Salt, Fluids, & More Salt!
Most people with POTS/dysautonomia are told to increase their salt intake, which will help them retain fluids and increase blood volume. Below are some creative and tasty ways to get large amounts of sodium into your diet, which can be challenging since eating "low sodium" is promoted heavily these days to lower blood pressure. Remember, it's the sodium part of salt that helps with fluid retention, so table salt is fine, but it also contains chloride. Also, remember that most table salt contains iodine, which can cause allergies (especially if you have shellfish sensitivities) and thyroid problems. Non-iodized salt and sea salt are available if you suspect an iodine issue.
***Please check with your physician before trying anything new, especially if you have dietary restrictions, and in regards to how much you should increase your salt intake. We do not endorse any of the brands pictured, they are for example only.
Electrolyte Drinks: These are usually the first item people read about or hear about when told to hydrate. There are many brands of electrolyte drinks, some sugar free, some dye free, and some loaded with chemicals and not much sodium. Check labels for the sodium content, as some only have 160 mg, which is not a lot. You may benefit from another source if you have allergies to any of the ingredients.
NUUN & Thermotabs: Nuun Tabs have a higher salt content than most electrolyte drinks, and can be added in multiples to water for an even higher sodium content. These also have chemicals which may bother some people, so please check the labels. They are low in calories, but very strong tasting, so not everyone will like them. Thermotabs are fairly low in salt content (only .18 grams!), but are easy to add to other drinks for a boost.
V8 & Tomato Juice: These bad boys are full of sodium, potassium, and loaded with good for you veggie vitamins. The only downside is some can't tolerate the tomato effect on heartburn or GERD (Gastroesophogeal Reflux Disease - AKA acid reflux). For those folks, V8 now makes fruit flavored juice that is still low in sugar/carbs, shouldn't irritate ingestion as much, and have a fair amount of sodium. Tomato soup is another option if you can't stomach cold tomato juice.
Pickles & Olives: Pickles are essentially heavily brined cucumbers, so they contain a fair dosage of sodium. One large pickle can contain up to 1000 mg (or 1 gram) or salt. That's a lot! Cured olives also have a high content of sodium, a serving size of 3 having 400 mg's. Both are also small, easy to transport discretely in a purse or pocket (in a zip lock bag), and healthy. Actual pickle juice is now sold as a product as well!
Coconut Water: This is a fairly new health fad that usually contains a higher amount of sodium than electrolyte drinks. They can also be high in sugar and other electrolytes, so diabetics and people with sugar intolerance need to be aware and read labels.
Broth & Ramen Noodles: Depending on what you can tolerate in your diet, both broth (veg, chicken, beef, etc...) and the good old college stand-by, Ramen Noodles (and similar soups), have loads of salt. Broth is the healthier choice, but if you are on a budget and can eat gluten, Ramen is there for you. Even bouillon cubes can come in handy, easily popped into bottled water, and are easy to take in a pocket or handbag.
Dairy Products: Most dairy products have a high sodium content, and are a good source of calcium and vitamin D as well. If you can tolerate dairy, string cheese and cottage cheese have the two highest sodium contents of them all. One small cup of cottage cheese has over 400 mgs of sodium, and is loaded with 10 g of protein. Obviously, if you are vegan or have casein/milk allergies, stay away from these options, and be aware that dairy can cause your digestion to slow.
Soy Sauce: Soy sauce and Tamari (similar to soy sauce) have a MASSIVE amount of sodium. Adding this to foods can be a good alternative to plain old table salt. Check the contents, most soy sauces have wheat in them (not sure why!), but gluten/wheat free options are available.
Microwave Meals: Any microwave meal that is not labeled "low sodium" will contain usually 500-1000 mg of sodium. For those with allergies, luckily there are now many organic, gluten-free, and casein/nut free options. These are also great if you are low on energy and not able to cook a full meal.
Check out our Amazon Store for great salty snacks and gifts!