“Heart failure” is as serious and life-threatening as it sounds. It’s the medical term for when your ticker can’t pump enough oxygenated blood to meet your body’s needs.
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
There isn’t a cure for heart failure. But what you eat can help you manage the lifelong condition and minimize its impact on your life. Basically, your choices at mealtime can help you stay active and healthier.
So, what food should and shouldn’t be on your plate? Registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, has some definite menu recommendations. (SPOILER ALERT: There’s a big focus on reducing sodium intake.)
Heart failure also stands as the leading cause of hospitalization for those aged 65 and older. Put bluntly, it’s a condition that often steals years off lives.
Successfully living with heart failure often requires immediate lifestyle changes, with dietary choices topping the list. Think of your meals as medicine. What you eat can help or hurt your weakened heart.
“Everything you eat affects your entire body, including your heart,” says Zumpano. “Making good dietary choices — especially when it comes to sodium — is critical if you’ve been diagnosed with heart failure.”
Why is reducing sodium important with heart failure?
A bit of sodium is essential within your diet, as the mineral helps your body maintain fluid levels. “Consuming sodium helps your body absorb and hold onto the fluid it needs,” explains Zumpano.
But take in too much sodium, and you can retain excess water. If you have heart failure, that’s a big issue. Here’s why.
With heart failure, your struggle to adequately pump blood can lead to fluid buildup in your body. This excess fluid can be anywhere, from your arms and legs to areas around critical organs such as your lungs.
So, if you have heart failure and consume high amounts of sodium, you’re basically boosting fluid retention in a system that’s already flooding. That can send blood pressure numbers soaring.
“You’re putting extra strain on a heart that’s already having trouble keeping up,” says Zumpano.
But reducing sodium in your diet lessens extra fluid retention, which can take some pressure off your hard-working heart. Basically, it’s a way to help a compromised cardiovascular system.
How much sodium is too much?
Someone living with heart failure should try to limit sodium consumption to less than 2,000 milligrams (mg) per day, advises Zumpano. To put that in perspective, that’s less sodium than what’s in a teaspoon of table salt.
(Quick science lesson: Salt and sodium are often used interchangeably, but they’re different. Salt is a combination of sodium and chloride. Sodium, meanwhile, is just … well, sodium, and one of the most common elements on Earth.)
Should fluid consumption be limited?
Does it make sense to cut back on drinking cups of water and other beverages if your body is struggling with too much fluid? Sometimes, says Zumpano.
“Some people with heart failure do need to restrict how much they drink because they’re holding onto so much fluid,” she says. “But not everyone needs to follow a low-fluid diet. It’s on a case-by-case basis.”
Zumpano recommends talking to your healthcare provider before cutting back on fluid consumption to address heart failure symptoms.
10 tips to adopt a low-sodium diet
So, how do you cut back on sodium intake to slow the progress of heart failure? Zumpano offers 10 suggestions to ease the transition into a low-sodium diet.
#1: Hide your salt shaker
Kind of obvious, right? Eliminating the habit of shake-shake-shaking salt onto your plate can bring an instant reduction in sodium consumption. (FYI, too: While sea salt and kosher salt are less processed than ordinary table salt, they aren’t low in sodium.)
#2: Use fresh herbs
Fresh herbs and spices can add flavor to meals without any sodium. But be wary of prepackaged spice and seasoning blends. “Salt usually gets mixed in with the herbs and spices — and the sodium adds up quickly,” notes Zumpano.
#3: Read nutrition labels
Food labels in the United States include a section that tells how much sodium is in a single serving of the food item. “My general rule is to try to keep that number below 140 mg of sodium,” says Zumpano. (Be mindful of what is classified as a serving size, too.)
“Take the time to read labels,” she adds. “The more you look, the more surprised you may be as to where sodium pops up.”
#4: Search out low-sodium or sodium-free products
Food manufacturers have definitely noticed that there are millions of people looking to cut sodium — and they’ve responded with product offerings that can better fit within a low-sodium diet, says Zumpano.
Shelves are loaded with products labeled “Low Sodium” or “No Sodium.” Low sodium means that food has 140 mg or less of sodium per serving. No sodium means that food has less than 5 mg of sodium per serving.
#5: Don’t confuse lower with low
Be cautious of foods labeled “lower, “reduced” or “less” sodium.” These products do offer lower sodium content than the regular version of the food, but that doesn’t mean they’re actually “low” when it comes to sodium content.
An example would be soy sauce, where a splash of the “reduced sodium” flavoring still may amount to a significant amount of sodium.
“This is where reading nutrition labels at the store becomes so important,” stresses Zumpano. “Be mindful of the milligrams of sodium that are actually in a serving — not just that it’s less than normal.”
