“Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?” ~ Job 6:6

There is no question that salt is one of our most basic and highly prized seasonings, but it is, however, one that can do damage if its intake is not closely monitored. Your kidneys regulate the amount of salt in your body, but if they can’t eliminate enough of the excess it can accumulate in your blood. Since sodium attract and holds water, this accumulation can lead to an increase in blood volume making your heart work harder to circulate blood. This in turn increases the amount of pressure on your arteries.

Main Sources of Sodium:

1. Processed and prepared foods, such as canned vegetables, soups, luncheon meats and frozen foods.
2. Sodium-containing condiments. Soy sauce, for instance, has about 900 to 1,000 mg of sodium.
3. Natural sources of sodium, such as naturally occurs in meat, poultry, dairy products and vegetables.

Fast Sodium Facts:

• Most organizations recommend not exceeding the range of 1,500 and 2,400 milligrams (mg) a day of sodium intake for healthy adults.
• Adults older than 50, are black or have a health condition such as high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease or diabetes, may be more sensitive to the blood pressure raising effects of sodium.
• Other than table salt, sources of sodium include: monosodium glutamate (MSG), baking soda, baking powder, disodium phosphate, sodium alginate, and sodium nitrate or nitrite.

Cut Your Sodium Intake:

• Eat more fresh foods and fewer processed foods.
• Opt for low-sodium products.
• Remove salt from recipes whenever possible.
• Use herbs, spices and other flavorings to enhance foods.
• Limit your use of sodium-laden condiments. Salad dressings, sauces, dips, ketchup, mustard and relish all contain sodium.

Source: www.mayoclinic.com

Research: eating at wrong time can lead to weight gain

I came across an article today reporting on the findings of a recent study suggesting that eating late at night can, in fact, thwart your weight management efforts. You can read the article here:

That Late-night Snack: Worse Than You Think

Were you shocked by this info?
No?
I agree, no surprise or epiphany there. I think most of us subconsciously know that eating late is not good for us.

These findings, however, are great news for the many health and fitness professionals, such as myself, that have always advocated against late-night eating. This despite the fact that some of the other "experts" as well as conflicting research has suggested otherwise at times. As I work with clients and manage my personal fitness, the notion that you are not more inclined to store excess, aka unused, calories late at night is counter intuitive and habitually eating late has seldom yielded positive results. During the day, after all, you are more active but becoming less and less so as the day winds down to sleep. Since food is fuel, it makes sense that you burn more calories while you are more active than you do when you are less active. So where, then, does that excess fuel, aka calories, go if your body isn't using it? Intuitively, we all know. On the hips, the thighs, the abdomen and any where else our bodies store fat.

So, to encourage YOUR fitness success, take a look at your meal timing. Strive to eat most of your calories during day time hours, eating less and winding your intake down as the day progresses. A great saying to keep in mind is "eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen, and dinner like pauper."

If you prefer to graze during the day to keep your energy level more constant, another option is to eat 4-5 small meals throughout the day. For instance, breakfast, lunch and dinner might be 500-600 calories with a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks of 200 calories each. Spacing your meals so that you are not experiencing large spans of time with no food can also keep you from becoming over-hungry and susceptible to overeating.

Whether the benefits are physiological or simply due to behavior modification (as in less calories/snacking), your weight management and weight loss success can be promoted by monitoring how late you eat at night. Strive to finish your last meal by 6-7pm and get your energy from sleeping at night, not snacking.