a peek inside the fishbowl

O sodium.
How I love to hate you.

Many Fishies will understand how thrilled I am that Sodium 101 has become my newest blog patron. The people behind this initiative are doing great work to raise awareness of this issue, and I happen to think they are pretty darn cool.

As a parent I take a special interest in what my family is eating. It is my job to read labels and make smarter, healthier choices. I think it’s really important that I take responsibility for my family’s health and do my part to establish great habits early on. That means (among many things): limiting screen time, increasing the amount of outdoor activity we get everyday, and learning about the food we eat. And not just about how to make better choices, but how to prepare meals and how to enjoy them together as a family too.

We’re not perfect, but we do our best. That’s all anyone can ask, right? And education is a big piece of this puzzle. That’s where Sodium 101 comes in. Sodium 101 is an ongoing campaign brought to you by the Canadian Stroke Network. There are a number of great resources on the Sodium 101 website that I bet you’d find really interesting and useful. I did.

For example:

• Info about children and sodium. (Speaking of which, do you know how much sodium is too much for little kids?)
• Info about how to read the nutrition panel on processed foods. Did you know that the % Daily Value listed for sodium is actually calculated based on an unhealthy target daily sodium intake of 2,400 mg?
• And here’s the coolest thing, Sodium 101 recently launched their own app to help folks like me stay within our daily recommended sodium intake.  You can read more about the app here. (I love the salt shaker – you have to try it.) Tracking the food you eat can be a real eye-opener. Even if you can’t commit to tracking your food for the long haul, it’s worth doing for at least a couple of days. I bet you will learn a thing or two. I did!

The indisputable fact is that too much sodium has an impact on our health, and we are consuming more than ever before. It’s time to take control. Are you with me? :)

Anyway, yes! Thank you Sodium 101, for the work you are doing and for becoming a part of the Fishbowl family. It is appreciated.