Q. I constantly read in your publication and others about the importance of keeping sodium at a minimum in your diet to help control blood pressure. But as someone who likes to dine out in good restaurants, I am at a loss to know how much sodium I am consuming. Any suggestions as to how to deal with this question?

A. Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, director of Tufts HNRCA Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory, suggests: You should check the restaurants website to see whether nutrition information is available. If it is a smaller, neighborhood restaurant, you can talk to the manager to see whether there are options for lower-sodium preparation if the request is made when ordering. Some restaurants, too, indicate sodium levels on their menus, either with nutrition numbers or heart-healthy logos. Its also important, Lichtenstein adds, to support restaurants that do try to deliver lower-sodium options: Vote with your business, she urges.