A Smidge
1/32 teaspoon
Equivalent to 75 milligrams of Sodium
A Dash
1/16 Teaspoon
Equivalent to 150 milligrams of Sodium
A Pinch
1/8 teaspoon
Equivalent to 300 milligrams of Sodium
About
My name is Jena and I have Vasovagul Syndrome. My husband has Ménière’s Disease. Which basically means we are on totally opposite spectrums of how much sodium we need per day.
About how much you wonder?
Those with Vasovagal Syncope are recommended to have around 5,000 mg a day, which explains why my body craves salt. My husband has to limit to no more than 1,200 mg. Now, throw in a love for Comfort Cooking and kids and well… dinner time in the kitchen just got a little more complicated.
Welcome to this little about me and my Kitchen where I’m determined to adapt our none, low sodium, and sodium needed lifestyle to meet everyone’s needs. To cook food we love with tons of flavor, sometimes quite the mess, but overall dishes that warm our bellies without overloading our sodium needs.
When changes in life come a knocking, hold on tight. They aren’t easy, especially taking into account everyone’s different dietary needs, but it’s always well worth the time and dedication. Especially when it comes to living with and without our favorite extra sodium increaser, SALT.
So remember to use your salt shakers responsibly and Salt Sparingly.
Jena
Learn About Vasovagal & Ménière’s Disease
Vasovagal syncope
Vasovagal syncope (also called cardio-neurogenic syncope)
This is the most common type of syncope. It is caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure, which causes a drop in blood flow to the brain. When you stand up, gravity causes blood to settle in the lower part of your body, below your diaphragm. When that happens, the heart and autonomic nervous system (ANS) work to keep your blood pressure stable.
What is syncope?
Syncope (pronounced “sin ko pea”) is the medical term for fainting or passing out. It is caused by a temporary drop in the amount of blood that flows to the brain.
It can happen if you have a sudden drop in blood pressure, a drop in heart rate, or changes in the amount of blood in areas of your body. If you pass out, you will likely become conscious and alert right away, but you may be feel confused for a bit.
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
The ANS automatically controls many functions of the body, such as breathing, blood pressure, heart rate and bladder control. Most times, these things happen without us noticing.
How common is syncope?
Syncope is a common condition. It affects 3% of men and 3.5% of women at some point in life. Syncope is more common as you get older and affects up to 6% of people over age 75. The condition can occur at any age and happens in people with and without other medical problems.
Quoted from the Cleveland Clinic website.
Ménière’s Disease
Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can lead to dizzy spells (vertigo) and hearing loss. In most cases, Meniere’s disease affects only one ear.
This disease can occur at any age, but it usually starts between young and middle-aged adulthood. It’s considered a chronic condition, but various treatments can help relieve symptoms and minimize the long-term impact on your life.
Signs and symptoms of Meniere’s disease include:
- Recurring episodes of vertigo. You have a spinning sensation that starts and stops spontaneously. Episodes of vertigo occur without warning and usually last 20 minutes to several hours, but not more than 24 hours. Severe vertigo can cause nausea.
- Hearing loss. Hearing loss in Meniere’s disease may come and go, particularly early on. Eventually, most people have some permanent hearing loss.
- Ringing in the ear (tinnitus). Tinnitus is the perception of a ringing, buzzing, roaring, whistling or hissing sound in your ear.
- Feeling of fullness in the ear. People with Meniere’s disease often feel pressure in an affected ear (aural fullness).
Quoted from the Mayo Clinic website.
So what caused this?
For myself, way back before we had kiddos, my husband and I started a low salt diet to improve his higher blood pressure. The lack of sodium in my diet stimulated a Vasovagal Syncope reaction. Basically my body requires higher levels of sodium to function properly. The simple solution meant I was able to reintroduce salt into my diet, along with super hydration and to make sure to listen to my body cravings for sodium. Thankfully, my Vasovagul Syndrome is controllable at this time, but there are others in the world with similar or worse diagnosis who have to go the extra measure to maintain their sodium levels.
For my husband, we have utterly no clue. There’s not a lot of information about why Ménière’s disease occurs. Hereditary or not, we aren’t sure, and my assumptions are just that assumptions. At the end of the day sodium reduction combined with a couple of medications and physical therapy techniques has made the ringing in his ear the lowest it’s ever been and has helped reduce triggers of severe Vertigo.
Love to Keep in Touch
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