Health Care

By Tom Beni

Meniers Disease is a disorder of the inner ear that could be related to some abnormality of the inner ear fluids. Its symptoms include vertigo, hear loss, tinnitus (loud ringing in the ear), sensation of fullness in the affected ear and even sudden falls. These attacks vary in length, intensity and frequency. And there is still no known cause for it no cure found.

There is no doubt that a low salt diet helps a lot of people who suffer from Meniers Disease. The interesting fact is that there is no full scientific explanation why is that so. It does seem that the symptoms are often controlled successfully by reducing the body’s retention of fluids through dietary changes. But before rushing into it, there are always things you should know on how to make your diet safe and effective.

Salt, or Sodium, is a natural mineral found in foods and drinks or added to them. Sodium is important in order to maintain normal blood volume and pressure and for normal function of nerves and muscles. The body has its own way of regulating sodium levels. A low salt diet should keep a low body level of sodium, but not less that what the body needs. Falling below the necessary sodium levels may damage your health. So always consult your doctor before changing your diet.

A "normal" sodium intake for adults is around 1100-3300 milligrams per day. A low intake would be 400-1000 milligrams per day. Meniers Disease patients would usually start with a diet of under 2000 milligrams per day, and decrease the amount if necessary. Compare that with the 2000mg of sodium in a single teaspoon of table salt and the fact that some foods have natural salt, and you'll realize that practicing such a diet requires considerable effort.

Always fully scrutinize the "Nutritional Information" of the foods you buy and search for those with low sodium levels. Remember that sometimes this information is based on very little serving portions, and that you need to base your shopping to the actual amount of food that you would probably eat.

Generally speaking, you should avoid salty snacks, fat milk or meat, regular canned vegetables and soups, ketchup, soy sauce and fast food. Try to focus of "healthy foods" such as fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat milk or meat, whole-grain breads, unsalted popcorn and very light salad dressing.

Water can also be an issue, especially if they are going through some sort of water softener. These softeners replace chemicals, such as calcium and magnesium, that make the water "hard", usually with sodium that soften the water. In some cases, drinking 2 liters of this kind of water would cost you more that half your limit sodium intake!

Here are some more tips to help you ease into your Meniers Disease low salt diet:
* If you find it hard to stop using salt (taste-wise), try halving the amounts needed. Slowly you'll get use to the taste, and then keep decreasing again.
* Try using herbs and spices as flavor enhancements.
* Don't put salt at the table.
* Choose your restaurants carefully, and check what's in the food.
* Drink 8 glasses of fresh (unsoftened) water per day