panera. I ordered the Low-fat chicken noodle soup; I am fighting a cold and it seemed like the thing to do.

The soup was served lukewarm and I sent it back but the salty taste from one spoonful stayed with me all day.  I did a web search on the nutritional value of the soup and learned that just one cup had 1110mg of sodium or 46% of your daily intake of salt.  Lesson learned!

7 Tips to lower your daily sodium intake: 

• I have taken the saltshaker off my spice shelf and have replaced it with Vege-Sal Vegetized Seasoning Salt. It is lower in sodium than salt and its mix of spices and vegetables gives my food a nice flavor without all the sodium. I find it my local grocery store or health food market.
  
• Use herbs, spices, and salt-free seasoning blends in cooking and at the table. 
  
• To add flavor to your food, use low sodium hot sauce or soy sauce.
  
• Buy fresh, plain frozen or canned “with no salt added vegetables or better, use fresh.
  
• Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned or processed types.
  
• Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereals without salt. Cut back on instant or flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes, which usually have added salt.
  
• Choose "convenience" foods that are lower in sodium. Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings — these often have a lot of sodium.  If you still want to eat them, at least take the time to look up on the internet the nutritional values in the food you’re eating.  It’s a real eye-opener. 
  

Lisa Griffis lost 185 pounds through diet, exercise and sheer determination.  To find out more about Lisa, visit her blog at www.lisagriffis.com.  She is a regular ShareWIK.com contributor.  

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