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Road and parking lot construction in Madison, Wis. may result in travel delays and route changes to UW Health clinic and hospital locations. Please plan accordingly.Read more
Road and parking lot construction in Madison, Wis. may result in travel delays and route changes to UW Health clinic and hospital locations. Please plan accordingly.Read more
Many people try to avoid extra salt in food. In people who get lightheaded, dizzy, or have POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), adding salt can sometimes help with their symptoms. Salt and sodium are often used in place of each other but are different.
One gram of salt has about 388mg of sodium.
Most people need 2300mg of sodium daily.
Sprinkle salt on your favorite foods. ¼ teaspoon of salt has 575mg of sodium.
Try adding ¼ teaspoon of salt to:
Sliced cucumbers or tomatoes
Watermelon wedges
Sliced apple or banana with peanut butter
Scrambled eggs
Air-popped popcorn
Edamame (soybeans) or kale chips made with soy sauce
Choose salty drinks and aim for two liters of fluids every day, or 8 cups. You can get there by:
Sipping tomato juice, tomato soup or warm broth.
Choosing drinks high in electrolytes, such as low calorie G2™, Powerade Zero™, and Propel™ (limit to 8 to 12 ounces per day).
Making water your number one drink.
Enjoy a quick salty snack.
High salt snacks include:
Baked potato chips or pretzels
Tortilla chips with salsa
Cottage cheese with tomato or fresh fruit
Beef or turkey jerky
Pickles
Olives
Salted nuts or seeds
Raw vegetables with dip
Some people who do not like salt, use salt tablets. Salt tablets can be found at your local pharmacy or grocery store. Most are in the form of sodium chloride, which is the same as table salt.
Find a tablet with 1 gram of salt in each. Be sure to review the label for exact amounts.
Take salt tablets with at least 1 cup of water. You may need to take several tablets throughout the day. Your doctor will tell you how many to take and when to take them.
If you are a UW Health patient and have more questions, please contact UW Health at one of the phone numbers listed below.
Nutrition clinics for UW Hospital and Clinics (UWHC) and
American Family Children’s Hospital (AFCH)
(608) 890-5500
Nutrition clinics for UW Medical Foundation (UWMF)
(608) 287-2770
You can also visit our website at: www.uwhealth.org/nutrition.