diet
How much sodium should I limit in my diet if I have heart failure?
With heart failure, eating less sodium helps control fluid buildup in your body. Sodium is the salt found in many foods.
Eating less sodium is one of the main ways to manage fluid buildup with heart failure. Sodium is the salt in food. Your care team will set the right limit for you.
Heart failure means your heart can't pump enough oxygen-rich blood. Blood flow slows, and fluid backs up in your blood vessels. It leaks into your body's tissues, causing swelling in your legs, ankles, and belly. That same fluid can make breathing harder. Eating less sodium helps reduce this buildup and ease these symptoms.
Talk to your care team about your personal sodium limit. If your swelling gets worse or breathing becomes more difficult, contact your care team.
Free guide
10 questions to ask your care team about Heart failure
You don't have to become an expert overnight — you just need the right questions in your pocket. Bring these to your next visit.
We’ll email you the guide and occasional plain-language updates. No spam; unsubscribe anytime. Educational only — not medical advice.
Still have a question?
Ask in your own words. Cairava explains it plainly and gives you questions for your care team. Anonymous — identifying details are stripped automatically. Not medical advice.
Ask anything about Heart failure
Ask in your own words. We’ll explain it plainly, map out what to expect, and give you questions to bring to your care team.
Sources
Reviewed by Cairava editorial (preview — AI-drafted, pending clinical review).
This page is educational, not medical advice. Talk with your care team about decisions that apply to you. If something feels urgent, contact your care team — for emergencies call your local emergency number.
More about Heart failure
- Why do my legs and ankles swell, and what does this have to do with heart failure?
- Is the exhaustion I feel a common part of having heart failure?
- Why do some heart medications cause a dry cough that won't go away?
- Why does walking a short distance leave me so short of breath?
- Should I weigh myself regularly, and when is weight gain something to worry about?
- What causes my heart to race and flutter?