how to avoid vertigo with a low sodium diet

The prompt over at Big Tent Poetry involved thinking about foods that interest us, and write a "how to" poem -- how to eat, how to cook, how to grow that food. "Your food memories, your senses, your love of words, even your local market can provide you with the ingredients. All you need to do is cook up a poem!" Here is a weird little ditty that came to me earlier this week. I never did get back to change it.

How to avoid vertigo with a low sodium diet

salt isn't a devil,

but you know it won't help.

in fact it exacerbates

as far as we can tell.

a low sodium diet

is what we recommend

to keep the world from

spinning all around your head.

it will keep the sounds down

from inside your ears,

and you'll walk steady and strong

with any luck, for years.

choose the herbs and the lemon juice

and avoid all the processed;

pick the fruits and the veggies

and don't forget dark chocolate.

you'll miss capers and smoked fish

and sushi and breads,

but it sure beats vertigo and

wishing you were dead.

Copyright © 2011 Nan P.