Wednesday 30 June 2010

Tell 'em they're dreamin.

It is frustrating being on a diet restriction that is hardly catered for by manufacturers and is not catered for at all by restaurants, Cafes or take away places.  Now there are vegetarian, low fat, gluten free and low carbohydrate meals, but no low salt options when eating out.  Manufactures occasionally bring out low salt products, but usually their products disappear after a time.  Often I will find something low in salt that actually tastes great, but after a while I can no longer purchase it any where.  When contacting the manufacturers directly they all give the same reason - not enough people buy the low salt options.

People are so used to their high salt intake that food low in salt doesn't taste as good or even tastes awful.  I know this because I went through a period of about two months, once I began my low salt diet, where nearly everything tasted horrible.

Now what I miss are options.  I miss being able to stop at a cafe and have a bite to eat.  I miss going out to a restaurant and being able to choose from a selection of meals (to be honest I don't actually like fish and my first meal out at a restaurant (as discussed in my previous post) wasn't enjoyable for me, except for the fact that I was 'eating out').  I miss getting take out and having a night off cooking.  I miss having easy options for making meals at home.

There are many health problems that salt contributes to - stroke, heart disease, Meniere's disease, PMS, etc.  Yet there doesn't seem to be that many people on a low salt diet.  Not enough to justify manufacturers or restaurants catering to the diet.

Even "health" foods are a joke to me now because they are usually very high in salt.  I think more salt is added to try and boost the taste and make up for the lack of sugar and fat.

I would love to see more low salt options on the shelves in supermarkets and in restaurants.  But whenever I have this thought a quote from "The Castle" always enters my mind - "Tell 'em they're dreamin".

Eating out.

My low salt diet fills me with anguish about eating out.  Salt is such an integral part of cooking that I wonder how I can explain my diet in such a way that salt doesn't happen to sneak its way on to my plate.  I have to trust that the cook will know enough about salt and how much of it is actually hidden within practically everything to be able to avoid it altogether.

Well a couple of months ago I made it out for breakfast for the first time since starting the diet. Porridge and fresh fruit are two options that are very low in salt.  Since then I have been out for a few breakfasts, but I have never been game to order something salty and have the chef modify it for me.

Recently I decided to try going out for dinner.  This was a huge step for me.  We picked the restaurant ahead of time and I browsed their online menu.  I found something that would be easy to modify and rang up the restaurant for assurance that they could modify their meals.

On the day I made it very clear to the waiter that my low salt diet restriction is for medical reasons and I made it extremely easy for him by ordering the fish, chips and salad.  Fish with no batter, just plain grilled.  Chips with no salt.  Salad with no dressing.  The waiter even came back after placing my order to inform me that he had made my order very clear to the chef.  After my meal he asked me if everything had been OK.  I was actually pleasantly surprised by the service and my meal came exactly as asked.  Not a hint of salt to be seen on my plate, either by the shaker or by dressings or sauces.

Tuesday 22 June 2010

I used to take for granted...

..things like.. going to the toilet by myself and having a shower in peace.

Now I have a little person following me where ever I go.

Not that I mind, but having to entertain a little one in any situation does take a bit of getting used to.

Sunday 13 June 2010

Guess what?

I have big news.  No I am NOT pregnant again, which is the first guess everyone makes for some reason.

Yesterday Greg and I bought..... a house!!

We were actually looking for a unit, which of course is more affordable.  Then this house came along in our price range.  It met all our criteria.  We got our act together and finally applied for a loan.  Got our preapproval.  Went to the auction yesterday.  And next thing you know.. we're bidding and we've bought a house!

Here's some pictures of our new place!

Just after we bought the house.

Lounge room - ignore the dodgy furniture. :)

Kitchen.

Backyard.