Eating A Low-salt Diet For Ménière's Disease: Why Should You Follow A Low Salt Diet

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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 per day. Evidence exists for restricting salt intake to 1,000 mg per 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.

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Last updated:	November 07, 2006
Author:	Ralph Poore
Reviewed By:	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine, Barrie J. Hurwitz, MD - Neurology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman