How do I arrange for a low salt diet for all 3 meals every day?

[pattycakes4810]

:confused: My doctor has recently placed me on a low salt diet due to high blood pressure. How do I let the dining room staff know that I need low salt food for all my daily meals?

[cb at sea]

You call the "special needs" department...all ships have them. Tell them what you need and they will "make it so"!

[pattycakes4810]

You call the "special needs" department...all ships have them. Tell them what you need and they will "make it so"!

 

Will this still work if I make an unscheduled visit to the Pinnacle Grill or Canaletto?

[baggal]

Will this still work if I make an unscheduled visit to the Pinnacle Grill or Canaletto?

 

No to unscheduled visits. Make a reservation, visit the host/hostess of the restaurant the day prior, and he/she will review the menu with you. Not everything is possible but they will try.

 

Are you going to have ALL your meals in the MDR? If not, be especially careful in the Lido at breakfast and lunch. Much of what is available there is full of salt.

 

And finally, and this is very controversial, but except for one cup of coffee in the morning, I don't drink any other beverage made with the ship's water. Bottled still water, Perrier and San Pellegrino are all that I drink. The ship's drinking water may be fine for other people but I find myself feeling much better without it.

 

Its up to you how vigilant you want to be.

[OlsSalt]

Don't they bring on specially prepared pre-packaged food on board to meet the requests various dietary restrictions? Not sure there are "low-salt" versions for all the regular menu items.

 

NIH Cochrane reviews of the low-salt studies show some minor BP benefit, but not much as well as some unintended later insulin resistance oomplications. Do your own homework on the topic from crediible resources and learn what your own comfort zone can be with your doctor's low-salt diet recommendations that might still allow a special night out or how to best pick and choose from the regular menus.

[sail7seas]

Will this still work if I make an unscheduled visit to the Pinnacle Grill or Canaletto?

 

 

NO,

 

YOU need to make reservations as most of ud do.

 

You cannot expect them to assign you a personal ch ef if you just show up without a reservation. You my not get seated if they are full. No expectation for a personal chef in any case. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

what do you do when you dine o ut at home? Do you make a reservation and t ell them your needs in advance?

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Will this still work if I make an unscheduled visit to the Pinnacle Grill or Canaletto?

Only if you go to each Rest the night before and pry order ..

[sail7seas]

Low salt didets re ohs o common and with personal responsibility are managed well by many cruisers.

 

You surely know to avoid soups, as ghey are loaded with s alt as are so many foods cooked in large qUANTITY.. Carefully order what you will eat and you likely can figure out which items you should avoid. ordering.

[sail7seas]

Will this still work if I make an unscheduled visit to the Pinnacle Grill or Canaletto?

 

 

What would you do about any restaurant on land? Plan in advance or just show up and walk in ?

[paganwoman]

I also have high blood pressure but just watch what I choose. If you just ask the waiters they are really good at telling you what to steer clear of. I have taken many cruises and have never had an issue with just watching what I eat and where. I stay clear of the Dive In burgers and fries (love them but not for me). I think you can do this for yourself and I treat myself to a few meals in the Pinnacle Grill each cruise.

[sail7seas]

^^ That , is a very good post. and is what many cruisers do.

[Krazy Kruizers]

OP

Breakfasts in the main dining room will not be a problem.

If you make reservations for a specialty restaurant, stop by the day before and talk to them about your low sodium diet.

No problem with dinner in the main dining room.

Lunch -- that is where you will have to be very careful as the dining room is not always open for lunch.

[DaveOKC]

Our table mates last cruise had diet restrictions and they found out to avoid the Lido (figures since this is a mass production not suited to individual requirements). The Main Dining Room worked great they said.

[ithaca gal]

What would you do about any restaurant on land? Plan in advance or just show up and walk in ?

 

The OP has just been told she has high blood pressure and needs to have a low sodium diet. She asked a reasonable question and I don't think harping on her is necessary or productive.

 

Those with helpful suggestions have already weighed in and have helped her.

 

(And your question could be seen as valid but posting it twice was a bit of overkill. Just my opinion)

[Queen of Adventure]

.

 

And finally, and this is very controversial, but except for one cup of coffee in the morning, I don't drink any other beverage made with the ship's water. Bottled still water, Perrier and San Pellegrino are all that I drink. The ship's drinking water may be fine for other people but I find myself feeling much better without it.

 

Its up to you how vigilant you want to be.

 

YES! And thanks for the reminder.

[Queen of Adventure]

Here's what I did:

• I had my travel consultant note it when she made a reservation.
  