#6: Focus on fresh foods
If you’re wondering where to steer your grocery cart to find food low in sodium, Zumpano has a map: “I often suggest that you try to shop the outside of the grocery store, where you’ll find your fresh produce, fresh meats and fresh dairy,” she says.
Ideal foods to grab include:
Fruits and vegetables. No shocker here, right? “Fresh fruit and vegetables are packed with nutrients and have no or very, very little natural sodium,” notes Zumpano. (If you go the frozen or canned route, look for no-salt-added options.)
Fresh meats. Fresh beef, pork, poultry and fish are just … well, raw meat with minimal amounts of natural sodium. “The best options for meat are where there has been little to no extra processing,” she says. (More on that in #7!)
Dairy. Yogurt and milk aren’t very high in sodium. Cheese can be tricky, but there are varieties (Swiss, fresh mozzarella, brick and goat cheeses) that are naturally lower. There are some reduced sodium options, too.
Nuts and seeds. Look for unsalted nuts and seeds to keep these nutritional powerhouses in your diet.
Fresh grainsand dried beans. Can it take a little longer to prepare dried beans or fresh grains like brown rice, wild rice and oats? Yes. But the payoff is healthier food for very little sodium compared to many convenience options. (For a shortcut, check the freezer section. Some of these foods can be found cooked and frozen without any added salt.)
#7: Limit processed and convenience foods
The majority of sodium in the average American’s diet comes from processed foods and convenience foods. By some estimates, more than 70% of consumed sodium is added during commercial processing.
Check the labels and you’ll often see high sodium content in canned soups, luncheon meats, breads, pasta and rice mixes, frozen dinners, instant cereals, puddings and many, many more items.
“Sodium is one of the best ways to preserve convenience foods and extend their shelf life,” explains Zumpano. “It’s simple, inexpensive and effective, which is why so much of it ends up in processed food.”
Dodging this sodium comes down to spending more time in the kitchen cooking with fresh ingredients. Is that less convenient? Without question.
But eating smarter and healthier is key to living better with heart failure. “Adding a few steps to your food preparation process can help you eliminate a tremendous amount of sodium from meals,” encourages Zumpano.
#8: Cook smartly
Getting low-sodium food items into the house won’t help if you use high-sodium sauces, dressings and seasonings during preparation. Do an ingredient inventory of your fridge, pantry and cupboards to get a sense of what’s there.
“Take an extra look at what you’re using while cooking,” advises Zumpano.
And if you have a favorite recipe that includes salt, experiment and try reducing how much you use to minimize sodium content. Using a bit less often won’t seriously change the taste of the dish.
#9: Go simple when eating at restaurants
Let’s be realistic: Odds are you aren’t going to eat every meal at home. Grabbing a bite at a restaurant or hitting the buffet table at a party is part of life.
When you do eat out, look for more simply prepared foods. The more processed the food is, the more likely it is high in sodium. So, opt for a baked potato instead of mashed potatoes, or choose a side salad (dressing on the side) over a bowl of soup.
“Cut the sodium where you can while still finding joy in what you’re eating,” says Zumpano. “Every little bit helps.”
#10: Be patient
Reducing sodium in your diet can be difficult at first. As you make changes, it might help to keep a record of how much sodium you’re eating every day. You can write it down or use a meal-tracking app to make things easier.
“The idea isn’t deprivation,” notes Zumpano. “Look for adjustments you can make so you can enjoy the foods you want to eat while backing off of others. It’s about building knowledge about sodium so you can make the best choices.”
And as you make changes to your diet, your taste buds will adjust. (FYI: That’s a good thing!)
“Something that didn’t taste salty to you in the past will taste extremely salty to you after adhering to a low-sodium diet for just a week or two,” Zumpano continues. “It will help reinforce your good choices and it will become easier to follow sodium restrictions.”
An added bonus to better eating? High-sodium foods often are high in fat and calories, too, so you may drop some pounds after cutting back on items like processed meats, chips and snack foods, fried foods and breads.
Going low-sodium doesn’t mean you won’t eat fabulous food. In fact, your meals can be amazing while adjusting to help manage heart failure. Just consider this example of a one-day meal plan:
Breakfast
1 cup fresh fruit.
1 slice of sprouted grain bread.
An egg white omelet made with 1/2 cup egg whites, veggies (mushrooms, bell pepper and onion) and 2 tablespoons feta cheese or nutritional yeast.
Lunch
3 ounces grilled salmon.
2 cups of grilled veggies.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and vinegar dressing.
1/2 cup berries.
2 tablespoons salt-free slivered almonds.
Dinner
4 ounces grilled chicken.
1 cup roasted red-skin potatoes in rosemary and olive oil.
