Are there special diets for patients who have congestive heart failure?

The good news is that there is a lot you can do to help your heart condition and to reduce your heart failure symptoms.

Good nutrition is important for patients who have heart failure. The most important thing you can do is to carefully restrict the salt (sodium chloride) in your diet. A high-salt diet can increase your blood pressure but, more importantly, can cause your body to retain water. This can cause swelling and worsened symptoms. You should limit your sodium intake to 2,000 milligrams (mg) per day. This is about the amount of salt in a teaspoon.

The first and easiest way to reduce your salt intake is take the salt shaker off the table. Keep it out of reach, or even throw it away. Use fresh vegetables and foods instead of canned or processed foods. Learn to read food labels to keep track of how much sodium you eat. A consultation with a registered dietitian may be helpful.

Observing a “heart-healthy” diet and avoiding overeating is a good idea. Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat each day. Eliminate any fried foods or foods that are high in cholesterol. Reduce your intake of red meat, and increase the amount of “white” meat or fish in your diet. If you have diabetes, maintain a strict low-carbohydrate and low-sugar diet.

You may be told to limit your fluid intake to help prevent edema and water retention. This includes anything that is liquid at room temperature (such as soups, juices, popsicles, and ice cream). Measuring drinks in a measuring cup before you drink them may help you maintain your daily fluid goals. Other tips include chewing gum or sucking on hard candy or lemon wedges, only drinking when you are thirsty, and rinsing your mouth with water without swallowing it.

Be smart about alternative or herbal remedies. You may have heard about supplements and herbs that claim to help the heart or help heart failure symptoms. These claims are being studied but have not been medically proven. Keep in mind that “natural” does not mean “safe.” Extracts, herbs, and other supplements can interact with your prescription medicines. Some over-the-counter products are not safe and can cause organ damage. If you want to try alternative or herbal treatments, be sure to discuss it with your doctor first.