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I make spaghetti and meatballs better than anyone in my family. The tomato sauce is high in sodium, meatballs require cheese and a little sodium. My mom is 93 and my sister is 70 and has cancer. I'd really like to cook them their favorite meal but I'm afraid my mom's legs will fill up with fluid. They're both immunosuppressed so I cannot take them out, and the stuff my mom can eat is tasteless. Only saw them once two weeks ago since the pandemic, don't know how much longer I'll have them. Any suggestions??

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The nurse we had said a special occasion high sodium meal at certain ages and certain condions were fine as long as it was not a regular occurance. Im my case it was a 50th wedding anniversary.
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So hold back on the salt a little when you make it, it's easy enough to find low sodium tomato sauce and if they are used to a low sodium diet they likely won't miss it, and keep the portions small - I think that a one day cheat shouldn't hurt either of them.
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A call to their MD will likely reassure you, and allow you to make a NSA (no salt added) delicious meal for your loved ones. Have a good day.
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Do you make your own sauce?

Good tomato sauce (28 oz can of crushed tomatoes, maybe a can of tomoato paste added to sliced and browned garlic, onion, green peppers and mushrooms) with a 28 ox can of water (or red wine or combo) and lots of oregano, basil and 2 bay leaves) simmered for a couple of hours and you won't miss the salt.
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Stacy0122 May 2021
Lol, do you know how many times in the last 20 years, I head from an Italy Italian, "spagetti is a noodle not a sauce" and "this is not parmesan."

I use 4 cups of tomatoes, onion, garlic not peeled and a pinch of sugar. Boil then simmer 15 min. Top with fresh oregano and basil. Put it on Morelli noodles, so much better than ours.

I was told more than 5 ingredients ruins the sauce.

Yours sounds good, except mushrooms, yuck.
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My mom's on Lasix and a low salt diet, and I would bring her a chile relleno every few weeks, because when you're 92, you get to eat whatever the heck you want.

Your mom and sister deserve some happy food. Just don't add salt to any of it as you make it, and be sure your mom drinks a lot of water to help flush it out. They'll be fine.
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spiritu May 2021
My mom eats like a bird anyway, so i think I will just make it, along with with some no salt veggies and her favorite dessert is chocolate, so I'll pick up some chocolate cake for her. She's almost 93, and I see her slowly slipping away due to dementia, she's still the same sweet, kind person she has always been, but not as close to the person she used to be, and I miss the old her. I'm trying so hard to hold onto the precious part that is left, and I want her to have a really nice Mother's Day.
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Minimize the salt where you can (cook fresh tomatoes or use canned ones with no salt added), and serve a small portion with a no salt veggie side dish, followed by a no salt dessert.

The Parmesan cheese is going to have salt, just use a small amount of the good stuff.
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There are recipe generator websites where you can type in ingredients and it will suggest recipes. You can pick some of their favourite base foods and also put "no added salt" and it will suggest recipes for you. You might find that useful. One of my favourite desserts is a fancy fruit salad. You can also make a caramel sauce for it by blending dates, vanilla extract and water.. it tastes just like caramel but it is healthy!
whatever you decide to make, I hope you have a lovely time and make a lasting memory.
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Use Cento canned tomatoes......VERY low in sodium, the paste too.
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The salt reduction exercise is usually most important for many people who have had salt with everything for decades and can’t really taste unsalted food. It’s quite likely that one special meal that you have tried to make lower salt than normal isn’t going to hurt much. If you are really worried about your mother’s legs filling with fluid, phone her doctor to check. Even the receptionist might slip in and ask. I like the idea of no salt in salad and desert – read the salad dressing label too!
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