Reduce the Salt & Reduce the Risk

On Jan 13th, the American Heart Association  issued a call to action for the public, health professionals, the food industry and the government  "to intensify efforts to reduce the amount of sodium (salt) Americans consume daily.In an advisory, published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, the association sets out the science behind the American Heart Association’s recommendation for the general population, which is to consume no more than 1500 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day because of the harmful effects of sodium – elevated blood pressure and increased risk of stroke, heart attacks and kidney disease. Elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is a major public health problem – approximately 90 percent of all Americans will develop hypertension over their lifetime."

One teaspoon of salt provides 2300mg of sodium---close to twice what the AHA recommends per day.  Much sodium is consumed in restaurants, and packaged foods.  When you cook at home, use more fresh herbs to enrich the flavors of foods, and it will be easier to use less salt.  For more hints click here.  

Specific info helpful---or hit the Easy Button

The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services will hold a joint press on Monday, January 31, at George Washington University, in Washington, D.C., to release the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  I'll post excerpts from those guidelines-----
In the mean time--Hit the Easy Button--and eat lower on the food chain.
(i.e.... baked potatoes instead of making  a box of potatoes au gratin)
The less processing the better.

Nutrition Thoughts

Don't worry, the resolution you made can still become a reality.  Think of foods you know intuitively are Fresh & Nutrient Rich choices.  Sit down and write a story of how you will live and enjoy more of those foods over the next two weeks.  Use positive energetic words to describe the upcoming weeks of your life.  Believing can lead to seeing.

Be Positive Avoid Negative

Think about Adding Healthy Foods to eat
Think about Adding Tasty Foods to eat
Avoid "I can't eat anything fun if I eat healthy" thinking
Create Healthy Habits
For a More Energetic, Happier Life

Easy Portion Visual

A 3 oz serving of meat is about the size of the palm of a woman's hand

Fun Food For Christmas

It's Christmas, so enjoy special traditional holiday food with friends & family.  Enjoy in moderation & you'll feel better tomorrow.

Eat Breakfast & Exercise--less Couch Potato!!!!

Members of the National Weight Control Registry, who’ve successfully lost 30 pounds or more and kept it off for over a year, eat breakfast every day, exercise an hour a day, and 

watch less than 10 hours of tv a week.

Resource:  Wyatt HR, Grunwald GK, Mosca CL, Klem ML, Wing RR, Hill JO.Long-term weight loss and breakfast in subjects in the National Weight Control Registry. Obes Res. 2002 Feb;10(2):78-82.