Steamed green beans.
2 cups tossed salad with low-sodium dressing.
1 cup fresh melon.
Snack
1 small banana with 1 tablespoon unsalted natural peanut butter.
Note: For a diet in which you consume 2,000 mg of sodium per day, a sample plan might involve eating 300–400 mg at breakfast, 200 mg for snacks twice daily, 600 mg for lunch and 600–700 mg for dinner.
Some Ontario doctors have started offering a free shot that can protect babies from respiratory syncytial virus while Quebec will begin its immunization program next month.
The new shot called Nirsevimab gives babies antibodies that provide passive immunity to RSV, a major cause of serious lower respiratory tract infections for infants and seniors, which can cause bronchiolitis or pneumonia.
Ontario’s ministry of health says the shot is already available at some doctor’s offices in Ontario with the province’s remaining supply set to arrive by the end of the month.
Quebec will begin administering the shots on Nov. 4 to babies born in hospitals and delivery centers.
Parents in Quebec with babies under six months or those who are older but more vulnerable to infection can also book immunization appointments online.
The injection will be available in Nunavut and Yukon this fall and winter, though administration start dates have not yet been announced.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
-With files from Nicole Ireland
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Polio cases are rising ahead of a new vaccination campaign in Pakistan, where violence targeting health workers and the police protecting them has hampered years of efforts toward making the country polio-free.
Since January, health officials have confirmed 39 new polio cases in Pakistan, compared to only six last year, said Anwarul Haq of the National Emergency Operation Center for Polio Eradication.
The new nationwide drive starts Oct. 28 with the aim to vaccinate at least 32 million children. “The whole purpose of these campaigns is to achieve the target of making Pakistan a polio-free state,” he said.
Pakistan regularly launches campaigns against polio despite attacks on the workers and police assigned to the inoculation drives. Militants falsely claim the vaccination campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize children.
Most of the new polio cases were reported in the southwestern Balochistan and southern Sindh province, following by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and eastern Punjab province.
The locations are worrying authorities since previous cases were from the restive northwest bordering Afghanistan, where the Taliban government in September suddenly stopped a door-to-door vaccination campaign.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the two countries in which the spread of the potentially fatal, paralyzing disease has never been stopped. Authorities in Pakistan have said that the Taliban’s decision will have major repercussions beyond the Afghan border, as people from both sides frequently travel to each other’s country.
The World Health Organization has confirmed 18 polio cases in Afghanistan this year, all but two in the south of the country. That’s up from six cases in 2023. Afghanistan used a house-to-house vaccination strategy this June for the first time in five years, a tactic that helped to reach the majority of children targeted, according to WHO.
Health officials in Pakistan say they want the both sides to conduct anti-polio drives simultaneously.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of people with private health insurance would be able to pick up over-the-counter methods like condoms, the “morning after” pill and birth control pills for free under a new rule the White House proposed on Monday.
Right now, health insurers must cover the cost of prescribed contraception, including prescription birth control or even condoms that doctors have issued a prescription for. But the new rule would expand that coverage, allowing millions of people on private health insurance to pick up free condoms, birth control pills, or “morning after” pills from local storefronts without a prescription.
The proposal comes days before Election Day, as Vice President Kamala Harris affixes her presidential campaign to a promise of expanding women’s health care access in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to undo nationwide abortion rights two years ago. Harris has sought to craft a distinct contrast from her Republican challenger, Donald Trump, who appointed some of the judges who issued that ruling.
“The proposed rule we announce today would expand access to birth control at no additional cost for millions of consumers,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “Bottom line: women should have control over their personal health care decisions. And issuers and providers have an obligation to comply with the law.”
The emergency contraceptives that people on private insurance would be able to access without costs include levonorgestrel, a pill that needs to be taken immediately after sex to prevent pregnancy and is more commonly known by the brand name “Plan B.”
Without a doctor’s prescription, women may pay as much as $50 for a pack of the pills. And women who delay buying the medication in order to get a doctor’s prescription could jeopardize the pill’s effectiveness, since it is most likely to prevent a pregnancy within 72 hours after sex.
If implemented, the new rule would also require insurers to fully bear the cost of the once-a-day Opill, a new over-the-counter birth control pill that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved last year. A one-month supply of the pills costs $20.
Federal mandates for private health insurance to cover contraceptive care were first introduced with the Affordable Care Act, which required plans to pick up the cost of FDA-approved birth control that had been prescribed by a doctor as a preventative service.
The proposed rule would not impact those on Medicaid, the insurance program for the poorest Americans. States are largely left to design their own rules around Medicaid coverage for contraception, and few cover over-the-counter methods like Plan B or condoms.
