From Andy's Popcorn to Cold Turkey (One Man's Journey)

From Andy’s Popcorn Stand to Cold Turkey (One Man’s Journey) Even on one of suburban Chicago’s most stifling—hot and humid—summer evenings, everything was right with this world when the evening included a trip to Andy’s Popcorn Stand. Waiting patiently in line was almost impossible because the aromas were so crazily tantalizing. Andy, the sole proprietor and employee of Andy’s Popcorn kiosk in downtown Naperville, coated every kernel with butter, which made it easy for salt shaken liberally to stick to the popcorn. A little bit of heaven for the princely sum of 15 cents a bag (no extra charge for the bag). Summertime in Chicago also featured ferocious thunderstorms with brilliant flashes of lightning, meaning Andy’s Popcorn Stand would be TKO’D for the evening. Fear not, however. On those evenings I could be found at home, munching on Jay’s (salted, of course) potato chips—courtesy of my mother, who had salted away (pardon the pun) extra bags of chips just for those rainy days. (I can’t resist recounting this little bit of history: I would be watching our new color TV—a small black and white screen with a thin plastic film scotch-taped over the screen. The film had colors baked into it such that what the viewer saw had a weird, tie-dyed effect on whatever was on the screen, from the uniforms of my beloved Chicago Cubs to the costumes worn by Howdy Doody and Buffalo Bob.) I have recounted these insights/excuses to a lifetime of family and primary care physicians as my rationale for being a “salt” versus a “sweet”. I firmly believe most people are one or the other and could self-select without hesitation. I can visualize three survey questions. See if you agree with me that in today’s society the first question is easiest to answer and does not need the third option of “other”. 1. Are you a “salt”, a “sweet”, or other? 2. Would you describe yourself as conservative, liberal, or other? 3. Do you define yourself as male, female, or other? But I digress. Decades of making light of being a “salt” brought me to two nights and three days focusing on uncomfortably shallow breathing and fluid retention issues in my legs and lungs at Thornton Hospital last week. For me, at least, salt has become as much of a threat to life and limb as the COVID-19 virus. Yet I can rattle off any number of meals I love, all of which deliver way too much sodium—dangerously beyond the normal daily value—all in one sitting. French toast with just a few slices of crisp bacon comes to mind. Who can resist an all-American hamburger with pickles and potato chips? Pepperoni pizza and almost anything Chinese (with MSG and soy or hoison sauce)? I’m salivating all over the paper on which this essay was drafted! The sad truth is these meals are all killers in terms of sodium content (perhaps calories too). According to the American Heart Association, most people consume about 3,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day—more than twice the sodium intake recommended by the organization. Being addicted to salt over a lifetime, my guess is that on average, on a good day I consumed 4,000 mg+/- of sodium. On a bad day, 7,000 to 8,000 mg. Human bodies are ill-equipped to counterbalance this much excess sodium being ingested. Eventually they will convey such a message quite clearly. Given no choice but to undo my lifelong dedication to salt, I decided to write this essay for two reasons. First, I invite you to send me ideas and suggestions about no salt and low salt products, recipes and organizations. In responding, please emphasize things not easily found on the web. For instance, I sorely need family favorite low or no salt recipes that are the product of extensive experimentation. There is one exception to this request: please don’t bother with recipes including salmon. Second, to give you a head’s up, the next time you see me I might come across as grouchy. If that happens, please know it’s not personal. My closing thoughts have to do with the age-old question of whether a person eats to live or lives to eat. When reality sank in and I reluctantly accepted the need to eat to live, my initial reaction was doubt I could pull it off. However, after four or five days of low sodium “dining” (a term I use lightly!), my optimism is increasing. Why? Mainly because low sodium food is generally tasteless and takes the pleasure out of eating I know four or five days do not a lifetime make, but I had to start somewhere. Also, I intend to go cold turkey, that is, go fresh turkey, not processed turkey—huge sodium differential, you know. What makes me relatively confident I can go cold turkey implementing this low/no salt, eat-to-live change in lifestyle? About 40 years ago I eliminated alcohol from my life. Cold turkey. Mark J. Riedy, PhD August 8, 2021