Rhinoplasty (nose surgery)

Low-Salt Diet

After a rhinoplasty, the skin of the nose swells and can take many months to completely resolve. The best treatment for this post-surgical swelling is to minimize dietary sodium. Dietary sodium causes the body to retain water and is linked to high blood pressure. Most Americans consume 3000-4500 milligrams of sodium each day, much more than the 1500-2300 mg/day that the American Heart Association recommends. For his rhinoplasty patients, Dr. Hamilton recommends a goal of 300 mg of sodium at breakfast, 400 mg at lunch and 500 mg at dinner.

“But I never use salt!”

Ninety percent of the salt people eat comes from processed food. For the post-operative patient, this can pose a real challenge. Most “comfort food” is loaded with salt. Chicken soup? 889 mg. Pizza? 750 mg per slice. In general, if it comes out of a box, bag, or can, it is likely to be high in sodium. This doesn’t mean that you must be on a bland diet, however. It just means that reading labels will be important and you may need to use other spices.

Sirloin with Tomato, Olive, and Feta Topping

From American Heart Association Low-Salt Cookbook, 3rd Edition

Serves 4; 3 ounces meat and 1/2 cup topping per serving

Ingredients

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 pound boneless top sirloin steak, all visible fat discarded, cut into 4 pieces

Topping

2 cups grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Vegetable oil spray

Directions

In a large airtight plastic bag, combine the garlic, oregano, lemon zest, lemon juice, and pepper. Add the steak and turn to coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 8 hours, turning occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the topping ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Drain the steaks. Discard the marinade.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray (being careful not to spray near a gas flame). Cook the steaks for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until the desired doneness. (Or grill or broil 5 to 6 inches from the heat as directed.)

To serve, place each steak on a plate. Spoon the topping over each serving.

Nutrition Analysis (per serving)

Calories 187; Total Fat 6.5 g; Sodium 145 mg; Carbohydrates 6 g; Protein 26 g