Eating a low-salt diet for Ménière's disease
Why should you follow a low-salt diet?
Many of us like to use table salt—it adds flavor to the foods we eat. Salt is also found in many prepared foods, both for flavor and for preservation. However, salt contains a great deal of sodium—1 teaspoon contains 2 g (2,000 mg). This amount alone nearly meets the recommendation of the U.S. daily value for salt, 2,300 mg. The typical U.S. diet includes about 4,000 mg of salt a day. Evidence exists for restricting salt intake to 1,000 mg a day for Ménière's disease.
It is well worth the effort for those with Ménière's disease to know how much salt food contains and limit its intake.
- Episodes of vertigo can be severe, and eating less salt may reduce their frequency.
- Because you may experience fewer episodes of vertigo, you may reduce your risk for falls and injuries.
- Fewer episodes of vertigo may also reduce problems with balance. This is because the more vertigo episodes you have, the weaker your inner ear becomes. A weak inner ear contributes to poor balance.
- Fewer episodes of vertigo means a better quality of life due to less risk of falling.
Test Your Knowledge
Those with Ménière's disease should limit salt intake to:
Fewer episodes of vertigo means:
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How do you limit the salt in your diet?
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| Author: | Sabra L. Katz-Wise Ralph Poore | Last Updated: November 7, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Barrie J. Hurwitz, MD - Neurology | |
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