Major Victories on the Hypertension Front

I've reduced my sodium intake to just under 2000 micrograms (µg) over the past month or so. Pretty close to my goal and 40% less sodium than I was eating regularly back in December. I have learned to appreciate the subtle flavors in my cooking that are not overwhelmed by so much salt. I lost three pounds between Jan 25 and Feb 5. Some of that could be excess water because more than half of my sodium is gone.

The problems I am having in reaching and maintaining a daily intake of 1500 µg arise from old recipes that I cooked up back in December and that I still have to eat. And going out to eat at restaurants. Some restaurants, like Chili's, post their nutritional information, always a big help. I still have to learn to ask the right questions and to be assertive enough to get what I want.

The big news is that my blood pressure went down from 134/84, in June of last year, to 118/72, taken when I saw my doctor last Friday. That's a huge decrease and very significant for me. My grandfather, George Dees, died from a stroke when he was my age, in his late 50's.

Of course, this graph shows my logged sodium intake, not my actual intake.