• I sent an email to the general email address for special needs on the HAL website
  
• I called the Special Needs desk. She confirmed that all my special dietary needs were noted (very reassuring:p)
  

If you let your wait table staff in the MDR know, they will give you support as well. The Lido will require more discernment, I think... choose foods without sauce and simply prepared would be my strategy;p

 

 

Great advice from others regarding Specialty dining.

 

 

I hope you have a great cruise and eat exquisite food that makes your body feel good :D

[CU64]

Fruits and vegetables always work as well as cheeses.

Salt will not be a problem unless you eat processed & packaged foods. Stick with fish and a main menu meat.

Docs often warn against salt but refrain from saying stay off sugar!!!

[KroozNut]

Low salt didets re ohs o common and with personal responsibility are managed well by many cruisers.

 

What? :confused:

[TiogaCruiser]

Fruits and vegetables always work as well as cheeses.

Salt will not be a problem unless you eat processed & packaged foods. Stick with fish and a main menu meat.

Docs often warn against salt but refrain from saying stay off sugar!!!

Umm, cheese is often very high in sodium.

[TiogaCruiser]

Don't they bring on specially prepared pre-packaged food on board to meet the requests various dietary restrictions? Not sure there are "low-salt" versions for all the regular menu items.

 

NIH Cochrane reviews of the low-salt studies show some minor BP benefit, but not much as well as some unintended later insulin resistance oomplications. Do your own homework on the topic from crediible resources and learn what your own comfort zone can be with your doctor's low-salt diet recommendations that might still allow a special night out or how to best pick and choose from the regular menus.

 

Insulin resistance caused by low sodium diets? I’ll have to check that out. I’ve learned that thiazides are well known to cause insulin resistance- and am consequently no longer taking them. The interesting thing is they are often first line drugs for hypertension. And hypertension is a risk factor for diabetes.

[TiogaCruiser]

:confused: My doctor has recently placed me on a low salt diet due to high blood pressure. How do I let the dining room staff know that I need low salt food for all my daily meals?

I ask my TA to put low sodium in my profile (along with allergies). My last cruise was booked with the Big Box. They have a section on the online booking form for food needs. Normally the waiter or DRM has asked more specifically and brought me a menu for the next night when I’ve eaten in the MDR. Pinnacle waiters clarify when they make their first visit to my table.

[OlsSalt]

Insulin resistance caused by low sodium diets? I’ll have to check that out. I’ve learned that thiazides are well known to cause insulin resistance- and am consequently no longer taking them. The interesting thing is they are often first line drugs for hypertension. And hypertension is a risk factor for diabetes.

 

NIH, PubMed and Cochrane reviews are fairly credible research and analysis operations if you want to keep up on these current health topics: http://www.cochrane.org/CD004022/HTN_effect-low-salt-diet-blood-pressure-and-some-hormones-and-lipids-people-normal-and-elevated-blood

 

Arbitrarily setting surrogate endpoint metrics and calling them "ideal" goals, with no followup on the long term impacts of chasing those surrogate metrics is a major concern of mine. There is even emerging research claiming those over 70 need higher BP in order to pump enough blood into the brain. Biggest problem is virtually no long-term research is ever done on those over 70 - just epidemiology surveys but that can't tell you up front what works and what does not, or even monitor what else happens even if the surrogate endpoint goals are met.

 

Keeping in mind there is a difference between salt itself in the diet not causing HBP by itself; but reducing salt in the diet can help slightly reduce HBP that is already present.

[Homosassa]

As mentioned by another poster, cheese can be high in salt.

 

Another bad suggestion was the one about drinking bottled mineral water (San Pellegrino was mentioned).

 

Mineral water can have a hefty dose of sodium in the water.

[baggal]

As mentioned by another poster, cheese can be high in salt.

 

 

 

Another bad suggestion was the one about drinking bottled mineral water (San Pellegrino was mentioned).

 

 

 

Mineral water can have a hefty dose of sodium in the water.

 

 

 

I mentioned San Pellegrino in my post as well as saying that I found that not drinking the ship's water worked FOR ME. This is my regimen, whether someone else thinks it's bad or not. I just disembarked from a 12 day cruise without swollen ankles or that uncomfortable bloated feeling, and, weighing 2 pounds less! There is no bad suggestion. People have to try what works best for them.

 

 

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[sail7seas]

What? :confused:

 

Really ?

 

 

 

Reminder: CC has a great feature......... put any poster on Ignore. :)