Congestive heart failure (CHF) occurs when the heart cannot pump blood effectively and cannot deliver enough oxygen to your body. Many conditions can cause CHF, such as high blood pressure and heart and kidney disease.
Treatment of CHF can help prevent its complications and relieve its symptoms.
When you make some changes to your diet, your heart doesn't have to work as hard. If you eat too much salt or drink too much fluid, the water content in your body may increase, making your heart work harder. This can make your CHF worse. The following diet will help reduce some of your symptoms.
Reduce salt in your diet
It's important to enjoy what you eat. Even if you crave salt, you can learn to prefer foods with less salt. Your taste buds will change quickly and you won't miss the salt. Removing the salt can bring out flavors that may be hidden by the salt.
Try these tips to reduce the amount of salt in your diet:
- Choose plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. They contain only a small amount of salt.
- Choose foods low in salt , such as fresh meat, poultry, fish, dried and fresh legumes, eggs, milk and yogurt. White rice, pasta, and oatmeal are great low-sodium options. However, if salt or other high-sodium ingredients are added during preparation, the sodium content will increase.
- Season with herbs, spices, herb vinegar and juice. Avoid herb or spice blends that contain salt or sodium. Use lemon juice or freshly cracked pepper to highlight the natural flavors. Try orange or pineapple juice as the base for a meat marinade. See "Salt-Free Vanilla Blend" below for other ideas.
- Read food labels before buying packaged foods. Check the Nutrition Facts label to see how much sodium is in each serving. Find out the number of servings in the package. How does the sodium per serving compare to the total sodium you can eat per day? Try to choose packaged foods with less than 350 milligrams of sodium per serving. It's also helpful to check the ingredient list. If salt or sodium is listed in the first five ingredients, the sodium content is too high.
When checking labels:
Use nutritional information on packaged foods. Be sure to pay attention to the number of servings per container. Here are tips for using this information.
- Nutrient List This list covers the nutrients that are most important to your health.
- % Daily Value This number shows how well the food meets the recommended nutrient intake levels for a 2,000 calorie reference diet. Try to eat no more than 100% total fat, cholesterol and sodium.
- Daily Values Footnote Some food labels list daily values for a daily diet of 2,000 and 2,500 calories.
- Calories per gram footnote Some labels give the approximate number of calories per gram of fat, carbohydrate, and protein.
- Sodium Content Always check sodium content. Look for foods with less than 350 milligrams of sodium per serving.
When cooking or preparing food:
- Change habits. Remove salt shakers from kitchen counters and tables. 1/8 teaspoon of "salt shake" adds over 250 milligrams of sodium to your dish.
- Be creative. Instead of adding salt, use herbs and spices, garlic, onion and citrus juice to bring out the flavor. See the recipe for a salt-free herbal blend below.
- Be a low-salt cook. In most recipes, you can reduce the amount of salt by 50% or even eliminate it entirely. You can bake, grill, broil, broil, poach, steam or microwave food without adding salt. Don't rush to add salt to the water in which pasta, rice, grains and vegetables are cooked. This is an easy way to reduce your sodium intake.
- Be careful with condiments. High-sodium condiments include various seasoning salts, lemon pepper, garlic salt, onion salt, meat tenderizers, flavor enhancers, bouillon cubes, ketchup, mustard, steak sauce and soy sauce.
- Stay away from hidden salt. Canned and processed foods, such as gravy, instant cereals, packaged pasta and potato mixes, olives, pickles, soups and vegetables, are high in salt. Opt for frozen items instead; or better yet, choose fresh foods whenever possible. Cheese, cured meats (such as bacon, bologna, hot dogs, and sausage), fast food, and frozen foods may also contain high amounts of sodium.
When dining out:
A low-sodium diet doesn't need to ruin the fun of restaurant dining. However, you must be careful when ordering. Here are some tips for dining out:
- Move the salt shaker to another table. Ask for a lemon wedge or bring your own herb blend to enhance the flavor of your food.
- Identify menu terms that may indicate high sodium content : marinated, au jus, soy sauce, or broth.
- Choose raw vegetables or fresh fruit instead of salty snacks.
- Go easy on condiments like mustard, ketchup, pickles and relish. Choose lettuce, onions and tomatoes. Keep in mind that bacon and cheese are high in sodium.
- Ask chefs to prepare food without adding salt or MSG. Or ask for sauces and salad dressings on the side, as they are often high in sodium. For salads, use lemon slices, vinegar, or a little dressing.
Salt-free herbal blend
Instead of seasoning your food with salt, enhance the flavor with these salt-free herb and spice combinations. To make 1/2 cup, combine these ingredients in a jar. Cover tightly and shake. Store in a cool dry place. They are then rubbed or sprinkled on food for flavor.
Chinese five spice
For chicken, fish or pork:
- 1/4 cup ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons each: cinnamon powder, clove powder
- 1 tablespoon each: ground allspice, fennel seeds
mixed herbal mixture
For salads, pasta salads, steamed vegetables, vegetable soups or fish:
- 1/4 cup dry parsley flakes
- 2 tablespoons dried tarragon
- 1 tablespoon each: dried oregano, dill weed, celery flakes
italian blend
For tomato soup, pasta, chicken, pizza, focaccia and herb bread:
- 2 tablespoons each: dried basil, dried marjoram, thyme, crushed rosemary, crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon each: garlic powder, dried oregano
Easy to dip and mix
Mix with cheese, yogurt or low-fat sour cream:
- 1/2 cup dried dill weed
- 1 tablespoon each: dried chives, garlic powder, dried lemon zest, and dried chervil
